Let's Encrypt vs acme.sh
A detailed comparison to help you choose between Let's Encrypt and acme.sh.
Let's Encrypt Free SSL certificates for everyone | acme.sh ACME shell script for Let's Encrypt automation | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Rating | 3.9 (254 reviews) | 3.9 (71 reviews)✓ |
| Pricing model | free | free |
| Starting price | Free | Free |
| Best for | Every developer and business that needs SSL — the baseline choice for free automated HTTPS | Linux sysadmins who want a lightweight ACME client that works on minimal systems without Python |
| Tags | ||
| Tags | free tieropen source | free tieropen source |
| Visit Let's Encrypt → | Visit acme.sh → | |
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
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
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