When comparing Let's Encrypt vs GoDaddy, the Slant community recommends Let's Encrypt for most people. In the question“What are the best SSL-Certificate Vendors?” Let's Encrypt is ranked 2nd while GoDaddy is ranked 11th. The most important reason people chose Let's Encrypt is:
Lets Encrypt is a non-profit organization sponsored by EFF, Linux Foundation, and other major donors. Removing profit as a motive means their focus is security, stability, and open source, not their bank account.
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Non-Profit
Lets Encrypt is a non-profit organization sponsored by EFF, Linux Foundation, and other major donors. Removing profit as a motive means their focus is security, stability, and open source, not their bank account.
Pro Free
Certs from LetsEncrypt are free, always, not just as a short-term trial.
Pro Automated
It is fairly straightforward to totally automate certificates and renewals such that you never have to worry about the dreaded "certificate expired" error. There are numerous open-source implementations of clients to fit many situations.
Pro Very easy and quick to add dozens of domains and sub-domains.
Pro Wider selection of Domain extensions (New gTLDs)
Trusted and with one of the widest selection of new domain extensions.
Cons
Con 90 days
Certs currently are only issued for 90 days at a time. The expectation is that users will automate renewal so that this is not an issue.
Con Domain-Verified only
Only class 1 certificates are available (the kind others charge $10 or more for). Lets Encrypt does not do Extended Validation or EV certs, nor does it offer insurance or the other features traditional vendors offer. How much of a con this is depends very much on how much you value those services.
Con Hostile to digital freedom for having supported SOPA
Con Bad customer service
Con Annoying notifications
Con Sneaky business practices
Several users reported that GoDaddy quickly registered domains they were searching before the user could do, so the company could sell the domain to them afterwards for a higher price.
Con Checkout process is a hassle
You have to decline or avoid too many upsells.
Con Only US servers
The customer representatives confirm that there are only US servers. You still can use it in other parts of the world, but for a better connection you should definitely consider other options.