Free vs Paid Exhibit Stamping
Yes, free exhibit stamping tools exist. But what do they lack? When is free good enough—and when does $4.99 make sense?
- BatesStamp.com is free and handles basic Bates numbering and simple exhibit stamps, but offers no legal party templates.
- Adobe Reader can stamp exhibits for free via Fill & Sign, but each label must be typed and positioned manually with no batch processing or auto-sequencing.
- Free exhibit tools generally lack combined PDF output with a table of contents, slipsheet generation, and Trial Binder Mode.
- Court exhibit rules such as California Rules of Court 3.1110(c) often require party designations like "Plaintiff's Exhibit" that free tools do not provide as templates.
- ExhibitPrep costs $4.99 per use and includes 26 professional legal templates, batch stamping with auto-sequencing, and drag-and-drop positioning.
- ExhibitPrep generates a combined PDF with table of contents and supports Trial Binder Mode with per-exhibit page numbering (A1, A2, B1).
- Both the free tools compared and ExhibitPrep process files on the user's own device rather than uploading them to a server.
Feature Comparison: Free vs Paid
| Feature | BatesStamp.com Free $0 | Adobe Reader Free $0 | Court Stamps Free Court-provided | ExhibitPrep $4.99 per use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bates numbering | ||||
| Basic exhibit stamps | Manual | |||
| Legal templates (Plaintiff/Defendant) | Limited | 26 templates | ||
| Batch processing | Basic | |||
| Combined PDF with TOC | ||||
| Drag-and-drop positioning | ||||
| Slipsheet generation | ||||
| Trial Binder Mode (A1, A2...) | ||||
| Files stay on device | ||||
| Verdict | Good for basic Bates numbering | Manual process, time-consuming | Jurisdiction-specific only | Full-featured, court-compliant |
When Free Is Good Enough
- Simple Bates numbering (no party designation needed)
- 1-3 documents only (manual stamping is tolerable)
- Internal use only (not for court filing)
- Your jurisdiction provides court-specific stamps
When You Need Paid ($4.99)
- 5+ documents (batch processing saves hours)
- Court filings requiring Plaintiff/Defendant stamps
- Need combined PDF with table of contents
- Trial binder format with per-exhibit pages (A1, A2...)
The honest take
Free tools work for basic needs. If you just need simple Bates numbers on a few documents, BatesStamp.com is genuinely useful. But here's the math: If you're stamping 10+ exhibits for a court filing, free tools will take 30+ minutes of manual work. ExhibitPrep does the same job in 5 minutes for $4.99. At $200/hour billing rates, that's a no-brainer ROI.
Time Investment: 25 Exhibits
Free Tools (Manual)
- • Open each document individually
- • Manually type exhibit label
- • Position and save
- • Repeat 24 more times
- • Combine PDFs separately
ExhibitPrep ($4.99)
- • Upload all 25 documents at once
- • Select template, click stamp
- • Auto-sequential labeling
- • Download combined PDF with TOC
- • Done
At $200/hour: 40 minutes saved = $133 value. The $4.99 pays for itself 26x over.
Try ExhibitPrep Free
Upload your exhibits and see the difference. Free to preview—pay $4.99 only when you download.
Try ExhibitPrepFrequently Asked Questions
Is there free exhibit stamping software?
Yes. BatesStamp.com offers free basic Bates numbering and simple exhibit stamps. Adobe Reader has free manual stamp tools. Some courts provide free exhibit stamp templates. However, free tools lack professional legal templates, batch processing, combined PDFs with TOC, and Trial Binder Mode features.
What are the limitations of free exhibit stamping tools?
Free tools typically lack: professional legal templates (Plaintiff/Defendant designations), batch processing for multiple documents, combined PDF output with table of contents, drag-and-drop stamp positioning, slipsheet generation, and Trial Binder Mode with per-exhibit page numbering. For court filings, these features often matter.
Is free exhibit stamping good enough for court filings?
For basic Bates numbers, free tools work. But court exhibit requirements often specify party designation (Plaintiff's Exhibit A, Defendant's Exhibit 1) and professional formatting per court rules like CRC 3.1110(c). ExhibitPrep's $4.99 templates meet jurisdictional requirements that free tools may not address.
How does BatesStamp.com compare to paid exhibit software?
BatesStamp.com is free and handles basic Bates numbering. ExhibitPrep ($4.99) adds: 26 professional legal templates, batch stamping with auto-sequencing, combined PDF with TOC, Trial Binder Mode, drag-and-drop positioning, and slipsheet generation. The $4.99 difference buys significant time savings and court compliance.
Can I use Adobe Reader to stamp exhibits for free?
Adobe Reader's Fill & Sign can add text stamps to PDFs for free, but you must manually type each exhibit label, position it, and repeat for every document. There's no batch processing, auto-sequencing, or combined PDF output. For more than a few exhibits, ExhibitPrep's $4.99 automation saves hours.