During my early years in web development, one of the most costly and annoying tasks was securing and installing security certificates on client websites. Most providers charged hundreds of dollars for SSL certs and getting them configured properly was a huge source of stress. Securing sites is much easier these days, thanks to services like ZeroSSL. With ZeroSSL you get free SSL and a host of awesome features!
Quick Hits
- Get your first SSL certificates for free
- ZeroSSL is the first real alternative to Let’s Encrypt, offering completely free SSL certificates through an easy-to-use UI and API
- Launched with an existing CA, and are a completely trusted Sub-Authority
- Unlike Let’s Encrypt, ZeroSSL not only offers an API/ACME, but also an easy-to-use API that allows users to create both 90-day and 1-year validity certificates through an easy and simple process.
- ACME Server in BETA which will be released in May, and allows all existing ACME & Let’s Encrypt Clients to automate certficate issuing through ZeroSSL. ZeroSSL is basically be a plug-in alternative to Let’s Encrypt’s ACME.
- ZeroSSL offers both single domain, multi-domain and wildcard certificates for free through ACME, and allows users to create 1-year certificates with an affordable subscription plan.
- In addition to ACME, ZeroSSL also offer a REST API to issue certificates automatically.
- ZeroSSL allows users to validate domain ownership via email (not just DNS) making it much easier to quickly issue certificates via the UI.
After signing up for a free ZeroSSL account, you can easily add domains that you’d like to be secured:
While I love that ZeroSSL provides an awesome UI to manage your certificates, the ability to automate SSL renewal via API is a game changer:
# Buy a SSL cert for my domain curl -X POST api.zerossl.com/certificates -d certificate_domains=davidwalsh.name&certificate_validity_days=365
Automation of SSL is such an ideal situation — no anxiety, no brutal costs — just the important security we’ve come to need at a reasonable price.
Google expects your websites to be secure, browsers expect your website to be secure, and users trust that your website is secure — make it secure. Unlike the early days, you don’t need to worry about cost or speed with ZeroSSL.
