23 articles
SSL certificate buying guides
Plain answers to "which certificate should I buy, and where?" Every price is copied from the seller's own page with the date we checked it, and rankings never depend on commissions.
Providers and brands 5
Best SSL providers
Which SSL seller to use for DV, OV, EV, wildcard or code signing certificates, based on prices checked on each seller's own site on 10 November 2026.
SSL resellers compared
Namecheap, GoGetSSL, SSL.com, The SSL Store and Trustico compared by verified prices, brands sold, renewal pricing and what each is best for in 2026.
Sectigo vs DigiCert
Sectigo and DigiCert are two of the largest commercial CAs. Compare their brands (PositiveSSL vs RapidSSL, GeoTrust, Thawte), 2026 prices and when each fits.
Comodo vs Sectigo
Comodo CA was renamed Sectigo in November 2018. What changed in roots, chains, CAA records and product names, and what Comodo SSL costs today.
PositiveSSL vs RapidSSL
PositiveSSL (Sectigo) vs RapidSSL (DigiCert): verified prices, warranty, wildcard and multi-domain options, CAA records and which to pick.
Free certificates 3
Free vs paid SSL
Free ACME and paid DV certificates encrypt the same way. What paying adds (identity, a warranty, vendor support) and when it is worth it in 2026.
Let's Encrypt vs ZeroSSL vs GTS
The three free ACME certificate authorities compared: lifetimes, account requirements, wildcard support and which to pick as a primary or backup CA.
Cloudflare SSL vs paid
Cloudflare Universal SSL is free and covers most sites. When a paid OV or EV certificate still helps, which SSL mode to pick, and what Origin CA is.
Validation levels 3
DV vs OV vs EV
DV, OV and EV certificates encrypt the same way and show the same padlock. They differ in what the CA checks, how long issuance takes and what they cost.
Is EV SSL worth it?
EV certificates lost their address-bar company name in 2019. Compare what EV still gives you, what it costs in 2026, and the few cases where it is required.
Wildcard vs multi-domain
Wildcard certificates cover every first-level subdomain of one domain; multi-domain (SAN) certificates list exact names. Rules, prices, pitfalls.
Wildcards, multi-year and pricing 6
Cheapest SSL certificate
The cheapest SSL certificates by verified 1-year price, from free ACME certificates to Namecheap Standard SSL, PositiveSSL and RapidSSL.
Cheapest wildcard SSL
The cheapest paid DV and OV wildcard certificates, with 1-year prices checked on sellers' sites in November 2026, plus when a free ACME wildcard is enough.
Cheapest OV SSL
The cheapest OV SSL certificates for one domain, wildcards and multiple domains, with prices checked on sellers' sites in November 2026.
Cheapest EV SSL
The cheapest Extended Validation SSL certificates for one domain and multiple domains, with prices checked on sellers' sites in November 2026.
Cheapest multi-domain SSL
The cheapest DV, OV and EV multi-domain SSL certificates with verified 1-year prices, the names each includes and when free ACME is enough.
Multi-year SSL after 200 days
Since 15 March 2026 no TLS certificate lasts more than 200 days. What a multi-year SSL subscription means now, verified per-year prices and prepaying risks.
For businesses and shops 3
SSL for e-commerce
What an online shop needs from its SSL certificate: why DV is usually enough, when OV or EV is required, wildcard vs multi-domain, and verified 2026 prices.
SSL for small business
A practical plan for small businesses: when free SSL is enough, when to pay for OV, what certificates cost in 2026, and how to stop them expiring.
SSL for WordPress
Which SSL certificate a WordPress site needs: free ones from your host, when to pay for wildcard, multi-domain or OV, and how to switch to HTTPS.
Code signing and email 3
Best code signing certificate
Since June 2023 code signing keys must live in hardware or a cloud HSM. Compare OV and EV certificates, token vs cloud signing, and verified 2026 prices.
VMC and BIMI
What a Verified Mark Certificate does, the DMARC and trademark requirements, the cheaper CMC alternative, and verified 2026 prices from DigiCert and SSL.com.
Best S/MIME certificate
How to choose an S/MIME certificate for signing and encrypting email: mailbox vs organization validation, verified prices, validity, clients.
These buying guides compare TLS/SSL, code signing, S/MIME and VMC certificates by verified price, validation level and renewal effort. Every price links to the certificate price comparison, which records the date and page it was checked on.
Two facts shape every recommendation in 2026:
- Shorter certificates. Since 15 March 2026 a publicly trusted TLS certificate lasts at most 200 days; the limit drops to 100 days on 15 March 2027 and 47 days on 15 March 2029. Multi-year purchases are now subscriptions with several reissues.
- The padlock is the same for DV, OV and EV. Browsers removed the EV company name from the address bar in 2019, so paying more buys validation and support, not stronger encryption.
Some links on these pages are affiliate links. Read the disclosure for which sellers pay us and how much.
FAQ
How do you choose which certificates to recommend?
We compare verified 1-year prices, what each product covers and how it is validated. We do not run lab tests or publish customer ratings, and a seller paying us a commission never changes the order. See how we make money.
Do I need to buy an SSL certificate at all?
Usually not. Free ACME certificates from Let's Encrypt, ZeroSSL or Google Trust Services are trusted by every major browser. Paid certificates make sense when you need OV/EV identity, a warranty, vendor support, or a host that cannot automate renewals. See free vs paid SSL.