The best SSL certificate builds trust by ensuring a safe connection between a website and its users. A key element in online business is creating a secure and comfortable environment for prospective customers to make purchases. So how does an SSL certificate help achieve this?
An SSL certificate is a data file hosted in a website’s origin server. It is represented with a padlock sign close to the URL, showing the site is encrypted. SSL certificates help websites switch from HTTP to HTTPS. The HTTS version is more secure. Plus, it contains the website’s public key, identity, and other related information.
The best SSL certificates do more than verify domains and sources of web pages. They also provide an exchange of information and financial transactions online.
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Last Updated: Sep 22, 2023
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We’ll explore some of the things you should know, such as best practices for SSL certificate management and the best place to get yours. We’ll also look at the types of certificates and other information you should know.
Many people think finding the best SSL certificate for your website is a simple process. The thing is, there are a significant number of factors and options to consider before purchasing. Here are some that stand out:
This is one of the best when it comes to SSL certificates. It has all you could ever need. One major thing that makes it stand out from others is that it offers three powerful features.
First is the encryption security as large as 128 to 256 bits. Even the world’s most powerful supercomputers don’t come close to this, as it is unbeatable. With this encryption security, you’re sure that your data are secured.
The next is that it provides you with the most trusted security indicator on the web, the green address bar. This security indicator shows your organization’s name and makes it recognized by anyone in the world. It builds trust by letting them know you’re the website owner.
The final feature of this certificate is the Multi-Domain feature. It allows you to have multiple domains with just one certificate. With a Comodo EV Multi-Domain SSL certificate, you can secure up to 200 domains and display the green address bar in other domains.
Namecheap provides SSL certificates from Comodo Certificate Authority. Plus, you can get these certificates free alongside a shared hosting package deal from Namecheap.
According to Forbes, over 95% of web browsers support this certificate authority. Therefore, you have the assurance that when visiting a site protected by Comodo, there won’t be any security issues from the browser.
It’s essential to ensure you’re aware of all potential pros and cons before purchasing your certificate. This will ensure that you have the best possible security solution in place for your website and customers.
Below are some of the key pros and cons of the Comodo EV Multi-Domain SSL certificate:
GlobalSign is one of the best SSL certificate providers for big organizations with complex needs. Although they have high rates, their service quality draws a lot of satisfied customers to them.
HostPapa’s GlobalSign SSL certificate provides more than just cutting-edge data encryption. A procedure will follow to verify your company’s credentials on buying a certificate. After verification, a site’s trusted symbols will appear, including a closed padlock and “HTTPS” in your website address.
Some of the SSL certificates GlobalSign offers include:
Here are the pros and cons of obtaining a GlobalSign SSL certificate. Ensure that you compare these with other certificates when making your decision:
In this highly competitive market, RapidSSL is a certificate authority that has carved out a niche for itself. They have achieved this through their fast, effective, reasonably priced, and practical SSL/TLS products. RapidSSL offers one of the best wildcard SSL certificates out there.
The RapidSSL Wildcard SSL certificate has been one of the most often used certificate solutions. This is especially true for customers who don’t want business/organization verification, even though it is a basic SSL certificate. This certificate can be issued shortly after being purchased and uses 256-bit encryption to encrypt data.
Given that it has the word “Wildcard” in its name, it can secure unlimited subdomains in addition to your primary domain. This certificate is supported by the RapidSSL Site Seal and backed by a $10,000 warranty. Plus, you can purchase a wildcard certificate from Domain.com and use it on your websites.
These are a few of the primary pros and cons associated with a RapidSSL certificate:
DigiCert is one of the most reputable brands in web security and SSL. One of the best SSL certificates is its Secure Site Pro (with EV SSL) certificate. With the help of this certificate, you can increase client confidence and trust while boosting website conversions.
The DigiCert SSL certificate unlocks the Norton Secured Seal, the most widely recognized mark of trust on the internet. Alongside this certificate, you will receive the DigiCert Anti-Malware scanning and the Critical Vulnerability Assessment. It’s one of the most complete web security solution bundles you’ll find.
Some of the secure site SSL certificates from DigiCert include:
The following are some of the pros and cons of the DigiCert SSL certificate
SSL.com is the ideal solution for small and upcoming companies that need to secure their websites but cannot afford to pay thousands of dollars a year.
They are a mid-range offering suitable for businesses that have outgrown the use of free SSL certificates.
It’s also perfect for those with less complicated security requirements that would warrant the higher cost of DigiCert or GlobalSign. The incredible thing about the affordable rates is that they offer the same level of encryption as the more expensive certificates.
SSL.com provides different certificates to cater to the needs of many businesses. They include:
The following are the pros and cons of SSL.com. They are:
Regarding the best SSL certificates, there are three types, each varying by validation level. We list these three primary types below:
The certificate authority validates that you own a particular domain for this type of certificate. DV certificates are usually free and have a low level of trust since you don’t show anything besides domain control. Hostinger is the best place to get an SSL certificate with DV status.
Here, it shows that the certificate authority has validated your organization’s legitimacy. It also shows its physical location and that your organization runs the domain.
OV certificates are usually paid for and need an actual identity check, which takes a few days to obtain. This makes OV certificates more trusted than DV certificates.
This certificate goes through the most thorough validation process. EV certificates require a review of business documents aside from the standard OV inspections.
Since you know the various types of SSL certificates, let’s look at some of the advantages and limitations of the best SSL certificates.
Data goes through several parties on the internet. As a result, it is more likely to be accessed by unauthorized third parties. Whatever information is on your site, SSL makes sure it gets to the correct server.
SSL uses a security measure known as the Server certificate to accomplish this. By serving as a go-between for browsers and SSL servers, this Server certificate ensures that the SSL certificate provider can be trusted.
The primary objective of an SSL certificate is to encrypt data so that only the intended receivers can decode it. There is a chance of third parties obtaining information transmitted over the internet.
Data is sent as random characters since the SSL certificate encrypts them. Intruders won’t understand these details, even if they can obtain them. As a result, SSL makes it best for securing sensitive data like User IDs, Passwords, and Credit Card Numbers.
In a recent announcement by Google, “one of the keys to improving search engine rankings is installing an SSL certificate.” Sites having an SSL certificate will appear higher in search queries thanks to the algorithm’s design. Most websites with higher Google rankings have an Secure Socket Layer certificate.
Sites must have an SSL certificate with at least 128-bit encryption to accept payments from all payment card industries. Sites won’t be able to accept credit card payments without a valid SSL certificate.
An SSL certificate offers verification whenever it is used on a website. As a result, when people visit a website, they can feel confident that it is authentic and not a scam.
A green lock will appear in the address bar of an SSL-authenticated website. This lock indicates that the website has implemented security measures and is trustworthy enough to process transactions.
An SSL certificate can be costly to buy and set up. This is due to the necessary maintenance and the verification procedure. Although some hosting providers may provide free SSL certificates, this is typically not advised for several reasons.
The price can vary depending on the certificate type. This includes the identity verification level and how many domains and subdomains the certificate will cover.
The files that should be provided using HTTPS will instead be served via HTTP if the SSL certificate is not correctly implemented. Therefore, a notification will inform site visitors that their data is not secured.
The speed of transactions will significantly drop when an SSL certificate is used on a website. This occurs as a result of data encryption and decryption before usage. However, only websites with a high volume of visitors would experience this speed decrease.
The Secure Socket Layer certificate must constantly be renewed. A notification declaring that the SSL certificate has expired and the site is no longer safe will appear if not periodically renewed. With this, customers may begin to lose trust while making purchases.
SSL was designed from the beginning to support only web-based applications. Anything else needs the acquisition of modules from application providers. The setup procedure here is complex and needs modifications to the internal software.
A website is more prone to Man in the Middle attacks without an SSL certificate. The site can benefit from data integrity using an SSL certificate. All data in the store of web servers are protected against external attacks.
The best SSL certificates, free and paid, differ in several ways. These differences include the following:
A free SSL certificate supports only DV certificates, while paid SSL supports all types of certificates. For instance, the free Secure Socket Layer certificates accompanying SiteGround’s hosting packages are mostly DV.
When there is a problem with authentication, a free SSL certificate does not offer any form of warranty. However, paid SSL certificate provides a warranty of up to $20,000 -$1.7 million.
When it comes to website verification, a free SSL certificate verifies only the ownership of a domain. Paid SSL certificate, however, validates the business’s identity before granting the certificate to the owner. This verification is carried out by the internet’s certificate authority.
Paid Secure Socket Layer certificates come with better site seals and the green address bar; free certificates do not give these privileges. For instance, a Comodo PositiveSSL from Hostinger will offer more site security than free SSL on some hosting packages.
If you own a website, you should invest in any of the best SSL certificates. Google marks your site as “not secure” if you do not have one. Not only do you need the certificate to protect your website but also your users. Those that need an SSL certificate include but are not limited to:
Below is a list of the information contained in an SSL certificate.
It is worth noting that both the public and private keys are long character strings used to encrypt and sign data. Plus, the private key decrypts data encrypted with the public key.
Domains obtain Secure Socket Layer certificates from the certificate authority (CA), which helps with the certificate’s validity.
The CA creates, gives out, and digitally signs the certificate with their private key. Although not all certificate authorities charge a fee for issuing the SSL certificate, a good number do.
Upon issuing the certificate, it should be installed and activated on the website’s origin server. Once this is done, all data becomes encrypted and secure. The site also gets to load over HTTPS.
Basically, an SSL certificate is needed because it helps keep user information safe, validates ownership, and gains the trust of your users.
The public-private key helps make SSL encryption possible. From the server’s SSL certificate, web browsers use the public key to get access to a TLS connection.
The Secure Socket Layer certificate verifies that users communicate with the actual owner of the domain. This prevents attacks such as domain spoofing and others.
An SSL certificate is vital for an HTTPS web address, especially for businesses. HTTPS is a more secure form of HTTP, and SSL/TLS encrypts its site’s traffic.
SSL certificate works in three significant ways, they include:
After successfully obtaining any of the best SSL certificates, websites will receive a public and private key. Users’ browsers will request the public key when they access the website to confirm its identity.
Upon successful verification, the browser will create two symmetric keys, one of which it will send to the web server encrypted with the public key.
The server will then use its private key to decrypt it once it receives it. Now, this creates a secure connection between the server and browser to transport data.
After a successful SSL installation, your website will have a padlock icon and an HTTP prefix on its URL. With this, you can show a site seal to improve trust, depending on the certificate.
It is necessary to buy the best SSL certificate for an online server that houses some digital materials that users access via the Internet. Buying a Secure Socket Layer certificate has three main benefits:
Finding the best SSL certificate provider largely depends on your needs. Comodo CA is the most popular provider and charges a reasonable price for an excellent service.
DigiCert provides excellent deals for more prominent organizations and some of the most renowned trust seals.
RapidSSL provides domain validation to those who require less support at a reasonable price. It is best for more straightforward sites and blogs. All providers offer a free trial period. You can try out any of the listed depending on your needs.
SSL certificates issued by the likes of Namecheap, Hostinger, and Domain.com, come with the following:
This seal provides proof of the security your SSL certificate offers. The type of SSL certificate issued determines what seal appears, but they all protect your user’s data. Buying any of the best SSL certificates is crucial, as users now look out for them when visiting a website.
Namecheap and other providers offer first-class customer service with polite and helpful support staff. They have 24/7 availability, so rest assured that you’ll get answers to questions and advice about your SSL certificates.
The number of bits used to create the encryption key affects how secure an SSL certificate is. The data is then encrypted with the help of the key.
Depending on the abilities of the web browser and server, most of the best SSL certificates use 256-bit or 128-bit encryption. The industry standard for data protection is usually 256- and 128-bit.
The following are the reasons why you should purchase an SSL certificate for your website.
Website security is essential. Therefore you should include an SSL on your site to help protect private data between you and users.
In addition, Hostinger’s SSL certificates use 256-bit encryption, which is standard for data protection.
The best SSL certificates offer extra security, which includes the HTTPS prefix to your site’s URL. The search engine views this as essential to a positive page experience.
Because of this, SSL-certified websites are more likely to appear higher in search results on Google, boosting their visibility and organic traffic.
Your site’s URL will begin with HTTPS when you enable SSL protection, plus a padlock icon will appear in the browser.
Visitors can see that your website uses SSL and is safe, which reassures them that their login and payment information is secure.
Your customers and site visitors will likely have their data stolen without an SSL installed. Without encryption, your site’s security is also at high risk.
SSL shields websites from numerous risks, including data breaches and phishing scams. Ultimately, it creates a safe environment for users and site owners.
Finding the best SSL certificate provider that offers the kind of certificate you want at a reasonable price will take a lot of work. To recommend a few, you could try out GlobalSign, SSL.com, and DigiCert.
If you desire a provider that helps manage your complex SSL needs, GlobalSign is your go-to SSL certificate provider.
In addition, if you want a budget-friendly Secure Socket Layer certificate, you should make SSL.com your choice. Finally, DigiCert is great for when you want a serious warranty backing your OV or EV certificates.
Although there are many other good options regarding the best SSL certificates, these are just some of our top recommendations. They’ve helped secure the sites of many businesses and upgrade their technology to remain at the top.
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SSL (Secure Socket Layer), also known as TLS (Transport Layer Security), is a security protocol that encrypts data between a site and its browser. It stops unauthorized individuals from accessing or viewing information transferred between a website and its visitors. A certificate authority (CA) is responsible for issuing the best SSL certificates to websites. This is to verify the site's identity, so visitors know it's safe and secure.
There are different free SSL certificates on the web and getting the right one can sometimes be challenging. For most people, the best SSL company to get free certificates is Namecheap. Namecheap is a web hosting company, and its hosting plan comes with a free Secure Socket Layer certificate. Plus, it provides a free domain on your first-year subscription.
You get a free SSL when you buy any of Hostinger's hosting plans. If you're looking to sign up with a new web hosting provider and check their SSL/TLS certification, this is an excellent choice for you.
Having a Secure Socket Layer certificate is essential for the security of your website; this allows your site visitors to trust you. The GlobalSign SSL certificate from HostPapa protects your client's data, including their names, passwords, addresses, etc. Finally, if you run an online business, you must have one of these certificates in place.
HostPapa, in partnership with GlobalSign, provides customers with a highly regarded name-brand SSL certificate. This makes your certificate acceptable by more than 95% of all browsers, ensuring your visitors aren't disappointed. Also, not only is HostPapa's SSL certificate inexpensive, its 24/7 support backs them.
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