Side by side
Certbot vs EJBCA
Both stand on certificate management software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
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.
Visit Certbot
Choose EJBCA Community for free PKI learning, testing, and prototyping, especially when its deployment and enrollment options fit your setup. For production needs requiring advanced PKI capabilities, compliance, high availability, or SLA-backed support, consider Enterprise; its price is available by contacting Keyfactor.
Visit EJBCAThe facts
| Certbot | EJBCA | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Yes |
| Runs on | Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Windows | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | EJBCA PKI SaaS: £62,065 a year |
| Plans published | 1 | 5 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | certbot.eff.org | ejbca.org |
| On certificate management software | #4 of 31 | #1 of 31 |
Certbot: what it does well
- 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.
EJBCA: what it does well
- One installation can host multiple independent PKIs.
- Supports certificate validation through OCSP and CRL.
- Enrollment options include CMP, SCEP, EST, ACME, SOAP, and REST APIs.
- Community supports Helm, container, or source deployment.
- Helm and Ansible playbooks can automate installation and configuration.
What to know first
- Community Edition is not intended for production use.
- Community lacks audit, compliance, SLA, high availability, and required security capabilities.
- Enterprise pricing requires contacting Keyfactor.
- Community support through GitHub Discussions is best-effort.
Alternatives to Certbot Alternatives to EJBCA The whole list