Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Let's Encrypt VS GeoTrust SSL

Compare Let's Encrypt VS GeoTrust SSL and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

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).

GeoTrust SSL logo GeoTrust SSL

The SSL Store™ offers 70% Off On GeoTrust SSL Certificates, including Free Site Seal. Buy GeoTrust CA SSL and get 256 bit encryption web security now.
  • Let's Encrypt Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-12
  • GeoTrust SSL Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-02

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.

GeoTrust SSL features and specs

  • Wide Recognition
    GeoTrust SSL certificates are widely recognized and trusted by most browsers and devices, ensuring seamless interaction for users accessing websites secured by these certificates.
  • Affordability
    GeoTrust SSL certificates are generally more affordable compared to some other top-tier brands, providing strong security features at a lower cost.
  • Range of Options
    GeoTrust offers a variety of SSL certificates, including extended validation (EV), organization validation (OV), and domain validation (DV), catering to different business needs.
  • Strong Encryption
    GeoTrust SSL certificates provide robust encryption levels, typically up to 256-bit encryption, ensuring that data transmitted between the server and client is secure.
  • Quick Issuance
    Domain Validation GeoTrust SSL certificates can be issued quickly, often within minutes, making it ideal for businesses that need to deploy SSL certificates swiftly.

Possible disadvantages of GeoTrust SSL

  • Limited Brand Name Recognition
    While GeoTrust is respected, it may not have the same level of brand recognition as top-tier competitors like Symantec or DigiCert, which might affect perceived trust levels for some users.
  • No Wildcard Support for EV
    GeoTrust does not offer wildcard support for their Extended Validation (EV) certificates, which might be a limitation for businesses that need to secure multiple subdomains with a single EV certificate.
  • Support Limitations
    Although GeoTrust provides support, some users have reported that the level of support might not be as comprehensive or responsive as that from other SSL providers.
  • Less Comprehensive Features
    GeoTrust SSL certificates may lack some of the advanced security features and warranties offered by more premium certificates from other providers.

Analysis of Let's Encrypt

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Let's Encrypt is a good choice for many website owners looking to implement HTTPS. It is trusted by major web browsers and has gained a strong reputation for reliability and ease of use.

Why this product is good

  • Let's Encrypt is widely considered a good option for SSL/TLS certificates because it provides free, automated, and open certificate issuance, which makes it accessible and convenient for website owners to secure their domains. It's designed to eliminate the complexity and costs typically associated with obtaining and renewing SSL certificates. Its easy integration with various web server software and support for automated renewals via the Certbot tool further enhances its appeal.

Recommended for

    Let's Encrypt is recommended for small to medium-sized websites, blogs, personal projects, non-commercial sites, and anyone looking to quickly and easily obtain SSL/TLS certificates without incurring costs. Larger enterprises or businesses with specific security and compliance requirements might need additional features provided by commercial certificate authorities.

Let's Encrypt videos

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GeoTrust SSL videos

GeoTrust SSL Certificates

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Let's Encrypt and GeoTrust SSL)
Security & Privacy
100 100%
0% 0
Domain Name Registrar
56 56%
44% 44
Identity And Access Management
Network & Admin
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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GeoTrust SSL mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of GeoTrust SSL yet. Tracking of GeoTrust SSL recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Let's Encrypt and GeoTrust SSL, 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 …

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

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

Namecheap SSL Certificates - Namecheap SSL Certificates act as a third-party verification for a website’s security.

Certbot - Automatically enable HTTPS on your website with EFF's Certbot, deploying Let's Encrypt certificates.

Thawte SSL - Thawte SSL123 Certificate is an intermediate certificate from Thawte. SSL123 is a domain validated ssl certificate from Thawte which secure your website with strong encryption.