Which SSL certificate do I need?
Every website needs an SSL certificate: it's what puts the padlock in the address bar and stops browsers warning visitors that your site is "not secure". The good news is that most small business websites don't need to buy one at all. This guide explains the different types, and when a paid certificate is worth it.
Start here: you may already have one
Every hosting plan with us includes a free SSL certificate for your domain, installed and renewed automatically. It encrypts everything between your visitors and your website, exactly as a paid certificate does, and browsers trust it just the same. For a brochure website, a blog, or a site with a contact form, it's all you need.
So the question isn't really "do I need SSL?" but "do I need more than the free one?". For most small businesses, the honest answer is no.
The three types of certificate
All certificates encrypt the connection equally well. What differs is how much the issuer checks about who owns the website before issuing it.
| Type | What's checked | How long it takes | What visitors see |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domain validated (DV) | Only that you control the domain | Minutes | The padlock |
| Organisation validated (OV) | That your organisation is real and owns the domain | About a day | The padlock; your organisation's name is in the certificate details |
| Extended validation (EV) | The most thorough checks on your organisation | One to three days | The padlock; your organisation's name is in the certificate details |
Our free certificates are domain validated. Browsers no longer show a company name or a green bar in the address bar for OV or EV certificates; the name is only visible if a visitor clicks the padlock and opens the details. So the difference is mainly about what the certificate says, not what most visitors notice.
When a paid certificate is worth it
- Your customers, suppliers or a contract require it. Some procurement checklists, insurers and payment arrangements ask for an OV or EV certificate. If you've been asked for one, that settles it.
- You want your organisation's name in the certificate, for example because you handle sensitive information and want anyone who checks to see who they're dealing with.
- You need one certificate for many subdomains. A wildcard certificate covers
*.example.co.uk:www,shop,portaland any others, one level down. Useful if you run several services on subdomains, especially across more than one server. - Your website isn't hosted with us, and your current host doesn't offer free certificates.
- You want a warranty and a site seal. Paid certificates come with an issuer's warranty and a seal you can show on your site. Some businesses like that reassurance.
If none of those apply, stick with the free certificate.
Single domain or wildcard?
A standard certificate covers your domain and its www version. A wildcard covers every subdomain one level down. If you only use example.co.uk and www.example.co.uk, you don't need a wildcard.
If you do buy one
If your website is hosted with us, buy the certificate with your hosting plan, or add it to your plan from your client area. We then install it for you and reinstall it every time it's renewed. Certificates are now reissued every few months (browsers only trust them for a limited time), so that matters: bought on its own, you'd have to install each new certificate yourself. See Adding a product to your hosting plan.
Our SSL certificates page lists every certificate with its current price. For an OV or EV certificate, have your organisation's registered name, address and phone number to hand: they must match public records exactly, and a mismatch is the most common cause of delays.
In short
- Hosted with us and just need the padlock: you already have it, free.
- Asked for OV or EV by a customer or contract: buy that type.
- Lots of subdomains: a wildcard.
- Not sure? Ask us and we'll tell you honestly whether you need one.
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