diff --git a/crypto.go b/crypto.go
index 75fe027..b63623e 100644
--- a/crypto.go
+++ b/crypto.go
@@ -66,11 +66,32 @@ func bcrypt(input string) string {
 	return string(hash)
 }
 
-func htpasswd(username string, password string) string {
+func hashSha(password string) string {
+	s := sha1.New()
+	s.Write([]byte(password))
+	passwordSum := []byte(s.Sum(nil))
+	return base64.StdEncoding.EncodeToString(passwordSum)
+}
+
+// HashAlgorithm enum for hashing algorithms
+type HashAlgorithm string
+
+const (
+	// HashBCrypt bcrypt - recommended
+	HashBCrypt = "bcrypt"
+	HashSHA    = "sha"
+)
+
+func htpasswd(username string, password string, hashAlgorithm HashAlgorithm) string {
 	if strings.Contains(username, ":") {
 		return fmt.Sprintf("invalid username: %s", username)
 	}
-	return fmt.Sprintf("%s:%s", username, bcrypt(password))
+	switch hashAlgorithm {
+	case HashSHA:
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%s:{SHA}%s", username, hashSha(password))
+	default:
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%s:%s", username, bcrypt(password))
+	}
 }
 
 func randBytes(count int) (string, error) {
diff --git a/crypto_test.go b/crypto_test.go
index ac3f43b..fc34ee0 100644
--- a/crypto_test.go
+++ b/crypto_test.go
@@ -65,20 +65,23 @@ func TestBcrypt(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 type HtpasswdCred struct {
-	Username string
-	Password string
-	Valid    bool
+	Username      string
+	Password      string
+	HashAlgorithm HashAlgorithm
+	Valid         bool
 }
 
 func TestHtpasswd(t *testing.T) {
 	expectations := []HtpasswdCred{
-		{Username: "myUser", Password: "myPassword", Valid: true},
-		{Username: "special'o79Cv_*qFe,)<user", Password: "special<j7+3p#6-.Jx2U:m8G;kGypassword", Valid: true},
-		{Username: "wrongus:er", Password: "doesn'tmatter", Valid: false}, // ':' isn't allowed in the username - https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2617#page-6
+		{Username: "myUser", Password: "myPassword", HashAlgorithm: HashBCrypt, Valid: true},
+		{Username: "special'o79Cv_*qFe,)<user", Password: "special<j7+3p#6-.Jx2U:m8G;kGypassword", HashAlgorithm: HashBCrypt, Valid: true},
+		{Username: "wrongus:er", Password: "doesn'tmatter", HashAlgorithm: HashBCrypt, Valid: false}, // ':' isn't allowed in the username - https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2617#page-6
+		{Username: "mySahUser", Password: "myShaPassword", HashAlgorithm: HashSHA, Valid: true},
+		{Username: "myDefaultUser", Password: "defaulthashpass", Valid: true},
 	}
 
 	for _, credential := range expectations {
-		out, err := runRaw(`{{htpasswd .Username .Password}}`, credential)
+		out, err := runRaw(`{{htpasswd .Username .Password .HashAlgorithm}}`, credential)
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Error(err)
 		}
@@ -86,8 +89,15 @@ func TestHtpasswd(t *testing.T) {
 		if 0 != strings.Compare(credential.Username, result[0]) && credential.Valid {
 			t.Error("Generated username did not match for:", credential.Username)
 		}
-		if bcrypt_lib.CompareHashAndPassword([]byte(result[1]), []byte(credential.Password)) != nil && credential.Valid {
-			t.Error("Generated hash is not the equivalent for password:", credential.Password)
+		switch credential.HashAlgorithm {
+		case HashSHA:
+			if strings.TrimPrefix(result[1], "{SHA}") != hashSha(credential.Password) {
+				t.Error("Generated hash is not the equivalent for password:", credential.Password)
+			}
+		default:
+			if bcrypt_lib.CompareHashAndPassword([]byte(result[1]), []byte(credential.Password)) != nil && credential.Valid {
+				t.Error("Generated hash is not the equivalent for password:", credential.Password)
+			}
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/docs/crypto.md b/docs/crypto.md
index 0d90fb5..35dbaa9 100644
--- a/docs/crypto.md
+++ b/docs/crypto.md
@@ -49,10 +49,10 @@ bcrypt "myPassword"
 
 ## htpasswd
 
-The `htpasswd` function takes a `username` and `password` and generates a `bcrypt` hash of the password. The result can be used for basic authentication on an [Apache HTTP Server](https://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/misc/password_encryptions.html#basic).
+The `htpasswd` function takes a `username`, a `password`, and a `hashAlgorithm` and generates a `bcrypt` (recommended) or a base64 encoded and prefixed `sha` hash of the password. `hashAlgorithm` is optional and defaults to `bcrypt`. The result can be used for basic authentication on an [Apache HTTP Server](https://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/misc/password_encryptions.html#basic).
 
 ```
-htpasswd "myUser" "myPassword"
+htpasswd "myUser" "myPassword" ["bcrypt"|"sha"]
 ```
 
 Note that it is insecure to store the password directly in the template.