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Let's Encrypt vs Smallstep Certificate Manager

Let's Encrypt

letsencrypt.org

Smallstep Certificate Manager

smallstep.com

Side by side

FigureLet's EncryptSmallstep Certificate Manager
Price fromFree—
Free planYes—
Free trial——
Open sourceYes—
WebYesYes
WindowsYes—
macOSYes—
LinuxYes—
APIYes—
Self-hostedYes—
Plans published30
Spec score · Public Key Infrastructure Software8.6 (#3)5.2 (#26)
Spec score · Certificate Management Software8.6 (#5)5.2 (#31)

Plans

Let's Encrypt

  • Let's Encrypt certificatesFree
  • Let's Encrypt certificatesFree
  • Short-lived certificatesFree

Let's Encrypt pricing →

Smallstep Certificate Manager

No plans published.

Smallstep Certificate Manager pricing →

In their own words

Let's Encrypt

Let’s Encrypt is a global Certificate Authority that provides SSL/TLS certificates for HTTPS connections. The ACME protocol verifies control of a domain, and compatible clients can automate issuance, management, and renewal. Its client directory includes Apache HTTP Server, Caddy, nginx, Kubernetes, Docker, and Windows/IIS environments. Certificates are Domain Validation only; Let’s Encrypt says it does not plan to issue Organization Validation or Extended Validation certificates. Wildcard certificates are available through the DNS-01 challenge. Standard certificates last 90 days, with an optional six-day lifetime; these periods cannot be adjusted. Subscribers generate and manage private keys on their own servers. Issued and revoked certificates are publicly recorded, and the service says its certificates are trusted by most browsers and operating systems. Certificates cost nothing. A registered domain can receive up to 50 certificates every seven days under published rate limits. Direct subscriber support is not offered.

Visit letsencrypt.org

Smallstep Certificate Manager

Smallstep Certificate Manager has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.

Visit smallstep.com