MD5 vs SHA-256: Which Hash Should You Use?

Compare MD5 vs SHA-256 for checksums and integrity: collision risks, compatibility, and when each algorithm still makes sense in modern development.

MD5 and SHA-256 both turn input into a fixed-length digest, but they are not interchangeable for security. MD5 produces a 128-bit digest and is considered broken for collision resistance. SHA-256 produces a 256-bit digest and remains the default integrity hash for most new systems.

Use MD5 only for legacy compatibility: matching an old file checksum, talking to a system that still publishes MD5, or debugging historical artifacts. Do not use MD5 to protect passwords or to assert authenticity against an attacker.

Prefer SHA-256 for download integrity, cache keys where collision resistance matters, and content-addressed storage. For password storage, neither MD5 nor raw SHA-256 is enough — use Argon2, bcrypt, or scrypt with unique salts.

SHA-1 sits in the middle historically and is also deprecated for collision-sensitive uses. If a vendor still requires SHA-1, isolate it and plan a migration.

EverydayDevTools Hash Generator computes MD5, SHA-1, and SHA-256 locally so you can compare digests while choosing the right algorithm for the job.