Which certificate issuing services would you suggest for me to use?
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Currently, I am utilizing a free certificate offered by startssl, however, these certificates possess a major drawback - they are restricted to a single domain and subdomain. It is ideal to obtain a wildcard certificate that can encrypt traffic on all subdomains. It's crucial for the certificate to be cost-effective since it's only necessary for personal use.
Do alternatives exist, or is an affordable certificate just a dream?
There are now automated services, such as LetsEncrypt, that offer free certificates for one domain. Additionally, there have been wildcards introduced in the form of *.yourdomain.tld, which require confirmation via DNS and have been available for a couple of years now.
Other useful alternatives like acme.sh have also emerged that provide convenient certbot clients.
I personally use startssl, which offers a certificate of type *.domain.com. The process to obtain this certificate is the same as others, plus they provide reliable and quick support for any issues that may arise. It is worth noting that they were able to supply me with a wildcard certificate with ease.
It's possible that the reason for this is because the initial certificate request file (csr) was specific to a subdomain, which is why it corresponded to that subdomain instead of a wildcard domain.
While GoGet offers great services, there is one significant issue to consider. The company is registered in Latvia and is not authorized in certain territories. This means that if you need to purchase SSL from a legal entity, as is often the case with Wild Card certificates, it may cause issues.
Instead, it may be worth considering specialized projects for purchasing SSL certificates. Some trustworthy options include ISPsystem starting from $100/year and FirstSSL starting from $100/year. It's important to ensure that the company you choose is authorized to issue certificates in your territory to avoid any potential headaches.
SSL.com is a highly rated certification authority that offers various digital certificates including SSL/TLS certificates, dоcument signing, code signing, and S/MIME email certificates. With over 15 years of industry experience, SSL.com provides features such as 256-bit SHA2 https AES encryption, free website printing, round-the-clock support, and free unlimited certificate reissue during the validity period. They offer different types of certificates with prices ranging from $36.75/year for Basic SSL to $319.20/year for Enterprise EV (UCC/SAN).
Namecheap also offers a full range of SSL certificates, with prices ranging from $5.99/year for Positive SSL (DV) to $117.99/year for Premium SSL Wildcard (OV). They provide advanced SHA algorithms, reliable security with 256-bit encryption, and free reissue without restrictions, along with specialized customer support for SSL products. Namecheap offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on all SSL certificates.
SSLStore.com was founded in 2009 and partners with some of the largest certification authorities including Symantec, RapidSSL, Sectigo (Comodo), and GeoTrust. They offer a wide range of website security solutions, with prices ranging from $16.45/year for Standard Domain Verification Certificates (Positive SSL) to $2,399/year for Organization Validated and Extended Validation certificates. By comparing SSL/TLD costs, users can purchase various SSL certificates (and other security products) from the store.
Overall, it's important to carefully consider your specific needs and budget when selecting an SSL certificate provider, as there are many options available. It's also worth checking the certification authority's rating and reputation to ensure that you are getting a trustworthy and reliable service.
Low-cost SSL certificates are affordable security solutions that provide encryption for websites, ensuring data protection and establishing trust with users.
I can provide you with a more detailed overview of the certificate issuing services that may be suitable for your personal use case.
1. Let's Encrypt:
- Let's Encrypt is a free, open-source, and automated certificate authority (CA) that provides SSL/TLS certificates, including wildcard certificates.
- The certificates are valid for 90 days, but they are designed to be easily renewed, making them a cost-effective solution for personal use.
- Let's Encrypt uses the ACME (Automated Certificate Management Environment) protocol, which allows for automated issuance and renewal of certificates.
- The process of obtaining and managing Let's Encrypt certificates can be automated using various tools and integrations, such as certbot, which simplifies the implementation.
- Let's Encrypt is widely adopted and trusted, with support from major browsers and web servers, making it a reliable choice.
- One of the main advantages of Let's Encrypt is that it provides free wildcard certificates, which can secure unlimited subdomains under a single certificate.
2. Cloudflare SSL:
- Cloudflare offers a service called Cloudflare SSL, which provides free SSL/TLS certificates, including wildcard certificates.
- The Cloudflare SSL service is integrated with the Cloudflare Content Delivery Network (CDN), which can enhance the performance and security of your website.
- Cloudflare handles the entire certificate management process, automatically provisioning and renewing the certificates, making it a hassle-free solution.
- Cloudflare's certificates are trusted by major browsers, ensuring a seamless user experience for your website visitors.
- One of the key benefits of Cloudflare SSL is that it can be easily set up and configured, even for users with limited technical expertise.
3. cPanel AutoSSL:
- If you're using a cPanel-based web hosting provider, you may have access to the AutoSSL feature, which can automatically provision and manage SSL/TLS certificates for your domains, including wildcard certificates.
- The cost of these certificates is often included in your web hosting plan, making it a very affordable option.
- cPanel AutoSSL integrates with Let's Encrypt, making the certificate management process automated and straightforward.
- The certificates provided by cPanel AutoSSL are trusted by major browsers, ensuring a secure and reliable connection for your website.
- One of the advantages of cPanel AutoSSL is that it seamlessly integrates with your web hosting environment, simplifying the overall certificate management process.
4. ZeroSSL:
- ZeroSSL is another free certificate authority that provides free SSL/TLS certificates, including wildcard certificates.
- The process of obtaining and managing the certificates is straightforward, with a user-friendly interface and various tools and integrations to simplify the implementation.
- ZeroSSL's certificates are trusted by major browsers, ensuring a secure and reliable connection for your website.
- One of the benefits of ZeroSSL is that it offers additional features, such as the ability to configure Domain Control Validation (DCV) and manage multiple domains from a single dashboard.
5. SSL For Free:
- SSL For Free is a free service that allows you to obtain SSL/TLS certificates, including wildcard certificates, by integrating with Let's Encrypt.
- The service provides a user-friendly interface that simplifies the process of obtaining and renewing the certificates.
- SSL For Free handles the entire certificate management process, including the domain validation and renewal, making it a convenient solution.
- One of the advantages of SSL For Free is that it offers additional features, such as the ability to test your SSL/TLS configuration and monitor the certificate expiration.
While StartSSL was a popular choice, its limitations can be frustrating. Consider Let's Encrypt, which offers free wildcard certificates. They're easy to set up with automated renewal processes using Certbot, but you'll need to manage the installation and renewal manually.
If you prefer a more user-friendly option, namecheap.com offers wildcard SSLs at a competitive price, typically around $30-$50 per year.
This is a great overview of affordable SSL options, thanks for sharing! It's helpful to see free solutions like Let's Encrypt alongside budget wildcard certificates. Really clears up the choices for securing domains efficiently.