How to choose a certificate.

Four questions. The most common answer: DV is enough, or even a free certificate.

  1. 1

    Do you need the company name in the certificate?

    If a bank, payment provider, tender or regulator requires it — OV; if they say EV explicitly — EV. If not, move on.

    OV SSL EV SSL

  2. 2

    How many names do you need to protect?

    One domain — DV. Many subdomains of one domain — wildcard. Several different domains — multi-domain.

    DV SSL Wildcard Multi-domain

  3. 3

    Do you need paperwork for accounting?

    Only a paid certificate comes with an invoice, contract and statement of work. If you need none of that and Let’s Encrypt already renews itself, there is nothing to buy.

  4. 4

    Does the brand matter?

    Not to the browser: every authority in the catalog is equally trusted. The brand affects the price, the warranty size and what a tech-savvy customer sees in the certificate.

What not to expect from a paid certificate

  • Stronger encryption. It is the same.
  • Higher Google rankings. Certificate type and price do not affect search; what matters is that HTTPS works.
  • A green bar with the company name. Browsers removed it years ago.

Go to the catalog