The "DNS provider with a better API" can be your own bind9 server on the same machine as certbot, updated with RFC 2136. Completely standard, no changing APIs, no 4th party, no maintenance. I set up a server like this at work and haven't touched it for a year and a half.
It introduces a 4th party you depend on. Now you have:
1: The datacenter where your application runs
2: The DNS server
3: Let's Encrypt
4: The "DNS provider with a better API"