When choosing an SSL certificate, many people are unsure whether to opt for the free Let’s Encrypt certificate or a paid SSL product. Below, we summarise the main differences and explain which is suitable for which type of website.

There is no difference in terms of encryption

It is important to clarify that, in terms of encryption strength, Let’s Encrypt and paid domain-validated (DV) certificates are technically equivalent. Both provide the same level of encryption between the visitor’s browser and the server, and all modern browsers accept them in the same way. The visitor cannot tell the difference in the address bar.

How do the two differ?

• Verification level: Let’s Encrypt verifies only domain ownership (DV). With paid certificates, you can also choose a higher verification level, such as an Organisation Validated (OV) or Extended Validation (EV) certificate, which also verify the company’s genuine, verified details.
• Validity period: Let’s Encrypt certificates are currently valid for 90 days (64 days from 10 February 2027 and 45 days from 16 February 2028), but with most web hosting providers, including aWh, they are automatically renewed. Paid certificates have been valid for a maximum of 200 days since 15 March 2026; from 15 March 2027, this will be 100 days, and from 15 March 2029, 47 days (why is the validity period being reduced?). The one-year paid plan therefore contains two certificates: before the first one expires, the certificate must be reissued, which does not happen automatically. The steps for this are described in the article on setting up and reissuing paid SSL certificates.
• Guarantee: for paid certificates, the issuer also provides a financial guarantee in the event that the user suffers a loss due to an error made during the issuance of the certificate. Let’s Encrypt does not provide any guarantee.
• Trust indicator: With OV and EV certificates, visitors can view the company’s genuine, verified name by clicking on the certificate details, which can help build trust on websites handling more sensitive transactions (e.g. credit card payments). Browsers no longer highlight either type separately in the address bar.
• Support: for paid certificates, the issuer and the reseller assist with validation and installation. Let’s Encrypt does not have a support team, only a community forum; at aWh, we assist with the setup.

Comparison

	Let’s Encrypt	Paid certificate
Fee	free	annual fee
Authentication	DV only	DV, OV or EV
Company name on the certificate	no	Yes, in the case of OV and EV
Validity	90 days, then 64, then 45 days	up to 200 days, then 100, then 47 days
Renewal	automatic	Free reissues during the subscription period; this is not automatic with us
Wildcard	Yes, with DNS validation	Yes
Warranty	None	is

Which one should I choose?

• Let’s Encrypt: an excellent, free option for blogs, personal websites and small online shops, where proving ownership of the domain is sufficient. What’s more, it requires no maintenance whatsoever on our hosting services.
• Paid DV certificate: this can be useful if the certificate needs to be installed on a device or service where automatic renewal is not possible, or if you wish to have a guarantee. Bear in mind that, due to the shorter validity period, reissuing the certificate will also be a regular task in this case.
• Paid OV/EV certificates: a better choice for larger companies, financial service providers or websites where building visitor trust is of paramount importance, and where we wish to display the company’s verified details, or where a contract or policy requires organisational authentication.

You can compare the different types of paid certificates and their fees on the SSL certificates page.