ZeroSSL
ZeroSSL — free and paid SSL certificate provider with ACME support and REST API.
Our Verdict
A credible Let's Encrypt alternative with a useful API; usually a backup, not the default.
Pros
- Free DV certs plus paid OV/EV options
- ACME support with unique EAB flow
- REST API for automation
- Simpler UI than legacy CAs
Cons
- Smaller trust footprint vs Let's Encrypt
- Free tier rate limits can be restrictive
- EAB requirement adds ACME friction
- Paid tiers less competitive than DigiCert
Best for: Teams wanting API-driven cert issuance with optional paid tiers.
Not for: Users fully served by Let's Encrypt and standard ACME clients.
When to Use ZeroSSL
Good fit if you need
- Free TLS certificate via ACME REST API for automation
- Paid OV and EV certificate with validation workflow API
- Let's Encrypt alternative with 90-day auto-renewable certs
- Multi-domain SAN certificate for SaaS platform subdomains
- ACME client integration for Caddy, Nginx, and Traefik
Pricing
Price wrong?ZeroSSL Pricing
- Pricing Model
- freemium
- Free Tier
- Yes
- Entry Price
- —
- Enterprise Available
- No
- Transparency Score
- —
Beta — estimates may differ from actual pricing
1,000
1001K10K100K1M
Estimated Monthly Cost
$25
Estimated Annual Cost
$300
Estimates are approximate and may not reflect current pricing. Always check the official pricing page.
Lock-in Assessment
Low 5/5
Lock-in Score 5/5
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