diff --git a/plugins/parsers/binary/README.md b/plugins/parsers/binary/README.md
index 0644e6f83..9c766c0e8 100644
--- a/plugins/parsers/binary/README.md
+++ b/plugins/parsers/binary/README.md
@@ -23,8 +23,9 @@ user-specified configurations.
   ## where "host" means the same endianness as the machine running Telegraf.
   # endianness = "host"
 
-  ## Interpret input as string containing hex-encoded data.
-  # hex_encoding = false
+  ## Interpret input using the specified encoding
+  ## Available values are "none" (raw bytes), "hex" and "base64"
+  # binary_encoding = "none"
 
   ## Multiple parsing sections are allowed
   [[inputs.file.binary]]
@@ -112,11 +113,17 @@ machine share the same endianness.
 Alternatively, you can explicitly specify big-endian format (`"be"`) or
 little-endian format (`"le"`).
 
-#### `hex_encoding` (optional)
+#### `binary_encoding` (optional)
 
-If `true`, the input data is interpreted as a string containing hex-encoded
-data like `C0 C7 21 A9`. The value is _case insensitive_ and can handle spaces,
-however prefixes like `0x` or `x` are _not_ allowed.
+If this option is not specified or set to `none`, the input data contains the
+binary data as raw bytes. This is the default.
+
+If set to `hex`, the input data is interpreted as a string containing
+hex-encoded data like `C0 C7 21 A9`. The value is _case insensitive_ and can
+handle spaces and prefixes like `0x` or `x`.
+
+If set to `base64` the input data is interpreted as a string containing
+padded base64 data `RDLAAA==`.
 
 ### Non-byte aligned value extraction
 
diff --git a/plugins/parsers/binary/parser.go b/plugins/parsers/binary/parser.go
index caab70052..350ae9ba9 100644
--- a/plugins/parsers/binary/parser.go
+++ b/plugins/parsers/binary/parser.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package binary
 
 import (
+	"encoding/base64"
 	"encoding/binary"
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"errors"
@@ -18,7 +19,8 @@ type Parser struct {
 	Endianess    string          `toml:"endianess" deprecated:"1.27.4;use 'endianness' instead"`
 	Endianness   string          `toml:"endianness"`
 	Configs      []Config        `toml:"binary"`
-	HexEncoding  bool            `toml:"hex_encoding"`
+	HexEncoding  bool            `toml:"hex_encoding" deprecated:"1.30.0;use 'binary_encoding' instead"`
+	Encoding     string          `toml:"binary_encoding"`
 	Log          telegraf.Logger `toml:"-"`
 
 	metricName  string
@@ -27,9 +29,16 @@ type Parser struct {
 }
 
 func (p *Parser) Init() error {
+	// Keep backward compatibility
 	if p.Endianess != "" && p.Endianness == "" {
 		p.Endianness = p.Endianess
 	}
+	if p.HexEncoding {
+		if p.Encoding != "" && p.Encoding != "hex" {
+			return errors.New("conflicting settings between 'hex_encoding' and 'binary_encoding'")
+		}
+		p.Encoding = "hex"
+	}
 
 	switch p.Endianness {
 	case "le":
@@ -42,6 +51,12 @@ func (p *Parser) Init() error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("unknown endianness %q", p.Endianness)
 	}
 
+	switch p.Encoding {
+	case "", "none", "hex", "base64":
+	default:
+		return fmt.Errorf("unknown encoding %q", p.Encoding)
+	}
+
 	// Pre-process the configurations
 	if len(p.Configs) == 0 {
 		return errors.New("no configuration given")
@@ -61,14 +76,25 @@ func (p *Parser) Parse(data []byte) ([]telegraf.Metric, error) {
 
 	// If the data is encoded in HEX, we need to decode it first
 	buf := data
-	if p.HexEncoding {
-		s := strings.ReplaceAll(string(data), " ", "")
+	switch p.Encoding {
+	case "hex":
+		s := strings.TrimPrefix(string(data), "0x")
+		s = strings.TrimPrefix(s, "x")
+		s = strings.TrimSpace(s)
+		s = strings.ReplaceAll(s, " ", "")
 		s = strings.ReplaceAll(s, "\t", "")
 		var err error
 		buf, err = hex.DecodeString(s)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("decoding hex failed: %w", err)
 		}
+	case "base64":
+		decoder := base64.StdEncoding.WithPadding(base64.StdPadding)
+		var err error
+		buf, err = decoder.DecodeString(strings.TrimSpace(string(data)))
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("decoding base64 failed: %w", err)
+		}
 	}
 
 	matches := 0
diff --git a/plugins/parsers/binary/parser_test.go b/plugins/parsers/binary/parser_test.go
index dcd207a8f..c40d6f2e1 100644
--- a/plugins/parsers/binary/parser_test.go
+++ b/plugins/parsers/binary/parser_test.go
@@ -11,16 +11,15 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/google/go-cmp/cmp"
+	"github.com/google/go-cmp/cmp/cmpopts"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 
 	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf"
 	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf/config"
 	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf/internal"
 	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf/metric"
-	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf/plugins/inputs"
-	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf/plugins/inputs/file"
-	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf/plugins/parsers/influx"
 	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf/testutil"
+	test "github.com/influxdata/telegraf/testutil/plugin_input"
 )
 
 var dummyEntry = Entry{
@@ -1410,60 +1409,45 @@ func TestCases(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.NotEmpty(t, folders)
 
-	// Register the plugin
-	inputs.Add("file", func() telegraf.Input {
-		return &file.File{}
-	})
-
-	// Prepare the influx parser for expectations
-	parser := &influx.Parser{}
-	require.NoError(t, parser.Init())
-
 	for _, f := range folders {
 		testcasePath := filepath.Join("testcases", f.Name())
 		configFilename := filepath.Join(testcasePath, "telegraf.conf")
-		expectedFilename := filepath.Join(testcasePath, "expected.out")
-		expectedErrorFilename := filepath.Join(testcasePath, "expected.err")
 
 		t.Run(f.Name(), func(t *testing.T) {
-			// Read the expected output if any
-			var expected []telegraf.Metric
-			if _, err := os.Stat(expectedFilename); err == nil {
-				var err error
-				expected, err = testutil.ParseMetricsFromFile(expectedFilename, parser)
-				require.NoError(t, err)
-			}
-
-			// Read the expected errors if any
-			var expectedErrors []string
-			if _, err := os.Stat(expectedErrorFilename); err == nil {
-				var err error
-				expectedErrors, err = testutil.ParseLinesFromFile(expectedErrorFilename)
-				require.NoError(t, err)
-				require.NotEmpty(t, expectedErrors)
-			}
-
 			// Configure the plugin
 			cfg := config.NewConfig()
 			require.NoError(t, cfg.LoadConfig(configFilename))
 			require.NoError(t, err)
+			require.Len(t, cfg.Inputs, 1)
 
-			// Gather the metrics from the input file configure
+			// Tune the test-plugin
+			plugin := cfg.Inputs[0].Input.(*test.Plugin)
+			plugin.Path = testcasePath
+			require.NoError(t, plugin.Init())
+
+			// Gather the metrics and check for potential errors
 			var acc testutil.Accumulator
-			var actualErrors []string
-			for _, input := range cfg.Inputs {
-				require.NoError(t, input.Init())
-				if err := input.Gather(&acc); err != nil {
-					actualErrors = append(actualErrors, err.Error())
-				}
+			err := plugin.Gather(&acc)
+			switch len(plugin.ExpectedErrors) {
+			case 0:
+				require.NoError(t, err)
+			case 1:
+				require.ErrorContains(t, err, plugin.ExpectedErrors[0])
+			default:
+				require.Contains(t, plugin.ExpectedErrors, err.Error())
 			}
 
-			// Check for potential errors
-			require.ElementsMatch(t, actualErrors, expectedErrors)
+			// Determine checking options
+			options := []cmp.Option{
+				cmpopts.EquateApprox(0, 1e-6),
+			}
+			if plugin.ShouldIgnoreTimestamp {
+				options = append(options, testutil.IgnoreTime())
+			}
 
 			// Process expected metrics and compare with resulting metrics
 			actual := acc.GetTelegrafMetrics()
-			testutil.RequireMetricsEqual(t, expected, actual)
+			testutil.RequireMetricsEqual(t, plugin.Expected, actual, options...)
 		})
 	}
 }
@@ -1478,8 +1462,8 @@ func TestHexEncoding(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	parser := &Parser{
-		Endianness:  "be",
-		HexEncoding: true,
+		Endianness: "be",
+		Encoding:   "hex",
 		Configs: []Config{
 			{
 				Entries: []Entry{dummyEntry},
diff --git a/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/base64_encoding/expected.out b/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/base64_encoding/expected.out
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f154c8402
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/base64_encoding/expected.out
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+test value=715
+test value=208.5
+test value=0.471
diff --git a/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/base64_encoding/messageA.bin b/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/base64_encoding/messageA.bin
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c77be9a85
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/base64_encoding/messageA.bin
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+RDLAAA==
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/base64_encoding/messageB.bin b/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/base64_encoding/messageB.bin
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4692aba50
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/base64_encoding/messageB.bin
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Q1CAAA==
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/base64_encoding/messageC.bin b/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/base64_encoding/messageC.bin
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f2496ea36
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/base64_encoding/messageC.bin
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+PvEm6Q==
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/base64_encoding/telegraf.conf b/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/base64_encoding/telegraf.conf
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f0c2fc0f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/base64_encoding/telegraf.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+[[inputs.test]]
+  files = ["messageA.bin", "messageB.bin", "messageC.bin"]
+  data_format = "binary"
+  endianness = "be"
+  binary_encoding = "base64"
+
+  [[inputs.test.binary]]
+    entries = [{ name = "value", type = "float32" }]
diff --git a/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/hex_encoding/expected.out b/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/hex_encoding/expected.out
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f154c8402
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/hex_encoding/expected.out
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+test value=715
+test value=208.5
+test value=0.471
diff --git a/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/hex_encoding/messageA.bin b/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/hex_encoding/messageA.bin
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f10a544e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/hex_encoding/messageA.bin
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+0x4432c000
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/hex_encoding/messageB.bin b/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/hex_encoding/messageB.bin
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8a481f43b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/hex_encoding/messageB.bin
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+0x43508000
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/hex_encoding/messageC.bin b/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/hex_encoding/messageC.bin
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a6bbc8735
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/hex_encoding/messageC.bin
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+0x3ef126e9
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/hex_encoding/telegraf.conf b/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/hex_encoding/telegraf.conf
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a1607a91b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/hex_encoding/telegraf.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+[[inputs.test]]
+  files = ["messageA.bin", "messageB.bin", "messageC.bin"]
+  data_format = "binary"
+  endianness = "be"
+  binary_encoding = "hex"
+
+  [[inputs.test.binary]]
+    entries = [{ name = "value", type = "float32" }]
diff --git a/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/multiple_messages/telegraf.conf b/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/multiple_messages/telegraf.conf
index 6eec30776..e287ea334 100644
--- a/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/multiple_messages/telegraf.conf
+++ b/plugins/parsers/binary/testcases/multiple_messages/telegraf.conf
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-[[inputs.file]]
-  files = ["./testcases/multiple_messages/messageA.bin", "./testcases/multiple_messages/messageB.bin", "./testcases/multiple_messages/messageC.bin"]
+[[inputs.test]]
+  files = ["messageA.bin", "messageB.bin", "messageC.bin"]
   data_format = "binary"
   endianness = "le"
 
-  [[inputs.file.binary]]
+  [[inputs.test.binary]]
     metric_name = "metricA"
 
     entries = [
@@ -15,12 +15,12 @@
       { type = "unix",    assignment = "time" },
     ]
 
-    [inputs.file.binary.filter]
+    [inputs.test.binary.filter]
       selection = [
         { offset = 16, bits = 8, match = "0x0A" },
       ]
 
-  [[inputs.file.binary]]
+  [[inputs.test.binary]]
     metric_name = "metricB"
 
     entries = [
@@ -29,10 +29,10 @@
       { type = "unix", assignment = "time" },
     ]
 
-    [inputs.file.binary.filter]
+    [inputs.test.binary.filter]
       selection = [{ offset = 16, bits = 8, match = "0x0B" }]
 
-  [[inputs.file.binary]]
+  [[inputs.test.binary]]
     metric_name = "metricC"
 
     entries = [
@@ -42,5 +42,5 @@
       { type = "unix", assignment = "time" },
     ]
 
-    [inputs.file.binary.filter]
+    [inputs.test.binary.filter]
       selection = [{ offset = 16, bits = 8, match = "0x0C" }]