RealHandles vs Keybase and Keyoxide
If you remember Keybase, this is the idea done in a way that outlives any one company. Prove your accounts with a key only you hold, no PGP required.
Keybase popularized proving your accounts with a key, then was acquired by Zoom in 2020 and left to stagnate, with proofs tied to keybase.io. Keyoxide is the open, decentralized successor, and it now supports no-PGP (ASP) profiles as well as PGP. RealHandles covers the same ground with a broader-audience experience: a human-readable handle and public directory instead of a key fingerprint, one-click OAuth verification, and avatars. A platform badge is controlled by the platform: it can be bought, revoked, and it does not travel. RealHandles keeps Keybase's ease of use and Keyoxide's durability: a signed proof you own, verifiable by anyone, that keeps working even if we disappear.
| RealHandles | Keybase | Keyoxide | Platform badge | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actively developed | Yes | Acquired by Zoom in 2020, unmaintained | Yes, open source | Yes |
| Your key is the identity | Ed25519, made in your browser | Yes | Yes, PGP or ASP key | The platform owns it |
| Works if the service shuts down | Your proof is a portable signed file | Proofs live on keybase.io | Proofs live in your key | Tied to the platform |
| Easy setup, one-click OAuth | OAuth plus bio or post tokens | Was beginner-friendly | ASP needs no PGP; proofs are manual, no OAuth | Nothing to set up |
| Verify many account types | OAuth, post, bio, and domains | OAuth and posts | Manual claims in your key | The platform decides |
| Host your proof anywhere | Any URL you control | Only on keybase.io | Keyserver or profile page | No portable proof |
| Standard DID (did:key / did:web) | Yes | No | No | No |
| Public directory and trust score | Yes | Had a directory | No | No |
| Cost | Free | Free | Free | Often paid |