Certbot vs GeoTrust

Certbot is free, open-source software from the Electronic Frontier Foundation for enabling HTTPS on websites that administrators manage themselves. It obtains Let’s Encrypt certificates and can install them on a web server automatically in many cases. The command-line tool names Apache and Nginx integrations, along with webroot and standalone methods. DNS validation avoids requiring an inbound connection from Let’s Encrypt, so it does not depend on an existing HTTP site or an open port 80. Certbot renews certificates when less than one-third of their lifetime remains; for certificates lasting 10 days or less, renewal occurs when half their lifetime remains. It is generally run on a Unix-like server, often remotely over SSH, and is intended for administrators comfortable with command-line work on a dedicated server, VPS or cloud-hosted server. The project points users to its documentation and the Let’s Encrypt community forum for help.

GeoTrust Horizon is a security platform for SSL certificates, certificate automation and monitoring, and vulnerability management. GeoTrust says it is intended for small and medium businesses and fast-moving builders. It offers DV, OV, and EV certificates issued from DigiCert trusted roots. AutoInstall SSL automates certificate installation, re-issuance, and renewal, supporting Apache, NGINX, IIS, LiteSpeed, cPanel, Kubernetes, Docker, and more. With automatic renewal enabled, certificates renew 28 days before expiry. SSL Monitor checks domains and subdomains daily for certificate expiry, trust issues, HTTPS vulnerabilities, and more than 110 SSL issues. Vulnerability Manager scans servers daily for more than 375,000 vulnerabilities and provides remediation instructions; scans can be internal with an installed agent or external without one. GeoTrust says the tool uses Qualys vulnerability detection technology. SSL Monitor costs $2 a month per standard domain, and Vulnerability Manager costs $12 a month per server. Technical chat support is available 24/7; email support uses tickets and phone support is available five days a week.