Looking for the best SSL Certificate Providers for your website? An SSL certificate helps to protect your website visitors’ personal information.
An SSL certificate is an essential component of any website. It enhances security overall. Using an SSL certificate will allow you to take advantage of Google search engine rankings (SEO) and win customer trust.
We have put together a list of the top SSL Certificate Providers in this article so you can easily buy SSL for your site.
What is an SSL Certificate?
The SSL Certificate consists of a small set of data files that are digitally bound to a cryptographic key and used to encrypt data sent over the Internet.
It allows you to connect a web server to a browser using a secure connection by activating the padlock and the HTTPS protocol.
The SSL certificate binds an address, such as a domain name, hostname, server name, or IP address, with an organizational identity (company name, address, and telephone number).
It is common to see SSL certificates installed on sites where financial transactions and data transfers occur. It is common to see SSL certificates on social media sites as well as on a variety of other websites such as blogs.
Below are the most reliable SSL Certificate providers in 2021:
SSL.com : The Best If You Need Fast Turn Around
It has been established as one of the biggest providers of SSL certificates in the world. It offers competitive prices, a money-back guarantee, and several warranties on all SSL certificates it provides.
It is widely known as one of the world’s largest and most reputable certificate authorities. It provides trusted certificate authorities, unified communication, wild cards, alternative subject names, and extended validation certificates.
Secure your site at a basic level with a digital certificate and digital seal of security. You can get a digital certificate in minutes.
Do not be fooled by SSL.com‘s low cost. SSL.com is a reputable Certificate Authority with a global reputation that’s trusted in 120+ countries. This company is an excellent choice for any business in need of a fast and cheap SSL certificate.
SSL.com charges $49 per year for an SSL certificate for a single domain. However, you are eligible for a discount if you purchase a five-year plan. It is a smart idea to consider this option if you’re planning on starting a small business website.
Key Features:
- There is a 100% money-back guarantee
- Warranties ranging from $10,000 to $2 million
- Fast issuance of most SSL certificates
- At a very reasonable price
- With live chat, phone, and email support 24 hours a day
- In addition to the site trust seals
- You can affordably secure up to three subdomains with Premium SSL services
Comodo SSL : A competitive provider offering commendable pricing
Suppose you are interested in getting an SSL certificate without spending a great deal of money. In that case, Comodo SSL is the best option. With Comodo SSL, you can obtain DV level Positive SSL at a lower cost.
The Comodo Site Seal on the website will help gain customers’ trust since they will know the website is not fake and will be Verified by the Comodo Certificate Authority.
A standard SSL certificate comes with some kind of warranty, such as a multi-domain Extended Validation SSL certificate, which offers a 2 million dollar warranty. In addition, you’ll get a free site trust seal on your checkout page, which guarantees users that the site is safe.
The verification process can take some time if Comodo SSL’s information to perform the check isn’t available online. If you run into installation or browser problems, the company has excellent support.
Key Features:
- It provides a money-back guarantee on all of our products
- Offers a variety of warranties for site security
- Certificates at a low price
- Providing multiple types of SSL Certificates
- Live customer service via email, chat, phone, and text message
GoDaddy SSL : An interesting spin on SSL from the hosting giant
The GoDaddy company is best known for its domain registration services. Nevertheless, it also offers various other services related to websites, such as website hosting, web design, and SSL encryption.
GoDaddy does not charge different rates for DV, OV, and EV certifications; instead, the price is based on whether the company is protecting only one site, several sites, or a domain with subdomain protection.
In the case of GoDaddy as your SSL certificate provider, you won’t only get an SSL certificate, but you will also get additional security services on top of it.
The GoDaddy service is a good choice if you don’t need to protect hundreds of domains or dozens of smaller sites. GoDaddy will be a good choice when you need to protect just one or two websites.
This offer has a weakness – the support team, which some customers describe in less than favorable terms. If you’re good at installing certificates, you might find this useful. However, if you need extensive technical support, you should look elsewhere.
Key Features:
- Ease of obtaining DVs and OVs
- Significant discounts offered at the outset
- The validation covers all of the standard levels of validation
- It has excellent security features
- As well as a pricing plan that will be suitable for most customers
Sectigo : The best SLL certificates for businesses engaged in e-commerce
Certificate Authorities (CA) such as Sectigo are regarded as some of the most reputable and reliable on the market. With SSL and TLS certificates to suit every situation, Sectigo offers a wide range of web security options.
In addition to Sectigo’s SSL certificate, you can obtain the Norton Seal as well. Another thing that makes Sectigo SSL certificates so great is their affordable price.
Sectigo offers SSL subscriptions for one, three, or five-year periods. Not every certificate provider offers this type of subscription.
SSL certificates from Sectigo are available in the following categories:
– Organization Validated SSL (OV)
– Dominance Validated SSL (DV)
– SSL with Extended Validation (EV)
– Wildcard SSL
– Single SSL Certificates
– Support for Multiple Domains
As well as being an inexpensive SSL certificate provider, Sectigo also provides industry-standard money-back guarantees and warranties besides being an inexpensive SSL certificate provider.
Key Features:
- Offering a comprehensive range of services
- With a money-back guarantee
- Providing excellent customer service
- With warranties ranging from $500k to $1.75 million
- The issuance of the warranty can take anywhere between one to three days (DV and OV)
DigiCert : SSL Provider With the Best Customer Support
DigiCert is the SSL provider of choice for 90% of Fortune 500 companies like Microsoft, Yahoo, AT&T, Facebook, Amazon.com, Wikipedia, NASA, and CoreLogic. There are several OV and EV certificate options available from DigiCert.
Since DigiCert is owned by Norton, the Norton Secured Seal protection will be available if you purchase your SSL certificate from DigiCert. DigiCert used to be an independent company back in the day; however, now it is owned by Norton.
Featuring unlimited server licensing, encryption up to 256 bits, free reissues for life, a DigiCert secured site seal, and more, DigiCert SSLs are the best SSL for your website.
With DigiCert, you will definitely be in the advanced category as compared to other SSL certificate providers out there. This is more than just issuing a single SSL to a personal blog or small business website. This service is built specifically for large organizations.
Key Features:
- All SSL certificates can secure multiple domains
- With excellent support
- Including access to priority support
- An exciting wildcard option
- Boosted by the Norton acquisition
- From $1.25 million to $2 million warranties
- With money-back guarantees
- …and lots of great features
GeoTrust : SSL For Growing Business
In the past, GeoTrust was owned by VeriSign and then Norton, and since Norton was acquired by DigiCert, it may also now be part of DigiCert. GeoTrust is a provider of SSL certificates, SSL signing services, and SSL for enterprise applications.
Geographic Trust, which is also a Symantec subsidiary, offers SSL certificates, signing services, and security for enterprise services. Its options range from domain-level all the way up to the True BusinessID with EV levels.
GeoTrust is one of the cheapest SSL providers, and even newly created websites can take advantage of its protection. GeoTrust’s main benefit is its affordability since no one else offers such a wide range of SSL options.
Key Features:
- High level of trust
- From enterprise customers makes it a great choice
- It offers scalable and flexible solutions
- With many discounts
- In addition to a well-trained support staff
Entrust : Best SLL Provider for Multiple Websites
Since Entrust has been in this business for over 50 years, the first Entrust SSL was issued in 1998. Therefore, you can say that the company has a fair share of experience in the field.
Entrust only offers the best security options to ensure quality while foregoing the cheapest but least safe options.
There are many security products in Entrust’s product portfolio, including ID card printers, authentication systems, and credit card printers.
SSL certificates are among the company’s most important offerings since it has invested heavily in secure systems. Our customers appreciate having one place to manage certificates across a variety of domains.
Additionally, Entrusts offers unlimited server licenses, so you won’t be tricked into paying more than you have to despite the higher price. This is an excellent solution.
Key Features:
- It has earned an impressive reputation for being quick operators
- Malware scanning
- Scanning for vulnerabilities
- Managing multiple certificates
- Having unlimited TLS/SSL certificate licenses
- The ability to reissue certificates
Which SSL Certificate Provider is Best for You?
In researching and comparing dozens of SSL certificate providers, we found certain factors and criteria to consider as you evaluate prospective vendors.
The following methodology can give you a sense of what options are available.
SSL Certificate Type
An SSL certificate can be classified into three types based on the type of encryption it uses:
- Domain Validated SSL (DV): It is the most basic and it is the cheapest form of SSL certificate available. In fact, the vast majority of domain-validated certificates can be issued almost instantly.
- Organization Validated SSL (OV): This certificate is the most advanced certificates. These certificates take a long time to process.
- Extended Validation SSL (EV): You should opt for an Extended Validation SSL if you are collecting sensitive information about your users, such as credit card numbers.
Domain and Subdomain Numbers
Whether you only need a single-domain SSL or a wildcard SSL, it is also important to consider.
There is a distinction between single-domain SSLs and wildcard SSLs, which are intended to secure a single domain or subdomain.
Suppose you’ve got multiple domains and subdomains you want an SSL installed on. In that case, some providers provide volume discounts based on the number of domains and subdomains you have.
Certificate Management for SSL
Organizations and enterprises with many SSL certificates and security needs need tools that help them manage these SSL certificates at scale. Otherwise, tracking renewals and assigning SSLs would be nearly impossible.
Some tools allow you to assign tasks regarding SSL certificates to other people within your organization. These tools specialize in Certificate Lifecycle Management (CLM) and managed SSL services, making ordering, issuing, revocation, and renewing SSL certificates easier.
When it comes to certificate management, you only have to worry about it at scale. If you only have one or two websites, this is not a factor you need to consider.