Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Let's Encrypt VS Akamai Web Application Protector

Compare Let's Encrypt VS Akamai Web Application Protector and see what are their differences

Let's Encrypt logo Let's Encrypt

Let’s Encrypt is a free, automated, and open certificate authority brought to you by the Internet Security Research Group (ISRG).

Akamai Web Application Protector logo Akamai Web Application Protector

Web Application Protector is designed to safeguard web assets from web application and DDoS attacks, while improving performance.
  • Let's Encrypt Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-12
  • Akamai Web Application Protector Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-04-24

Let's Encrypt features and specs

  • Free of Charge
    Let's Encrypt provides SSL/TLS certificates at no cost, making it an economical choice for individuals and businesses.
  • Automated Certificate Issuance and Renewal
    The process of obtaining and renewing certificates can be automated using the ACME protocol, reducing manual intervention and administrative overhead.
  • Ease of Use
    Let's Encrypt simplifies the process of enabling HTTPS for websites, even for users with limited technical expertise.
  • Security
    Let's Encrypt certificates provide strong encryption, improving the security of data transmitted between clients and servers.
  • Widely Recognized
    Certificates issued by Let's Encrypt are trusted by all major web browsers and operating systems.
  • Promotes Secure Web Practices
    By making SSL/TLS certificates freely available, Let's Encrypt encourages more websites to adopt HTTPS, contributing to a more secure internet.

Possible disadvantages of Let's Encrypt

  • Short Duration of Certificates
    Let's Encrypt certificates are valid for only 90 days, requiring more frequent renewals compared to traditional certificate authorities.
  • Limited Support Options
    Let's Encrypt relies on community support and documentation, and does not offer dedicated customer support for troubleshooting and assistance.
  • No Extended Validation (EV) Certificates
    Let's Encrypt does not issue Extended Validation (EV) certificates, which provide additional verification and a higher level of trust for business websites.
  • Potential for Misuse
    Since certificates are issued for free and with minimal validation, there is a risk that cybercriminals might use them for phishing or other malicious activities.
  • No Wildcard Certificates for Multi-Level Subdomains
    While Let's Encrypt supports wildcard certificates for single-level subdomains, it doesn't support them for nested subdomains (e.g., *.sub.example.com).
  • Reliance on Third-Party Tools for Automation
    Users may need to rely on third-party tools or scripts for automation, which could introduce additional complexity or security risks.

Akamai Web Application Protector features and specs

  • Comprehensive Threat Protection
    Akamai Web Application Protector provides robust protection against a wide range of web application threats, including SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and DDoS attacks, which helps in safeguarding applications from sophisticated attacks.
  • Easy Deployment and Management
    The solution is designed for ease of use, featuring a streamlined setup process and intuitive management interface that reduces the complexity and time associated with security configurations and monitoring.
  • Automatic Updates
    Akamai frequently updates its threat intelligence and security policies to provide automatic protection against emerging threats, ensuring that applications remain secure without requiring manual intervention.
  • Global Network
    Leveraging Akamai's extensive global CDN, the Web Application Protector benefits from enhanced performance and reliability, with low latency traffic routing and improved application delivery.

Possible disadvantages of Akamai Web Application Protector

  • Cost
    Pricing for Akamai's Web Application Protector can be high, especially for smaller businesses or startups, and may present a significant investment compared to other solutions.
  • Complexity for Small Businesses
    While the platform is user-friendly, its comprehensive features may still overwhelm small businesses with limited IT resources or security expertise.
  • Limited Customization
    Some users may find the level of customization options insufficient for highly specialized requirements or unique security policies, as the product is designed to be accessible and straightforward.
  • Dependence on Internet Reliability
    As a cloud-based service, the performance and effectiveness of the Web Application Protector are dependent on internet reliability, which could be a concern in regions with unstable connections.

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Let's Encrypt and Akamai Web Application Protector)
Security & Privacy
94 94%
6% 6
Web Application Security
0 0%
100% 100
Identity And Access Management
Security Monitoring
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Let's Encrypt seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 339 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Let's Encrypt mentions (339)

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Akamai Web Application Protector mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Akamai Web Application Protector yet. Tracking of Akamai Web Application Protector recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Let's Encrypt and Akamai Web Application Protector, you can also consider the following products

OpenSSL - OpenSSL is a free and open source software cryptography library that implements both the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and the Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocols, which are primarily used to provide secure communications between web browsers and …

AWS WAF - AWS WAF is a web application firewall that helps protect your web applications from common web exploits.

Ensighten - Ensighten provides enterprise tag management solutions that enable businesses manage their websites more effectively.

ModSecurity - ModSecurity is an Open Source web application firewall developed by Trustwave's SpiderLabs.

AWS Certificate Manager - AWS Certificate Manager from Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Cloudbric - Cloudbric is a website security program that aims to block cyber attacks on your site. Security programs like Cloudbric are important for any large sites or any sites that handle money or secure information. Read more about Cloudbric.