Side by side
Boulder vs XiPKI
Both stand on public key infrastructure software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted
Boulder provides a modular ACME certificate authority implementation, but its development environment is explicitly not production-ready. Its stated production focus and support priorities make fit assessment important for organizations outside Let’s Encrypt.
Visit Boulder Free plan APILinuxMac+1
XiPKI covers CA, registration and OCSP functions, with protocol, database and HSM options. Its listed runtime requirements and operating systems are important considerations before deployment.
Visit XiPKIThe facts
| Boulder | XiPKI | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Self-hosted | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | github.com | github.com |
| On public key infrastructure software | #5 of 26 | #9 of 26 |
Boulder: what it does well
- Free under the Mozilla Public License 2.0.
- Supports ACME issuance and revocation workflows.
- Separates certificate authority work across components.
- Works with Certbot or another ACME client locally.
- Deployment guidance describes mutual TLS and firewalling.
What to know first
- Docker development setup is unsuitable for production.
- Built for Let’s Encrypt and may not fit other production deployments.
- Timely support may not be available for other deployments.
- Development setup exposes debug ports and uses public private-key material.
XiPKI: what it does well
- Supports EST, SCEP, CMP and ACME protocols.
- Manages multiple CAs in one instance.
- PKCS#11 HSM integration covers a range of listed devices.
- Free and licensed under Apache License 2.0.
What to know first
- Requires Java 11 or later.
- Requires Tomcat 10 or 11.
- Supported operating systems are Linux and macOS.
Alternatives to Boulder Alternatives to XiPKI The whole list