# Sectigo vs DigiCert: brands, prices and which to choose (2026)

> Sectigo and DigiCert are two of the largest commercial CAs. Compare their brands (PositiveSSL vs RapidSSL, GeoTrust, Thawte), 2026 prices and when each fits.

Source: https://ssl.sh/compare/sectigo-vs-digicert/
Last updated: 2026-11-10

**Sectigo and DigiCert are equally trusted** by browsers and encrypt the same way, so choose on price and tooling. Entry-level DV costs about the same (PositiveSSL $16.00, RapidSSL $18.65 at GoGetSSL on 10 November 2026), but Sectigo is several times cheaper for OV and EV. DigiCert-branded products such as Secure Site suit enterprises that value CertCentral and DigiCert support.

## Brands at a glance

Each CA sells several brands that differ in price, warranty and seal, not in browser trust:

| Level | Sectigo brands | DigiCert brands |
|---|---|---|
| Budget DV | PositiveSSL, EssentialSSL | RapidSSL |
| Premium DV | Sectigo DV SSL | GeoTrust QuickSSL Premium, Thawte SSL123 |
| OV | InstantSSL, Sectigo OV SSL | GeoTrust True BusinessID, Thawte SSL Web Server, DigiCert Basic OV, DigiCert Secure Site |
| EV | PositiveSSL EV, Sectigo EV SSL | GeoTrust True BusinessID EV, Thawte EV, DigiCert Basic EV, Secure Site EV |
| Code signing | Sectigo OV / EV | DigiCert OV / EV |

## Price comparison by level

Sectigo was cheaper at every level, most of all for flagship EV ($169.60 against $910.72). Cheapest verified 1-year prices on 10 November 2026:

| Level | Sectigo | DigiCert family |
|---|---|---|
| DV | [PositiveSSL](https://ssl.sh/certificates/positivessl/) $16.00 | [RapidSSL](https://ssl.sh/certificates/rapidssl/) $18.65 |
| DV wildcard | [EssentialSSL Wildcard](https://ssl.sh/certificates/essentialssl-wildcard/) $84.00 | [RapidSSL Wildcard](https://ssl.sh/certificates/rapidssl-wildcard/) $149.31 |
| OV | [InstantSSL](https://ssl.sh/certificates/instantssl/) $32.80 | [GeoTrust True BusinessID](https://ssl.sh/certificates/geotrust-true-businessid/) $111.98 |
| OV, DigiCert brand | — | [DigiCert Secure Site](https://ssl.sh/certificates/digicert-secure-site/) $394.11 |
| EV | [PositiveSSL EV](https://ssl.sh/certificates/positivessl-ev/) $99.98 | [GeoTrust True BusinessID EV](https://ssl.sh/certificates/geotrust-true-businessid-ev/) $205.24 |
| EV, flagship | [Sectigo EV SSL](https://ssl.sh/certificates/sectigo-ev/) $169.60 | [DigiCert Secure Site EV](https://ssl.sh/certificates/digicert-secure-site-ev/) $910.72 |
| Code signing (OV) | [Sectigo](https://ssl.sh/certificates/sectigo-code-signing/) $345.00 | [DigiCert](https://ssl.sh/certificates/digicert-code-signing/) $438.24 |
| Code signing (EV) | [Sectigo EV](https://ssl.sh/certificates/sectigo-ev-code-signing/) $453.00 | [DigiCert EV](https://ssl.sh/certificates/digicert-ev-code-signing/) $617.52 |

## When to choose Sectigo

Choose Sectigo when price matters and you need OV, EV or code signing. Its budget brands are sold by almost every reseller, so it is easy to compare prices for the identical product. Free [ZeroSSL](https://ssl.sh/compare/lets-encrypt-vs-zerossl-vs-google-trust-services/) certificates also chain to Sectigo roots, which can simplify a mixed free/paid setup.

## When to choose DigiCert

Choose DigiCert when your organization already uses CertCentral, needs DigiCert's enterprise support and integrations, or must match an existing DigiCert chain. If you only want a DigiCert-issued certificate, the GeoTrust, Thawte and RapidSSL brands cost a fraction of DigiCert-branded ones. For [VMC and CMC](https://ssl.sh/compare/vmc-certificate-bimi/) logo certificates our data has DigiCert prices but none for Sectigo.

## What does not differ

Browser compatibility, encryption strength and the 200-day maximum validity (since 15 March 2026) are the same for both. Whichever you choose, plan to reissue certificates several times a year and automate it where you can.