AWS Certificate Manager vs Let's Encrypt: What are the differences?

Introduction:

AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) and Let's Encrypt are two popular options for managing SSL/TLS certificates. While both provide similar functionality, there are key differences between the two that are important to consider when choosing a certificate management solution.

1. Pricing Model: One key difference between AWS Certificate Manager and Let's Encrypt is their pricing model. AWS Certificate Manager is a paid service that charges for the use of SSL certificates, while Let's Encrypt provides SSL certificates for free. This difference in cost can be a significant consideration for organizations, especially those with a large number of certificates.

2. Integration with AWS Services: Another difference between AWS Certificate Manager and Let's Encrypt is their integration with other AWS services. AWS Certificate Manager is tightly integrated with other AWS services such as Elastic Load Balancer (ELB), CloudFront, and API Gateway, making it easier to manage and deploy SSL certificates for these services. Let's Encrypt, on the other hand, requires additional steps and configurations to integrate with AWS services.

3. Renewal Process: The renewal process is another area where AWS Certificate Manager and Let's Encrypt differ. With AWS Certificate Manager, the renewal process is automated and managed by AWS, ensuring that certificates are automatically renewed before they expire. Let's Encrypt also provides an automated renewal process, but it requires additional configuration and manual setup.

4. Certificate Validity: The validity period of the SSL certificates issued by AWS Certificate Manager and Let's Encrypt also differs. AWS Certificate Manager provides certificates with a validity period of up to 13 months, while Let's Encrypt certificates have a shorter validity period of 90 days. This difference means that Let's Encrypt certificates need to be renewed more frequently.

5. Certificate Authority: The certificate authority (CA) used by AWS Certificate Manager and Let's Encrypt is another difference between the two. AWS Certificate Manager uses its own CA, while Let's Encrypt is a CA that is recognized and trusted by major web browsers. This distinction may be important for organizations that require strict validation and trust levels for their SSL certificates.

6. Management Interface: The management interface for AWS Certificate Manager and Let's Encrypt also differs. AWS Certificate Manager provides a user-friendly web interface that allows users to easily manage and deploy SSL certificates. Let's Encrypt, on the other hand, requires command-line tools and configuration files for certificate management, which may be less intuitive for some users.

In summary, AWS Certificate Manager and Let's Encrypt differ in their pricing model, integration with AWS services, renewal process, certificate validity, certificate authority, and management interface. Organizations should carefully consider these differences when choosing a certificate management solution.