# Entrust Certificate Manager vs Smallstep OSS PKI Toolchain (step-ca & step-cli): side-by-side comparison (2026) [Entrust Certificate Manager](https://cybersectools.com/tools/entrust-certificate-manager) is a commercial [certificate lifecycle management](https://cybersectools.com/categories/clm) solution by [Entrust](https://cybersectools.com/companies/entrust). [Smallstep OSS PKI Toolchain (step-ca & step-cli)](https://cybersectools.com/tools/smallstep-oss-pki-toolchain-step-ca-and-step-cli) is a free [certificate lifecycle management](https://cybersectools.com/categories/clm) solution by [Smallstep](https://cybersectools.com/companies/smallstep). Features, integrations, deployment and the company behind each one, side by side. ## Side-by-side comparison | | Entrust Certificate Manager | Smallstep OSS PKI Toolchain (step-ca & step-cli) | |---|---|---| | Pricing model | Commercial | Free | | Category | Certificate Lifecycle Management | Certificate Lifecycle Management | | Verified | No | No | | Deployment type | Hybrid | On-Premises | | Company size fit | Mid-Market, Enterprise | Startup, SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise | | Company | Entrust | Smallstep | | Headquarters | – | – | ### Use cases and capabilities | | Entrust Certificate Manager | Smallstep OSS PKI Toolchain (step-ca & step-cli) | |---|---|---| | Encryption | Yes | – | | Quantum Safe | Yes | – | | Zero Trust Architecture | Yes | – | | SSL | Yes | – | | TLS | Yes | Yes | | Crypto | Yes | – | | Open Source | – | Yes | | SSH | – | Yes | ### Core features **Entrust Certificate Manager** 8 features listed. Sign in on the page to see them. **Smallstep OSS PKI Toolchain (step-ca & step-cli)** 10 features listed. Sign in on the page to see them. ### Integrations **Entrust Certificate Manager** 2 integrations listed. Sign in on the page to see them. **Smallstep OSS PKI Toolchain (step-ca & step-cli)** 4 integrations listed. Sign in on the page to see them. ## Which one fits you Based on what each listing shows: deployment, company size, price and open source. - [Entrust Certificate Manager](https://cybersectools.com/tools/entrust-certificate-manager) fits if you need both cloud and on-premises options. - [Smallstep OSS PKI Toolchain (step-ca & step-cli)](https://cybersectools.com/tools/smallstep-oss-pki-toolchain-step-ca-and-step-cli) fits if you need to run it on your own servers, you are a startup or a small business and you need a free product. ## Entrust Certificate Manager vs Smallstep OSS PKI Toolchain (step-ca & step-cli) FAQ Common questions when comparing Entrust Certificate Manager vs Smallstep OSS PKI Toolchain (step-ca & step-cli) for certificate lifecycle management. ### What is the difference between Entrust Certificate Manager and Smallstep OSS PKI Toolchain (step-ca & step-cli)? **Entrust Certificate Manager**: Automates discovery, issuance, renewal, and revocation of digital certificates at scale. Built by Entrust. **Smallstep OSS PKI Toolchain (step-ca & step-cli)**: Open-source private CA toolchain for automated X.509 & SSH cert mgmt. Built by Smallstep. The table above shows where their features, integrations, deployment and company size fit differ. ### Who makes Entrust Certificate Manager and Smallstep OSS PKI Toolchain (step-ca & step-cli)? **Entrust Certificate Manager** is made by Entrust. **Smallstep OSS PKI Toolchain (step-ca & step-cli)** is made by Smallstep. The vendor behind a product decides its roadmap, support, and longevity, so check each company's profile before you commit. ### Is Entrust Certificate Manager a good alternative to Smallstep OSS PKI Toolchain (step-ca & step-cli)? Often, yes. Entrust Certificate Manager and Smallstep OSS PKI Toolchain (step-ca & step-cli) are both Certificate Lifecycle Management products, and both cover TLS. Key differences: Entrust Certificate Manager is Commercial while Smallstep OSS PKI Toolchain (step-ca & step-cli) is Free. Use the table above to see where features, deployment and company size fit differ. ## Related comparisons - [Entrust Certificate Manager vs Evertrust](https://cybersectools.com/compare/entrust-certificate-manager-vs-evertrust) - [Entrust Certificate Manager vs Allegro RomCert](https://cybersectools.com/compare/allegro-romcert-vs-entrust-certificate-manager) - [Entrust Certificate Manager vs TrustFour T4 Control Plane](https://cybersectools.com/compare/entrust-certificate-manager-vs-trustfour-t4-control-plane) - [Smallstep OSS PKI Toolchain (step-ca & step-cli) vs Evertrust](https://cybersectools.com/compare/evertrust-vs-smallstep-oss-pki-toolchain-step-ca-and-step-cli) - [Smallstep OSS PKI Toolchain (step-ca & step-cli) vs Allegro RomCert](https://cybersectools.com/compare/allegro-romcert-vs-smallstep-oss-pki-toolchain-step-ca-and-step-cli) - [Smallstep OSS PKI Toolchain (step-ca & step-cli) vs TrustFour T4 Control Plane](https://cybersectools.com/compare/smallstep-oss-pki-toolchain-step-ca-and-step-cli-vs-trustfour-t4-control-plane) ## Alternatives to each - [See all Entrust Certificate Manager alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/entrust-certificate-manager) - [See all Smallstep OSS PKI Toolchain (step-ca & step-cli) alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/smallstep-oss-pki-toolchain-step-ca-and-step-cli) --- Source: https://cybersectools.com/compare/entrust-certificate-manager-vs-smallstep-oss-pki-toolchain-step-ca-and-step-cli For AI agents: each product above has its own Markdown page (add .md to its URL, for example https://cybersectools.com/tools/entrust-certificate-manager.md). Every CybersecTools shortlist is listed at https://cybersectools.com/shortlists.md. More on Entrust Certificate Manager and Smallstep OSS PKI Toolchain (step-ca & step-cli): funding, momentum, hiring and news, plus the full product and company record, are available through the Mandos MCP Server (paid plans), which connects to AI assistants: https://mandos.io/mcp?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=compare-md