Independent Records for Fair Business
Turn every transaction, content delivery, and operational event into independent proof that protects everyone.
Digital receipts for payments, content, and operations. Clear records prevent confusion, prove authenticity, automate compliance—all from one platform.
All Core Plans Include the Tri-Pillar System
This complete system is what makes CertNode unique
Why this matters: Other platforms only do one thing (just payments, just content, just logs). CertNode connects all three domains with the Receipt Graph, creating complete evidence chains that resolve disputes and pass audits.
Business Without Cryptographically-Verified Records Creates Confusion
Every day, businesses lose money because they can't prove what happened.
Chargebacks Cost 1-3% of Revenue
"I never ordered this" claims drain profits. Without independent proof, confusion leads to lost revenue.
Example: $1M in sales = $10K-30K lost to chargebacks
Source: Chargebacks911 2024 Report
Copyright Defense Averages $50K-$150K
"You stole my content" or "I never received it" lawsuits are expensive to defend. Complex cases can exceed $500K.
Real case: Hermès v. Rothschild (MetaBirkin NFT) = $133K judgment
Source: Copyright Alliance 2023 Survey
SOC 2 Takes 6-12 Months + $50K-$200K
First-time certification requires 500-2000 hours gathering evidence. CertNode receipts reduce prep time by 60-80%.
Breakdown: $50K (startups) to $200K (enterprises with 50+ controls)
Source: Vanta 2024 Compliance Report
Three Products. One Platform. Complete Protection.
Every CertNode plan includes all three receipt products.
Pay once. Get everything.
Transaction Receipts
What is it? Independent proof of every payment, refund, and financial transaction.
Problem it solves:
Customer: "I never ordered this $500 product"
Bank: Chargeback filed
You: Unclear what happened
With CertNode:
Submit independent receipt showing:
• Order timestamp
• Payment confirmation
• Customer acknowledgment
• Cryptographic signature
Result: Clear records resolve confusion
- ✓Chargeback defense evidence
- ✓Secure payment records
- ✓Instant verification via JWKS
- ✓Audit-ready transaction logs
Content Delivery Verification
What is it? Proof of content delivery, access, and timestamps.
Problem it solves:
Customer: "I paid but never got my course"
Platform: Needs proof of delivery
You: Can't prove it was delivered
With CertNode:
Submit content receipt showing:
• Content uploaded timestamp
• Customer download timestamp
• IP address & device
• Content hash (proves exact file)
Result: Clear records resolve confusion
- ✓C2PA standard compatible (pending certification)
- ✓Ownership & licensing proof
- ✓Delivery confirmation
- ✓Proves it wasn't altered
Operations Trust
What is it? Secure records of security incidents, policy changes, and compliance events.
Problem it solves:
Auditor: "Prove you had access controls in Jan 2024"
You: Scramble to find logs
Logs: Can be edited (not trusted)
With CertNode:
Show operations receipt with:
• Policy implementation timestamp
• Access control logs
• Change history
• Cryptographic signature (can't be edited)
Result: Generate audit evidence in 15 minutes
- ✓Security incident documentation
- ✓Policy version tracking
- ✓Compliance audit trails
- ✓SLA & uptime proof
All Three Products Included in Every Plan
No add-ons. No hidden fees. One subscription gives you transaction receipts, content certification, and operations trust.
Plans start at $29/month for 500 receipts across all three products.
Independent Records Protect Everyone
CertNode acts as a digital notary—an independent third party creating trusted records that both sides can verify.
For Businesses
Clear records resolve confusion: "Customer logged in 47 times, completed 8 lessons, downloaded materials."
Result: Prevents disputes, passes audits, proves compliance
For Customers
You can verify your own records anytime at certnode.io/verify. Independent proof you can trust.
Result: Know what you paid for, when you got it, who delivered it
For Everyone
Fair record-keeping builds trust. Honest customers feel protected. Clear proof prevents disputes.
Result: Less confusion, fewer disputes, faster resolutions
Connected by Receipt Graph
Link receipts across all three products to create complete evidence chains
Example: E-Commerce Order
Customer pays $500
- • Payment timestamp
- • Amount: $500
- • Customer email
- • Order ID
Product delivered
- • Delivery photo uploaded
- • Shipping label
- • Tracking number
- • Parent: Transaction receipt
Customer confirms
- • Confirmation timestamp
- • Customer signature
- • IP address
- • Parent: Content receipt
Result: Complete evidence chain from payment → delivery → confirmation.
When customer has questions: Submit all 3 receipts as proof. Clear records resolve confusion.
Without Receipt Graph
- ×Receipts scattered across systems
- ×No connection between payment & delivery
- ×Manual evidence gathering takes hours
- ×Incomplete stories lead to confusion
With Receipt Graph
- ✓All receipts in one platform
- ✓Automatic linking (parent/child)
- ✓One-click evidence export
- ✓Complete story resolves confusion
Why RFC 3161 Timestamps Matter
Not all timestamps are created equal. Here's why RFC 3161 matters for legal defensibility.
Regular Timestamp (not RFC 3161)
What it is:
Database timestamp, server time, or `new Date()` in your code. Created by your own system.
Problems:
- ×Easily manipulated: You control the server clock. Anyone can question: "Did you just backdate this?"
- ×Not independently verifiable: No third party can confirm the timestamp's accuracy
- ×Court challenges: Opposing counsel will argue "this could have been created yesterday"
- ×Burden of proof: You need expert testimony to defend your own timestamp
Good enough for: Internal logs, analytics, development
RFC 3161 Timestamp (CertNode)
What it is:
Cryptographic timestamp from an independent third-party authority (FreeTSA, DigiStamp). Not controlled by you.
Benefits:
- ✓Tamper-proof: Uses cryptographic hash + timestamp authority signature. Cannot be backdated.
- ✓Independently verifiable: Anyone can verify via timestamp authority's public key (JWKS)
- ✓Court-admissible: Meets Federal Rules of Evidence 902(13-14) for self-authenticating documents
- ✓Legal precedent: Accepted in federal courts (U.S. v. Vayner 2014, Lorraine v. Markel 2007)
Required for: Lawsuits, compliance audits, disputes, legal evidence
How RFC 3161 Works (Technical Explanation)
Your Action
Customer makes a purchase. CertNode creates receipt with transaction data.
Hash Created
CertNode creates SHA-256 hash of the receipt data (tamper-proof fingerprint).
TSA Signature
Timestamp authority signs hash with current time + their private key (independent proof).
Public Verification
Anyone can verify using TSA's public key. Proves: "This data existed at this time."
Why This Matters in Court:
Without RFC 3161:
"Your Honor, the defendant's own system created this timestamp. They could have backdated it to fabricate evidence. We request this be excluded."
With RFC 3161:
"Your Honor, this timestamp was created by FreeTSA, an independent third-party authority. It's cryptographically verifiable under RFC 3161 standards and meets FRE 902(13-14)."
Real-World Impact
❌ Without RFC 3161
Customer dispute: "I never received the product. Your email 'proof' could have been created today."
Result: You lose the dispute. Chargeback + $50 fee + product lost.
✅ With RFC 3161
Customer dispute: "I never received the product." You submit: Delivery receipt with RFC 3161 timestamp from March 15.
Result: Dispute resolved in your favor. Independent timestamp proves delivery date.
📊 Cost Comparison
RFC 3161 cost: $0.002-0.005 per receipt
Dispute cost without it: $50-$500 per dispute
ROI: 1 prevented dispute = 100-100,000 timestamps paid for
Sources & Further Reading:
Legal Standards:
- • Federal Rules of Evidence 902(13-14): Self-Authenticating Documents
- • U.S. v. Vayner, 769 F.3d 125 (2014): Digital timestamps admissible
- • Lorraine v. Markel, 241 F.R.D. 534 (2007): ESI authentication standards
Technical Standards:
- • RFC 3161: Internet X.509 Public Key Infrastructure Time-Stamp Protocol (TSP)
- • RFC 7518: JSON Web Algorithms (JWA) - ES256 signatures
- • RFC 7517: JSON Web Key (JWK) - Public key verification
Simple, Transparent Pricing
All three products included in every tier. No hidden fees.
Starter
500 receipts/month
Perfect for:
Small e-commerce ($50K-$500K revenue)
- • All 3 receipt types
- • Receipt Graph
- • Evidence export (PDF)
- • Email support
Professional
7,500 receipts/month
Perfect for:
Established businesses ($500K-$5M revenue)
- • Everything in Starter
- • Batch API operations
- • Webhooks
- • Priority support (24hr)
Business
50,000 receipts/month
Perfect for:
Large e-commerce ($5M-$50M revenue)
- • Multi-tenant
- • SSO/SAML
- • Support (8hr SLA)
Note: All plans include transaction receipts, content certification, and operations trust.
View full pricing details →Ready for Cryptographically-Verified Records?
Join forward-thinking businesses building with cryptographically-verified records to prevent confusion, prove authenticity, and automate compliance.