Let's Encrypt: How Free?
Started 2015 by Electronic Frontier Foundation + Mozilla. Goal: Democratize HTTPS. 2026: 400M active SSL certificates.
Free but requires auto-renewal (90-day validity). Web hosting + cloud server integrated.
| Feature | Let's Encrypt | Paid SSL |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | €0 | €50-500/year |
| Validity | 90 days | 1-2 years |
| Validation | DV only | DV, OV, EV |
| Warranty | €0 | €10K-1.5M |
| Support | Community forum | 24/7 phone/email |
| Wildcard | ✅ (DNS challenge) | ✅ |
| Multi-domain | ✅ (100 limit) | ✅ (3-100) |
Warranty? If SSL cert error causes data leak, CA company pays compensation. Let's Encrypt no warranty, paid SSL €10K-1.5M. Reality: Never paid (legal process complex). Marketing mostly.
Use Cases: Let's Encrypt sufficient: Blog, portfolio, startup MVP, SaaS (B2B), corporate email. Paid SSL needed: E-commerce (OV trust), fintech (EV required), large enterprise (warranty + support).