SSL Certificates
SSL certificates encrypt the data that travels between your visitors' browsers and your website - essential for protecting sensitive data like card payments and personal details, and a ranking signal for Google.
Certificates are only ever issued for one year at a time (multi-year SSLs still revalidate annually), which is why we simply sell one-year certificates. Read more about the types in our plain-English SSL guide.
Domain Validated
Single domain/subdomain. No paperwork, no company needed. Issued within minutes.
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Business Validated
Single domain/subdomain. For businesses and organisations. Issued in 1-3 days.
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Extended Validation
The highest level of trust for businesses and organisations. Issued in 2-7 days.
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Wildcard
Unlimited subdomains. No paperwork, no company needed. Issued within minutes.
View wildcard SSLs →
Not sure which you need? Help! Which SSL?
Domain Validation SSL certificates
Issued almost instantly using domain validation: you'll receive an email to a default address (e.g. postmaster@yourdomain - a good idea to set this up first) with a validation link to prove you own the domain. Often referred to as Instant SSL certificates.
| Certificate | Covers | Brand | Warranty | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sectigo Positive | Single domain/subdomain (incl. www.) | Sectigo | $10,000.00 | £31.45 | More info |
| RapidSSL Standard | Single domain/subdomain (incl. www.) | RapidSSL | $10,000.00 | £34.45 | More info |
| Sectigo Essential | Single domain/subdomain (incl. www.) | Sectigo | $10,000.00 | £37.45 | More info |
| Sectigo Positive SAN/UCC | Multiple different domains (incl. www.) | Sectigo | $10,000.00 | £40.95 | More info |
| Thawte SSL123 | Single domain/subdomain (incl. www.) | Thawte | $100,000.00 | £55.95 | More info |
| GeoTrust QuickSSL Premium | Single domain/subdomain | GeoTrust | $100,000.00 | £72.45 | More info |
| Sectigo Positive Wildcard | Multiple subdomains of a single domain (incl. www.) | Sectigo | $10,000.00 | £91.95 | More info |
| Sectigo Essential Wildcard | Multiple subdomains of a single domain (incl. www.) | Sectigo | $10,000.00 | £96.95 | More info |
| RapidSSL Wildcard | Multiple subdomains of a single domain (incl. www.) | RapidSSL | $5,000.00 | £111.45 | More info |
| Sectigo PositiveSSL Multi-Domain Wildcard (2 SAN) | Multiple subdomains of a single domain (incl. www.) | Sectigo | $10,000.00 | £154.23 | More info |
| Sectigo PositiveSSL Multi-Domain Wildcard (3 SAN) | Multiple subdomains of a single domain (incl. www.) | Sectigo | $10,000.00 | £223.73 | More info |
Business Validation SSL certificates
Business Validation (also called Organisation Validation) certificates go through more checks than domain-validated ones, giving your visitors more confidence and trust. They validate the WHOIS information of the domain and require additional documentation to verify your company's identity.
| Certificate | Covers | Brand | Warranty | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sectigo InstantSSL | Single domain/subdomain (incl. www.) | Sectigo | $50,000.00 | £58.45 | More info |
| Sectigo InstantSSL Pro | Single domain/subdomain (incl. www.) | Sectigo | $100,000.00 | £67.95 | More info |
| Sectigo InstantSSL Premium | Single domain/subdomain (incl. www.) | Sectigo | $250,000.00 | £86.45 | More info |
| Thawte Web Server | Single domain/subdomain (incl. www.) | Thawte | $250,000.00 | £103.45 | More info |
| GeoTrust True BusinessID | Single domain/subdomain | GeoTrust | $250,000.00 | £103.45 | More info |
| Sectigo Premium Wildcard | Multiple subdomains of a single domain (incl. www.) | Sectigo | $250,000.00 | £153.95 | More info |
| Symantec Secure Site | Single domain/subdomain (incl. www.) | Symantec | $1,000,000.00 | £389.95 | More info |
| GeoTrust True BusinessID Wildcard | Multiple subdomains of a single domain | GeoTrust | $10,000.00 | £390.95 | More info |
Extended Validation SSL certificates
The most thorough certificates. EV provides the highest level of assurance to visitors that the business behind the domain has been authenticated.
| Certificate | Covers | Brand | Warranty | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sectigo EV | Single domain/subdomain (incl. www.) | Sectigo | $250,000.00 | £211.45 | More info |
| Thawte Web Server SAN EV | Multiple different domains (incl. www.) | Thawte | $750,000.00 | £242.95 | More info |
| GeoTrust True BusinessID with EV | Single domain/subdomain | GeoTrust | $500,000.00 | £246.95 | More info |
Buying an SSL certificate - the process
To make the certificate authorisation process quicker, it's worth doing the following before you start:
- Make sure the correct contact information is on WHOIS for your domain name.
- Have the CSR generated on your web server for your domain name.
Stuck at any point? We install and configure certificates for you - just ask.
SSL certificate FAQs
Do I need to buy an SSL certificate at all?
Often not. Every one of our hosting plans includes a free Let's Encrypt SSL certificate, which encrypts your site exactly as well as a paid one and is all most websites ever need.
You'd buy a certificate from this page if you want a warranty, if you want your company name validated and shown in the certificate, or if you need to cover unlimited subdomains with a single wildcard.
What's the difference between DV, OV and EV?
Domain Validated (DV) proves you control the domain - no paperwork, no company needed, issued within minutes. Business Validated (OV) also checks your organisation exists and takes 1-3 days. Extended Validation (EV) is the most thorough check of your organisation and takes 2-7 days.
All three encrypt traffic identically. What you pay for above DV is the identity checking and the warranty. Our plain-English SSL guide walks through which one fits.
Why do you only sell one-year certificates?
Because that is the longest anyone can actually issue. Certificates are only ever valid for one year at a time - multi-year SSL products still make you revalidate every year - so rather than dress that up, we simply sell one-year certificates.
What is a wildcard certificate?
A wildcard secures unlimited subdomains of one domain with a single certificate, so shop.example.com, blog.example.com and anything else you add later are all covered. No paperwork is needed and it is issued within minutes. See wildcard SSL certificates.
How long will it take to get my certificate?
Domain validated and wildcard certificates are usually issued within minutes. Business validated takes 1-3 days and extended validation 2-7 days, because a person has to verify your organisation. The clock starts once validation is complete, so having your WHOIS details right first helps.
How does validation actually work?
For domain validation you'll get an email to a default address on your domain - postmaster@yourdomain, for example - containing a link that proves you own it. It's worth making sure that address exists before you order. For business and extended validation, the certificate authority also checks your company records.
Will you install the certificate for me?
Yes - we install and configure certificates for customers, just ask. If you'd rather do it yourself, make sure the correct contact information is on WHOIS for your domain and have the CSR generated on your web server.
Can I use a certificate bought here on a site hosted elsewhere?
Yes. A certificate isn't tied to our servers, so you can buy it from us and install it wherever your site is hosted. You'll need to generate the CSR on that server, and we're happy to talk you through it.