The content, as it was served
A real-time video and screenshot of the website, email, or conversation — exactly what appeared on screen at that moment.
Comparison · Bailiff vs InstantProof
The same proof of online content as a bailiff — for a fraction of the price
To officially record the state of a website, an email, or a WhatsApp, Facebook or Instagram conversation, a bailiff or notary typically charges €300–700 per finding. InstantProof captures the same technical reality — sealed with a qualified eIDAS timestamp — for about €10. And because the result is independently verifiable, a bailiff can still authenticate it afterwards if a procedure calls for it. So there is nothing to lose.
~€10vs €300–700 for a bailiff
Minutesno appointment, 24/7
Verifiablea bailiff can still check it
Why the traditional route costs €300–700.
A bailiff or notary records online content by attending in person and writing up an official report — and that professional time is the cost.
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You pay for a professional's timeA bailiff observes the screen and drafts a sworn report. Per finding, that is typically €300–700.
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You wait for an appointmentThe content you need to preserve — a post, a listing, a message — can change or vanish before the bailiff is available.
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The proof is the officer's accountStrong by tradition — but for online content, what really carries the weight is the technical capture of what the server returned, at that moment.
Bailiff vs. InstantProof, side by side.
Cost ranges are indicative and vary by country, officer, and complexity. Admissibility and evidential weight are ultimately for the court — see the note below.
Why it carries comparable evidential weight.
For online content, the proof is in the technical record — and InstantProof captures every layer of it.
Proof it's the real source
The signed network log shows the content came from the genuine server (e.g. Gmail, Facebook) over TLS — not a doctored page. How HAR files work →
Qualified timestamp (eIDAS)
An RFC 3161 qualified timestamp fixes the date and time. Under eIDAS Art. 41 it carries a presumption of accuracy and integrity — shifting the burden to whoever disputes it.
Tamper-evident hashes
SHA-256 hashes bind the capture to the signature. Any later change breaks the seal, so the record cannot be altered after the fact.
The bottom line: there's nothing to lose.
Even if you would ultimately prefer a bailiff's certificate, starting with InstantProof costs you nothing in evidential value.
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It's cheaper and immediateCapture volatile content the moment you see it — for about €10 instead of €300–700, with no appointment.
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It's independently verifiableA bailiff, notary, or court expert can confirm the signature, timestamp and hashes at any time — the proof doesn't depend on trusting us.
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You can still escalateIf a procedure later requires a bailiff, the officer authenticates your existing InstantProof record rather than starting from scratch. So the worst case is no worse than today — and the normal case is far cheaper and faster.
Bailiff-vs-InstantProof questions.
Is InstantProof as strong as a bailiff's report for online content?
For capturing the state of a website, email, or messaging app, InstantProof records the same technical reality a bailiff would describe — the visible content, plus a video, a network log (HAR) proving which server served it, content hashes, and a qualified RFC 3161 timestamp. Under eIDAS a qualified timestamp carries a presumption of the accuracy of its date and time and of the integrity of the data (Art. 41), shifting the burden to whoever disputes it. So the record carries comparable, court-usable evidential weight. Final admissibility and weight are always for the court and depend on jurisdiction and circumstances.
How can it be so much cheaper?
A bailiff or notary attends in person, observes, and writes up an official report — that professional time is what costs €300–700. InstantProof automates the capture in a controlled cloud browser and seals it cryptographically, so the same evidential elements are produced in minutes for about €10 (and from under €1 for a single page).
Can a bailiff verify InstantProof evidence afterwards?
Yes — that's the key point. An InstantProof package is independently verifiable: the signature, the qualified timestamp, and the content hashes can be checked by anyone at any time, including a bailiff, a notary, or a court-appointed expert. So you can capture now for €10 and, if a specific procedure later calls for a bailiff, the officer can authenticate your existing record. You lose nothing.
What can I capture this way?
The state of a website, a webpage, an email (including its DKIM signature), and content shown in messaging and social apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, or Messenger — anything you can open in a browser, including login-gated content via a recorded session.
When might I still want a bailiff?
Some formal procedures, or a specific counterparty, may still prefer or require a bailiff's report. Even then, capturing with InstantProof first costs almost nothing, is immediate, and gives the bailiff a verifiable record to build on — so there's no downside to starting with InstantProof.
Is this legal advice?
No. This service creates technical evidence artifacts. Legal admissibility depends on jurisdiction and circumstances. Consult qualified legal counsel for advice specific to your situation.
Skip the €300–700 bill.
Capture court-usable proof of any online content in minutes — and keep the option to involve a bailiff later if you ever need to.