What are free SSL certs?
Free SSL Certs are digital certificates that are used to secure a website. These certificates are typically provided by Certificate Authorities (CA) and allow a website to use the secure HTTPS protocol. Free SSL Certs provide the same level of encryption and authentication as paid certificates, but are free to obtain.
Free SSL Certificates are digital certificates that verify the authenticity of a website and its associated domain name. They are an essential part of keeping website visitors secure and safe from malicious attacks. Free SSL Certificates are issued by Certificate Authorities (CAs) such as Let’s Encrypt, Comodo, and DigiCert. These CAs provide domain validation, organization validation, and extended validation certificates to websites. All of these certificates encrypt traffic between a website and its visitors, and help to boost customer confidence in the security of a website. Additionally, free SSL Certificates can help to improve website search engine rankings as many search engines prioritize sites with HTTPS over HTTP.
What is a paid SSL cert?
A paid SSL certificate is an important investment for any website or online business. It provides an extra layer of security to protect customers and their data from malicious attacks. Paid SSL certificates also provide assurance to customers that their online activities are secure and private.
Paid SSL certificates are issued by Certificate Authorities (CAs). These CAs are trusted third-party organizations that verify the identity of the website’s owners and confirm the security of the website. The CA will then issue a certificate to the website that contains information about the website owner and the encryption used to protect the site. This certificate is then made available to customers when they visit the website.
Paid SSL certificates offer a number of benefits to businesses and customers. For businesses, they provide assurance that customer data is secure and private. Customers can feel confident that their information is secure when they make purchases or provide personal information. Additionally, paid SSL certificates can help businesses to improve their search engine ranking, as search engines recognize sites with SSL certificates as more secure.
Finally, paid SSL certificates can help to protect customers from phishing scams. A phishing scam is an attempt to obtain sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, or credit card details by masquerading as a legitimate entity in an electronic communication. A phishing scammer will usually send an email or other electronic communication with a malicious link that leads to a fake website. Paid SSL certificates help to protect customers by ensuring that the website is secure and the customer’s data is safe.
Difference between free SSL and paid SSL
- Validation: Paid SSL certificates require a more thorough validation process than free SSL certificates as they are issued by a trusted Certificate Authority (CA). This means that the identity of the website owner is verified before the certificate is issued. Free SSL certificates are issued without validation, meaning any website can use them.
- Encryption Strength: Paid SSL certificates offer higher levels of encryption than free SSL certificates. This means that the data sent between the website and its visitors is more secure and less vulnerable to interception.
- Trust: Paid SSL certificates are more trusted in the eyes of visitors as they are issued by a trusted CA. This means visitors are more likely to trust a website secured with a paid SSL certificate than one secured with a free SSL certificate.
- Warranty: Paid SSL certificates offer a monetary warranty, which means that if something goes wrong with the certificate, the CA will reimburse customers for any damages incurred. Free SSL certificates do not offer this kind of warranty.
- Support: Paid SSL certificates offer more comprehensive customer support than free SSL certificates. Customers can expect dedicated support from the CA if they encounter any problems with their certificate.
- Reissue: Paid SSL certificates can be reissued any time without any additional cost. Free SSL certificates cannot be reissued.
- Site Seal: Paid SSL certificates come with a site seal, which is a digital badge that can be added to the website to show customers that the website is secure. Free SSL certificates do not come with a site seal.
- Compatibility: Paid SSL certificates are compatible with all major web browsers and devices. Free SSL certificates may not be compatible with all devices.
- Branding: Paid SSL certificates allow website owners to customize the look and feel of the site seal. Free SSL certificates do not offer this kind of customization.
- Renewal: Paid SSL certificates need to be renewed annually, whereas free SSL certificates are valid for a lifetime.
Features of free SSL
- Encryption: Free SSL provides encryption of data as it moves between the server and the client. This prevents third parties from intercepting and reading any sensitive information.
- Authentication: Free SSL also provides authentication of the server. When a browser communicates with a website, it can verify that the website is in fact the one it is supposed to be talking to, and not an imposter.
- Validation: Free SSL is issued by a certificate authority (CA) who validates the identity of the website owner. This adds an extra layer of security and helps to ensure that visitors are not being redirected to a fraudulent website.
- Compatibility: Free SSL is compatible with all major web browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge.
- Security: Free SSL helps to protect your website from malicious attacks, such as cross-site scripting, SQL injection, and man-in-the-middle attacks.
- Performance: Free SSL can help to improve website performance by reducing the amount of time required to establish a secure connection between the server and the client.
- Cost: Free SSL is, of course, free. This makes it a great option for small businesses and individuals who don’t want to spend money on website security.
- Simplicity: Free SSL is easy to install and use. Most web hosting providers offer free SSL certificates, making it easy to get up and running.
- Support: Free SSL is supported by the major web browsers, as well as most web hosting providers. This makes it easy to find help with any technical issues you may have.
- Flexibility: Free SSL is flexible and can be used for a variety of different purposes. It can be used to secure emails, web applications, and even IoT devices.
Features of paid SSL
- Validation: Paid SSL certificates are issued only after a thorough validation process to ensure that the organization requesting the certificate is legitimate. This ensures that the website visitor can trust the website they are visiting.
- Encryption: Paid SSL certificates provide high-grade encryption to ensure that the data passing between the website and the user is kept safe and secure.
- Browser Recognition: Paid SSL certificates are recognized by all major browsers and will show a padlock icon in the address bar. This helps to build trust with website visitors.
- Warranty: Paid SSL certificates offer a warranty to protect the website owner against any losses due to a security breach. This provides an extra layer of protection and peace of mind.
- Site Seal: Paid SSL certificates come with a “site seal” which is a graphical image that can be displayed on the website to show that it is secured by an SSL certificate.
- Support: Paid SSL certificates come with dedicated customer support to help with any SSL related issues.
- Extended Validation: Paid SSL certificates offer extended validation which provides additional assurance to website visitors that the website is legitimate.
- Wildcard Domain Support: Paid SSL certificates can be used to secure multiple sub-domains using a single certificate.
- Dedicated IP Address: Paid SSL certificates require a dedicated IP address which is an extra layer of security for the website.
- Unlimited Reissues: Paid SSL certificates can be reissued at any time, allowing for any changes or updates to be made quickly and easily.
Which SSL Certificate is Right for you?
SSL certificates are a must-have for any website that collects sensitive information such as credit card numbers, passwords, and personal information. The type of SSL certificate that is best for any website largely depends on the website’s specific needs.
For basic security and encryption, an Extended Validation (EV) SSL certificate is considered the best option. This type of SSL certificate is issued by a Certificate Authority (CA) after a thorough vetting process. An EV SSL certificate provides the highest level of trust and authenticity to visitors, as it verifies the identity of the website and its owner.
Organizations that want to secure multiple websites or subdomains may want to consider a Wildcard SSL certificate. This type of SSL certificate secures an unlimited number of subdomains with a single certificate. It also simplifies the process of managing multiple websites as all certificates are managed from one central location.
Domain Validated (DV) SSL certificates are ideal for small businesses or personal websites that don’t need to provide a high level of trust to visitors. This type of SSL certificate is easy to obtain and can be issued in a matter of minutes. However, it doesn’t provide the same level of trust as an EV SSL.
Finally, Unified Communications (UC) SSL certificates are designed to secure multiple domains, usernames, and email addresses. This type of SSL certificate is ideal for websites that host multiple applications or require multiple levels of authentication. UC SSL certificates provide the highest level of security and trust to visitors.
Conclusion
Free SSL and paid SSL certs both offer security benefits, but they come with different levels of protection and features. Free SSL certs are a great cost-effective solution for basic security needs, while paid SSL certs offer a more comprehensive level of protection and features. Ultimately, it comes down to the specific needs of the website and the budget available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Free SSL certificates are typically valid for 90 days and must be manually renewed. Paid certificates are issued with longer validity periods and can be set to auto-renew.
Yes, you need to install a free SSL certificate on your website in order to benefit from its security features. The certificate must be installed on the server that hosts the website.
Free SSL certificates typically use the same encryption as paid certificates, such as 256-bit encryption. However, the level of encryption may depend on the Certificate Authority that issued the certificate.
The main difference between a free and a paid SSL certificate is the level of trust and security. Free SSL certificates are issued by a trusted Certificate Authority (CA), but they do not offer the same level of assurance as a paid certificate. A free SSL certificate is typically issued with fewer validation checks and less encryption, making it less secure than a paid certificate.
The process of renewing an SSL certificate varies depending on the type of certificate you have, however, it generally involves a similar set of steps. First, you will need to generate a new Certificate Signing Request (CSR) from your server.
Generally, SSL certificates should be renewed every 12 to 24 months. However, this time frame can vary depending on the type of certificate you have.
A domain-validated SSL certificate is the most basic type of SSL certificate. It is typically issued quickly and only requires the Certificate Authority (CA) to verify that the domain is registered to the applicant. An organization-validated SSL certificate requires the CA to perform a more thorough verification of the organization’s information, including verifying the legal, physical, and operational existence of the organization.
