acme.sh vs Certbot
A detailed comparison to help you choose between acme.sh and Certbot.
acme.sh ACME shell script for Let's Encrypt automation | Certbot ACME client for Let's Encrypt automation | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Rating | 3.9 (71 reviews) | 4.6 (52 reviews)✓ |
| Pricing model | free | free |
| Starting price | Free | Free |
| Best for | Linux sysadmins who want a lightweight ACME client that works on minimal systems without Python | System administrators who want automated Let's Encrypt certificate management on Linux servers |
| Tags | ||
| Tags | free tieropen source | free tieropen source |
| Visit acme.sh → | Visit Certbot → | |
acme.sh
Pros
- + Works on any Unix/Linux — no dependencies
- + Supports DNS API for wildcard certs
- + Multiple ACME CAs supported
Cons
- - Shell script — less features than Certbot
- - Manual configuration
Certbot
Pros
- + Official EFF-maintained ACME client
- + Nginx and Apache plugins for automated config
- + Free and open source
Cons
- - Requires Linux server access
- - Some server configurations need manual adjustment
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