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Compare prices, read real reviews, and pick the right certificate – whether it’s your first SSL or your fiftieth. Trusted by 5,000+ site admins.

Cheapest SSL

From $8/yr

EV Certificates

Max trust level

Wildcard SSL

All subdomains

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All Multi-Domains

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Free Tools

Everything you need, one click away

A complete suite of SSL utilities – check SSL, SSL Wizard, and SSL Comparison Tools.

SSL Checker Tool

Instantly verify website security and encryption certificate status online.

SSL Wizard Tool

Choose the right SSL Certificate for you by answering simple questions.

SSL Comparison

Compare SSL Certificates Easily: Find the Best Security Solution
How It Works

SSL in 4 simple steps

From handshake to encrypted data – here’s what happens when someone visits your HTTPS site.

1. Browser Connects

A visitor’s browser requests a secure connection to your server.

2. Certificate Sent

Your server sends its SSL certificate with the public key.

3. Verification

The browser verifies the certificate with a trusted authority.

4. Encrypted Session

A secure, encrypted channel is established for all data.

Certificate Types

Which SSL certificate do you need?

Three validation levels, each built for different needs and trust requirements.
DV

Domain Validated

Basic encryption. Verifies you own the domain. Issued in minutes – perfect for blogs and small sites.

✓ Domain ownership check
✓ Issued in 5–10 minutes
✓ Padlock in browser
✓ 256-bit encryption

From ~$8/yr
OV

Organization Validated

Verifies your business identity. Builds more trust with visitors. Great for ecommerce and SaaS.

✓ Business identity verified
✓ Issued in 1–3 days
✓ Organization in cert details
✓ Higher trust signals
From ~$30/yr
EV

Extended Validation

Highest trust level. Rigorous vetting process. Essential for banking, healthcare, and enterprise.

✓ Full legal entity verification
✓ Issued in 1–5 days
✓ Company name in cert
✓ Maximum visitor confidence
From ~$70/yr
Where do you fit?

Pick your path

Whether you’re buying your first cert or managing hundreds, we’ve got you covered.

Business Owner

Secure your site fast. We’ll help you pick the right SSL without the jargon.

Developer / SysAdmin

Tools, guides, and configs. Install, debug, and manage SSL like a pro.

Enterprise / Agency

Compare EV, multi-domain, and wildcard certs. Find the best value at scale.

Compare

Top SSL Providers at a Glance

Real prices, real ratings. Updated frequently.
Provider Starting From Validation Rating

Comodo

$8 /yr DV, OV, EV ★★★★★4.9 View →

Sectigo

$9 /yr DV, OV, EV ★★★★★4.9 View →

DigiCert

$250 /yr DV, OV, EV ★★★★★4.8 View →

GeoTrust

$79 /yr DV, OV, EV ★★★★★4.8 View →

SSL.com

$40 /yr DV, OV, EV ★★★★★4.6 View →

Let’s Encrypt

Free DV ★★★★☆4 View →
Learn

SSL knowledge, simplified

From beginner basics to advanced configs – everything’s free.

DV vs OV vs EV Certificates

Which validation level is right for you?

How to Install an SSL Certificate

Step-by-step for Apache, Nginx & IIS.

Common SSL Errors & Fixes

Fix your SSL Errors within Minutes

Code Signing Certificates

Secure your Application/Software Code
Port Guides

Essential encryption ports

Quick reference to the most important network ports for secure communications.

443

HTTPS

SSL/TLS

22

SSH

Secure Shell

993

IMAPS

Secure IMAP

995

POP3S

Secure POP3

465

SMTPS

Secure SMTP

636

LDAPS

Secure LDAP

Head to Head

Popular comparisons

Side-by-side breakdowns of encryption methods, protocols, and security standards.

Block Cipher vs Stream Cipher

Encryption method deep-dive

Encryption vs Tokenization

When to use each approach

Port 80 vs 443 vs 8080

HTTP, HTTPS, and proxy ports explained

FIPS 140-2 vs FIPS 140-3

Compliance standard changes

Encoding vs Encryption

Choosing the transforming data format

Port 389 vs 636

LDAP vs Secure LDAP
Reviews

What people are saying

Real feedback from IT professionals, developers, and business owners.

5 star ratings

“SSLInsights saved me hours of research. Their comparison wizard helped me pick the perfect cert for our ecommerce store in under 5 minutes.”

Mark R.

CTO, ShopWave

5 star ratings

“The SSL checker tool is my go-to. I use it every time I deploy a new site. The error guides have also saved my team countless debugging hours.”

Sarah P.

DevOps Engineer, Nextera

5 star ratings

“Best free SSL resource on the internet. The wiki articles are clear, accurate, and actually helpful – unlike most technical docs out there.”

James Wu

Freelance Web Developer, Fiverr

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers to the most common SSL questions.

What is an SSL certificate and do I really need one?

An SSL certificate encrypts data between your website and visitors’ browsers, protecting sensitive information like passwords and credit card numbers. Yes – every website needs one. Browsers now flag sites without SSL as “Not Secure,” which hurts trust and SEO rankings.

What's the difference between free and paid SSL certificates?

Free certificates (like Let’s Encrypt) provide basic domain validation and encryption. Paid certificates offer higher validation levels (OV/EV), warranty protection, dedicated support, and additional trust signals like company name verification. For ecommerce or business sites, paid certificates are typically recommended.

How long does it take to get an SSL certificate?

Domain Validated (DV) certificates can be issued in minutes. Organization Validated (OV) certificates typically take 1–3 business days as they verify your business details. Extended Validation (EV) certificates require the most thorough vetting and usually take 1–5 business days.

What happens when my SSL certificate expires?

When your SSL certificate expires, browsers will display a warning page telling visitors the site is not secure. This can dramatically reduce traffic and trust. Most providers offer auto-renewal, and our Certificate Monitor tool can alert you before expiration.

Do I need a wildcard or multi-domain certificate?

A wildcard certificate secures your main domain and all its subdomains (e.g., *.example.com). A multi-domain (SAN) certificate secures multiple different domains. Choose wildcard if you have many subdomains; choose multi-domain if you run several distinct websites.

Is SSL the same as TLS?

TLS (Transport Layer Security) is the successor to SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). While people still say “SSL” colloquially, modern secure connections actually use TLS 1.2 or 1.3. When you buy an “SSL certificate,” it works with the latest TLS protocols.

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