A free SSL Labs alternative that keeps watching — not just a one-off test.
SSL Labs (the Qualys SSL Server Test) is the gold standard for a deep, one-off TLS check. MySSL grades your SSL the same A+ → F way, then keeps monitoring it and alerts you before it expires or its grade drops — and covers headers, email and CT too. All free.
No card. No signup needed to scan — an account adds scheduled re-scans and alerts.
The Qualys SSL Server Test at ssllabs.com/ssltest performs a deep analysis of any SSL web server on the public Internet and returns an A+ to F grade. Its handshake simulation across dozens of clients is the most detailed public TLS test there is — if you want a thorough one-off audit of a server's TLS, it's a great choice, and we recommend it for exactly that.
But it's a spot check: it doesn't watch your certificate, it won't email you before renewal, it doesn't grade your security headers or email authentication, and by default a result can appear on its public boards. MySSL is built for the ongoing job — continuous monitoring, alerts and broader coverage — while staying free. (Note: "SSL Labs" and the "Qualys SSL Server Test" are the same product — see our Qualys SSL Server Test alternative.)
| Capability | MySSL.info | SSL Labs (Qualys) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| SSL/TLS grade (A+ → F) | Yes | Yes |
| Depth of TLS / handshake analysis | Strong (testssl.sh engine) | Best-in-class |
| Continuous monitoring + expiry/grade-drop alerts | Yes | No — one-off test |
| HTTP security headers grade | Yes | No |
| Email auth (SPF / DKIM / DMARC) | Yes | No |
| Certificate Transparency log search | Yes | No |
| Free self-serve JSON API | Yes (anon + free key) | API exists — v4, registration |
| Results kept private (no public board) | Yes (registered) | Shown on public boards by default |
| Works on internal / private servers | No — public endpoints | No — public Internet only |
- Scan once, free: paste your domain into the SSL scanner to get an A+ → F grade, protocol and cipher breakdown, chain and known-vulnerability checks — no signup.
- Turn on monitoring: create a free account and add the domain. MySSL re-scans on a schedule and records history so you can see the grade over time, not just today.
- Get alerted: pick email, Slack, Discord, Telegram or a webhook and we'll tell you before the certificate expires or if the grade drops — the thing an on-demand test can't do.
- Automate it: hit the free JSON API for CI or dashboards, or read the machine-readable llms.txt.
If you need the deepest possible one-time TLS audit — every client handshake simulated, exhaustive cipher and protocol edge cases — SSL Labs is still the best tool for that specific job, and it's free. Use it for a periodic deep audit; use MySSL for the day-to-day monitoring, alerting and the headers / email / CT coverage around it. They complement each other.
Frequently asked questions
Is MySSL as thorough as SSL Labs for TLS analysis?
For raw depth, no — and we won't claim otherwise. The SSL Labs handshake simulation across dozens of browser and client combinations is the most detailed public TLS test available, and it's genuinely excellent. MySSL grades TLS protocols, cipher suites, forward secrecy, the certificate chain and known vulnerabilities (Heartbleed, POODLE, ROBOT and friends) using the testssl.sh engine, and then adds what a one-off test doesn't: continuous monitoring, HTTP security headers, email authentication and Certificate Transparency. It's breadth plus ongoing coverage rather than a single deep spot check.
Is SSL Labs free?
Yes. The SSL Server Test at ssllabs.com/ssltest is a free service from Qualys SSL Labs for public web servers. MySSL is also free to use with no signup, and a free account additionally unlocks scheduled monitoring and alerts.
Does SSL Labs monitor my certificate or alert me before it expires?
No. SSL Labs is an on-demand test — you type in a hostname and get a report. It does not watch your certificate or email you before it expires. MySSL re-scans on a schedule and sends expiry and grade-change alerts by email, Slack, Discord, Telegram or webhook.
Is there an SSL Labs API?
Yes, the SSL Labs Assessment API. It moved to v4 and now asks API users to register, and the older v3 was retired at the start of 2024, with further Qualys API versioning and deprecation notices since. MySSL offers a free JSON API with an anonymous tier plus a higher limit on a free key, and machine-readable llms.txt output.
Does SSL Labs check security headers or email security?
No — SSL Labs focuses on SSL/TLS server configuration only. It does not grade HTTP security headers or email authentication. MySSL covers SSL/TLS grade, HTTP security headers, email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and Certificate Transparency in one place.
Are my SSL Labs results private?
By default an SSL Labs assessment can be listed on its public Recent Best and Recent Worst boards unless you tick the option not to show results on the boards. For registered MySSL users, monitored-domain results are private and are never published to a public leaderboard.