Certbot vs Let's Encrypt
A detailed comparison to help you choose between Certbot and Let's Encrypt.
Quick Verdict
4.6/5
Certbot
52 reviews
3.9/5
Let's Encrypt
254 reviews
Certbot is rated higher (4.6 vs 3.9). Certbot is the official ACME client for Let's Encrypt certificates. Automates certificate issuance and renewal for Nginx, Apache, and standalone mode on Linux servers. Let's Encrypt is a free, automated, and open certificate authority that provides SSL/TLS certificates at no cost. Powers HTTPS on 300M+ websites. ACME protocol enables automatic renewal.
Certbot ACME client for Let's Encrypt automation | Let's Encrypt Free SSL certificates for everyone | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Rating | 4.6 (52 reviews)✓ | 3.9 (254 reviews) |
| Pricing model | free | free |
| Starting price | Free | Free |
| Best for | System administrators who want automated Let's Encrypt certificate management on Linux servers | Every developer and business that needs SSL — the baseline choice for free automated HTTPS |
| Tags | ||
| Tags | free tieropen source | free tieropen source |
| Visit Certbot → | Visit Let's Encrypt → | |
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
Let's Encrypt
Pros
- + Completely free SSL for any domain
- + Automatic renewal via ACME protocol
- + Non-profit — trusted by browsers globally
Cons
- - 90-day certificate validity requires automation
- - No Extended Validation (EV) certs available
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