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How to Hash Text in Make (MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-512) for Free

Updated October 26, 2026

Short answer: Make has built-in md5, sha1, sha256 and sha512 functions. Open the field where you need the hash, pick sha256 from Text and binary functions in the mapping panel, and put your text inside the parentheses, for example {{sha256(1.content)}}. You don't need an API for this.

If you automate with Make, you sometimes need a hash: to check that content hasn't changed, to spot duplicate records without comparing the whole text, or to create a short fingerprint of long content. Make can do this on its own, in any field, with no extra module.

The free way: built-in functions in Make

1. Click the field where you need the hash, so the mapping panel opens.
2. Go to the Text and binary functions group and pick sha256. You can also pick md5, sha1 or sha512.
3. Put your text inside the parentheses. For example, {{sha256(1.content)}} hashes the content field that comes from module 1.
4. Close the panel. When the scenario runs, the field gets the hash, in hexadecimal (hex) by default.

These functions work in any field of any module, and they come with Make: no extra service or account.

Optional arguments (described in words):

• Output encoding: hex is the default. You can also choose base64 or latin1. This option doesn't exist for md5.
• Key: if you add a key, sha1, sha256 and sha512 become an HMAC, a hash signed with a secret key. This is useful to sign a value before sending it to a webhook that checks it. md5 takes only the text.

Example: process only the content that changed

1. Module 1 fetches the record with its content.
2. A Set variable module stores {{sha256(1.content)}} in a variable. You can also put the same function directly in a Filter condition.
3. A Filter compares that hash with the hash saved the last time (in a database or Google Sheets). If it's different, the scenario continues. If it's the same, it stops there.

Only content that really changed gets reprocessed.

When the Cofferdock API is worth it

Use the built-in functions if you only need the hash inside Make: they come with Make and need no extra service. The Cofferdock API makes sense in these cases:

• Files: you can send the raw bytes of a file in one call (Content-Type: application/octet-stream), not just text.
• Several tools: the same call works from Make, n8n, Zapier or your own code, so one service covers all of them.

What you'll get

You send a text and the algorithm you want (md5, sha1, sha256 or sha512) and get back the hash, in hex or base64.

Common uses in Make:

• Checking whether a record's content has changed since last time by comparing its hash.
• Deduplicating rows coming from different sources without comparing the full text.
• Generating a short, stable fingerprint of long content, to use as a key.
• Signing a value before sending it to a webhook that verifies it.

What you need

• A Cofferdock account. The free tier gives you 50 uses/month with no card.
• Your API key, from your dashboard with "+ Create key". It's shown only once.
• The HTTP → Make a request module in your scenario.

Step by step in the HTTP module

Add the HTTP → Make a request module and set it up like this:

• URL: https://api.cofferdock.com/hash
• Method: POST
• Headers: add two → x-api-key with your key, and Content-Type with the value application/json.
• Body type: Raw
• Content type: JSON (application/json)
• Request content:

{ "text": "{{1.content}}", "algorithm": "sha256" }

• Turn on Parse response: the response is JSON.

The response includes hash and algorithm, ready to map in the next module.

A quick example

Say you only want to process a record if its content has changed since last time:

1. A module that fetches the record with its content.
2. The HTTP module above, which computes its hash.
3. A Filter that compares {{2.hash}} with the hash saved last time (in a database or Google Sheets): if it's different, the scenario continues; if it's the same, it stops there.

Only content that actually changed gets reprocessed.

Options you can tweak

Add them in the same JSON body:

Prefer to see it in code?

The same call with curl:

curl -X POST "https://api.cofferdock.com/hash" \
  -H "x-api-key: YOUR_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"text": "hello world", "algorithm": "sha256"}'

How much does it cost?

Each call uses 1 credit from your plan, whatever the algorithm or the size of the text. Every Cofferdock tool draws from the same pool of credits.

FAQ

Does Make have a native module to generate hashes? No separate module is needed. Make has built-in md5, sha1, sha256 and sha512 functions that work inside any field, for free (Make's help).

Can I hash a file, not just text? Yes with the Cofferdock API, which accepts the raw bytes of a file directly (Content-Type: application/octet-stream). Each call uses 1 credit.

Which algorithm should I use? sha256 for most cases. md5 only if you need compatibility with an old system that requires it.

Does the same text always produce the same hash? Yes, a hash is deterministic: the same text and algorithm always produce the same result.

Related guides

• Generate UUIDs in Make
• Generate a URL slug in Make

Try it yourself

You'll find the full instructions, with copy-paste examples, on the hash generator page. And if you don't have an account yet, you can create one for free and build your first scenario today.