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Head-to-head · SSL Certificate Providers

Let's Encrypt vs SSL.com Certificates

  • 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
SSL.com Certificates #8 in SSL Certificate Providers 8.6/10 Paid ✓ 2 of 2 features Visit SSL.com

Let's Encrypt leads on 1 check, SSL.com Certificates 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 featuresSSL.com Certificates · 2 of 2

Let's Encrypt scores higher on our rubric for ssl certificate providers: 9.4 against 8.6 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #8.

Let's Encrypt offers free plan; SSL.com Certificates doesn't.

Let's Encrypt is the better fit for free, automated TLS for any scale. SSL.com Certificates is the better fit for teams needing ACME automation or large SAN certificates.

  • Let's Encrypt fits best

    Free, automated TLS for any scale

  • SSL.com Certificates fits best

    Teams needing ACME automation or large SAN certificates

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Side by side

Feature Let's Encrypt 9.4/10 Visit ↗ SSL.com Certificates 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.4 8.6
Ranking #1 in SSL Certificate Providers #8 in SSL Certificate Providers
Best for Free, automated TLS for any scale Teams needing ACME automation or large SAN certificates
Pricing model Free Paid
Starting price Free plan $36.75/unit/yr
Free plan ✓ (best) —
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud Cloud
Support Community, Docs Email, Live chat, Docs
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Let's Encrypt 0/2 · SSL.com Certificates 2/2
Wildcard certificates Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Multi-domain certificates Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Specs
Validation types Not checked yet DV, OV, EV
Maximum SAN domains Not checked yet 500
Issuance speed Not checked yet Minutes
Maximum validity Not checked yet 90_days
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 DV, OV, and EV validation with single-domain, wildcard, and SAN options
  • ACME supports certificate issuance, renewal, and revocation automation
  • UCC/SAN certificates cover up to 500 domains
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.
  • Paid annual pricing rises from $36.75 to $319.20 per certificate
  • Basic and High Assurance plans cover only one domain per certificate
  • Wildcard coverage is limited to one domain and its subdomains
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 →

SSL.com Certificates provides publicly trusted TLS/SSL certificates for encrypting connections and authenticating website identities. Its range suits individuals and organizations that need certificates for a website, API, subdomains, or…

Read the review →
  1. Let's EncryptSSL Certificate Providers 9.4Free plan
  2. SSL.com CertificatesSSL Certificate Providers 8.6Paid

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.

  • SSL.com Certificates — where it wins

    • Offers DV, OV, and EV validation with single-domain, wildcard, and SAN options
    • ACME supports certificate issuance, renewal, and revocation automation
    • UCC/SAN certificates cover up to 500 domains

    Where it doesn't

    • Paid annual pricing rises from $36.75 to $319.20 per certificate
    • Basic and High Assurance plans cover only one domain per certificate
    • Wildcard coverage is limited to one domain and its subdomains

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