Billfodl
Stainless steel tile backup, a long-standing Cryptosteel alternative. Waterproof, fireproof, tile-based.
Overview
The Billfodl is a long-established stainless steel seed backup and one of the original alternatives to the Cryptosteel Capsule. It uses a slide-lock design: you load pre-cut character tiles into rows to spell out your recovery words, then lock them in place with a sliding retainer. The result is a flat, waterproof and fireproof metal backup that reads your seed back in plain characters and can be reconfigured if you ever change wallets.
Its strengths are proven longevity, readability and reusability. The tiles spell out real letters so there's no reference grid to decode, and because nothing is permanently stamped you can update the backup or reuse it. The stainless construction handles the fire, water and corrosion scenarios that ruin paper. The caveats are common to tile systems: loading many small tiles is fiddly, and although the slide-lock secures them, a tile-based design has more small parts than a single solid plate.
Buy it if you want a battle-tested, tile-style plate with a secure slide-lock and prefer reading your seed as words over decoding punched dots. If you want the absolute cheapest fireproofing or a monolithic single-piece plate with no small components, a punch plate is the leaner option.
Key features
- Stainless steel seed backup with slide-lock retainer
- Pre-cut character tiles spell out readable words
- Waterproof, fireproof and corrosion-resistant
- Reusable and editable for a new seed
- Long-standing, proven Cryptosteel alternative
- No stamping or punching tools required
- Flat form factor for discreet storage
Specs
- material Stainless steel
- method Letter tiles
Who it’s for
Buyers who want a proven tile-style plate with a slide-lock design.
Billfodl: frequently asked questions
How is it different from the Cryptosteel Capsule?
Both are stainless tile systems. The Billfodl is a flat slide-lock plate rather than a threaded cylinder; the choice is mostly form-factor preference.
Can I read my seed at a glance?
Yes. The tiles spell out actual letters, so there's no dot-grid to decode like on a punched plate.
Is the marking permanent?
No. Tiles can be rearranged, which makes it reusable but means you should keep it locked and stored securely.
Does it fit a 24-word seed?
Yes, it accommodates standard 12- and 24-word BIP39 seeds using the first four letters of each word.
More in Steel Backups
Cryptosteel Capsule Solo
The original stainless tile capsule, fireproof to ~1400°C. An independent brand — not a Ledger product.
Blockplate (12/24)
One-punch marking on a single thick steel plate — the cheapest credible backup.
Stamp Seed Kit
Hand-stamp your seed into titanium or steel with a full punch kit. Maximum durability, more effort.