GoDaddy vs Let's Encrypt: What are the differences?

Introduction

This Markdown code provides a comparison between GoDaddy and Let's Encrypt, highlighting their key differences.

1. 1. Certificate Authorities (CA) and Validations: GoDaddy is a commercial Certificate Authority that offers a wide range of SSL certificate options. They conduct extensive validations to ensure the authenticity of the website owners. On the other hand, Let's Encrypt is a non-profit Certificate Authority that provides free SSL/TLS certificates. Let's Encrypt uses automated validation methods to verify the domain ownership, making it easier and faster for users to obtain certificates.

2. 2. Pricing and Cost: GoDaddy offers SSL certificates at a cost, with different pricing plans depending on the level of validation and features required. The cost varies based on the certificate type and duration. In contrast, Let's Encrypt offers SSL certificates completely free of charge. This makes Let's Encrypt a more budget-friendly option for individuals and organizations with limited financial resources.

3. 3. Wildcard Certificates: GoDaddy offers wildcard certificates, which can secure multiple subdomains with a single certificate. This is especially useful for websites with a large number of subdomains. Let's Encrypt, however, does not provide wildcard certificates. Users need to obtain separate certificates for each subdomain they want to secure, which can be more time-consuming and complex.

4. 4. Certificate Expiration: GoDaddy SSL certificates have a longer validity period, usually ranging from 1 to 2 years, depending on the certificate type chosen. In contrast, Let's Encrypt certificates have a shorter validity period of 90 days. Users need to renew Let's Encrypt certificates more frequently to ensure the continued security of their websites.

5. 5. Integration and Automation: GoDaddy provides seamless integration and automation with its own hosting and website management platform, making it easier for users to manage their SSL certificates within the GoDaddy ecosystem. Let's Encrypt emphasizes automation and provides support for various software clients and plugins, allowing users to easily obtain, renew, and manage certificates on different hosting platforms or servers.

6. 6. Trust Level: GoDaddy is a well-established and widely recognized Certificate Authority, offering certificates that are trusted by all major web browsers. Let's Encrypt, although it has gained popularity, may not be immediately trusted by some older web browsers. However, Let's Encrypt certificates can still be trusted after the user manually installs the Let's Encrypt Root Certificate.

In Summary, GoDaddy is a commercial CA with extensive validations and a variety of SSL certificate options but comes at a cost. Let's Encrypt is a non-profit CA that provides free certificates with automated validation, limited wildcard support, shorter validity period, and broad platform integration but may require additional trust installation.