Certbot is free, open-source software for administrators who want to enable HTTPS on websites they manage themselves. It can obtain Let’s Encrypt certificates and install them on a web server automatically in many cases, then renew them as their validity period runs down. Renewal is triggered when less than one-third of a certificate’s lifetime remains, or half its lifetime for certificates lasting 10 days or less. Certbot names Apache and Nginx integrations, plus webroot and standalone methods. DNS validation does not require an inbound connection from Let’s Encrypt, so that method does not depend on an existing HTTP site or open port 80. The tool runs from a command line, usually on a Unix-like server; many users connect to a remote server over SSH. It may suit people comfortable with command-line administration on a dedicated server, VPS or cloud-hosted server. It is less suitable for most shared hosting, where asking the provider to configure HTTPS is usually easier and more reliable. The Electronic Frontier Foundation makes Certbot; project documentation and the Let’s Encrypt community forum are listed for help.
Who it is for
Certbot suits people comfortable with command-line administration who manage a website on a dedicated server, VPS or cloud-hosted server. It is less suitable for most shared hosting environments.
What is good
- Free and open source.
- Can install Let’s Encrypt certificates automatically in many cases.
- Supports Apache, Nginx, webroot and standalone methods.
- DNS validation does not require an inbound connection.
- Automatically renews certificates.
What to know first
- Runs from a command line.
- Less suitable for most shared hosting environments.
- Most users administer a remote server over SSH.
Verdict
Certbot can automate certificate installation and renewal for manually administered websites. Its command-line workflow is aimed at server administrators, while shared hosting users may be better served by asking their provider to configure HTTPS.
Certbot plans and pricing
All plansCompared on certificate management software
- Free plan
- Yes
- Certificate discovery
- No
- Automatic renewal
- Yes
- Deployment automation
- Yes
- Revocation workflows
- Yes
- Certificate types
- tls
- CA integrations
- Yes
