AWS Private Certificate Authority vs OpenCA PKI
AWS Private Certificate Authority
aws.amazon.comOpenCA PKI
openca.orgSide by side
| Figure | AWS Private Certificate Authority | OpenCA PKI |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $50/mo | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 5 | 1 |
| Spec score · Public Key Infrastructure Software | 8.3 (#6) | 8.4 (#5) |
| Integrations | The SCEP connector can work with mobile device management solutions such as Microsoft Intune and Jamf Pro. | Official dependencies and integrations include OpenLDAP, OpenSSL, Apache HTTP Server and Apache mod_ssl. |
| Purpose | AWS Private CA is a managed service for issuing and managing private certificates and maintaining an organization's internal PKI. | OpenCA PKI is an open source, out-of-the-box Certification Authority for setting up and managing a PKI. |
Plans
AWS Private Certificate Authority
- 30-day CA operation trialFree
- Short-lived private certificates$0.06, paid once
- General-purpose private certificates$0.75, paid once
- Short-lived certificate mode CA operation$50 a month
- General-purpose mode CA operation$400 a month
In their own words
AWS Private Certificate Authority
AWS Private Certificate Authority has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
OpenCA PKI
OpenCA PKI is free, open-source software for establishing and managing a public key infrastructure, with an out-of-the-box Certification Authority. It is intended for on-premises deployment and is listed for Linux, macOS, self-hosted, and web environments. The project says it implements commonly used protocols with full-strength cryptography; listed capabilities include SCEP support, HSM integration, and certificate profiles. The download page lists OpenCA PKI (SpecialK) version 1.5.1. Installation requires other software, including OpenLDAP, OpenSSL, Apache, and Apache mod_ssl, and OpenCA Tools version 1.3.0 is listed as a prerequisite to install first. The project dates to 1998 and describes its work as volunteer-driven and managed through collaboration and consensus. Community support is available through mailing lists, forums, and online chat; independent third parties offer paid support. Security concerns can be reported privately by email or publicly through the project issue trackers. The documentation page says downloadable documentation is unavailable and notes that the OpenCA Guide for version 0.9.2 is outdated in some parts.