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Head-to-head · SSL Certificate Providers

Let's Encrypt vs Chunghwa Telecom HiPKI SSL

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 3 checks side by side
Higher score Let's Encrypt #1 in SSL Certificate Providers 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 2 features Visit Let's Encrypt
Chunghwa Telecom HiPKI SSL #7 in SSL Certificate Providers 8.7/10 Paid ✓ 2 of 2 features Visit site

Let's Encrypt leads on 1 check, Chunghwa Telecom HiPKI SSL on 0, and 2 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 3 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreLet's Encrypt · 9.4/10
  • Free planonly Let's Encrypt
  • Most featuresChunghwa Telecom HiPKI SSL · 2 of 2

Let's Encrypt scores higher on our rubric for ssl certificate providers: 9.4 against 8.7 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #7.

Let's Encrypt offers free plan; Chunghwa Telecom HiPKI SSL doesn't.

Let's Encrypt is the better fit for free, automated TLS for any scale. Chunghwa Telecom HiPKI SSL is the better fit for OV buyers needing wildcard or SAN certificates.

  • Let's Encrypt fits best

    Free, automated TLS for any scale

  • Chunghwa Telecom HiPKI SSL fits best

    OV buyers needing wildcard or SAN certificates

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Let's Encrypt 9.4/10 Visit ↗ Chunghwa Telecom HiPKI SSL 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.4 8.7
Ranking #1 in SSL Certificate Providers #7 in SSL Certificate Providers
Best for Free, automated TLS for any scale OV buyers needing wildcard or SAN certificates
Pricing model Free Paid
Starting price Free plan Not checked yet
Free plan ✓ (best) —
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud Cloud
Support Community, Docs Email, Phone
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Let's Encrypt 0/2 · Chunghwa Telecom HiPKI SSL 2/2
Wildcard certificates Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Multi-domain certificates Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Specs
Validation types Not checked yet OV
Maximum SAN domains Not checked yet Not checked yet
Issuance speed Not checked yet Not checked yet
Maximum validity Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Automates certificate issuance and renewal through ACME.
  • Supports HTTP-01, DNS-01, and TLS-ALPN-01 validation.
  • Provides production and staging endpoints plus API revocation.
  • Offers single-domain, multi-domain SAN, and wildcard OV certificates
  • Supports RSA and ECC algorithms
  • Accepts revocation and modification requests
Cons
  • Issuance requires an ACME client or hosting provider.
  • Certificates are domain-validated rather than paid-provider validation options.
  • Support is through documentation and community channels.
  • Covers web use only
  • SAN starts at NT 8,000/year and wildcard at NT 30,000/year
  • Application requires customer details and a CSR, plus domain and applicant verification
Our verdict

Let's Encrypt is a nonprofit certificate authority that issues free, publicly trusted TLS certificates for websites. Website operators, hosting providers, and developers can use it to enable HTTPS with domain-validated certificates. It is…

Read the review →

Chunghwa Telecom HiPKI SSL issues organization-validated TLS certificates for websites. It suits organizations that need to verify their identity as well as secure communication between clients and web servers, with certificate choices for…

Read the review →
  1. Let's EncryptSSL Certificate Providers 9.4Free plan
  2. Chunghwa Telecom HiPKI SSLSSL Certificate Providers 8.7Paid

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Let's Encrypt — where it wins

    • Automates certificate issuance and renewal through ACME.
    • Supports HTTP-01, DNS-01, and TLS-ALPN-01 validation.
    • Provides production and staging endpoints plus API revocation.

    Where it doesn't

    • Issuance requires an ACME client or hosting provider.
    • Certificates are domain-validated rather than paid-provider validation options.
    • Support is through documentation and community channels.

  • Chunghwa Telecom HiPKI SSL — where it wins

    • Offers single-domain, multi-domain SAN, and wildcard OV certificates
    • Supports RSA and ECC algorithms
    • Accepts revocation and modification requests

    Where it doesn't

    • Covers web use only
    • SAN starts at NT 8,000/year and wildcard at NT 30,000/year
    • Application requires customer details and a CSR, plus domain and applicant verification

More comparisons

All SSL certificate providers comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update