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Eden Allen
Eden Allen

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How to Buy the Right SSL Certificate Without Overspending

SSL certificates come in various types, each suited to different needs:

Domain Validated (DV) SSL certificates offer minimal validation and are perfect for blog sites or personal pages while Organization Validated (OV) SSL certificates could include details of the organization making it perfect for commercial websites.

EV SSL certificates are for the highest level of validation with other enhancing features like a green address bar or a business name, which is suitable for e-commerce and financial websites.

The error lies in selecting the wrong certificate type, such as opting for a DV certificate for a business website, which requires increased trust; or selecting an EV certificate for a blog, where it is not required at all.

Be sure to ponder your requirements and pick the proper type of SSL certificate for your website's purpose to provide adequate security measures.

4 Tips For Buying an SSL Certificate

Given the world's digital transformation that has come hand in hand with increased threats, any owner of a webpage must consider the protection of users' data.

To enhance safety on the internet, one needs to obtain an SSL certificate is one of the crucial procedures in this course.

Digital SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificates are responsible for making sure the information a user enters into his/her browser and that is to be delivered to the web server is protected from potential cyber threats and remains confidential.

However, the pricing can be quite different with factors such as the type of SSL certificate that you wish to acquire, the CA you wish to use, or other features that you may need.

1. Compare Prices

The cost of the SSL certificates also differ from one CA to another, which makes it important to compare them. Spend time trying to compare the prices offered by different functioning CAs so that you can get the best value for your money.

Try to select the CAs that provide affordable prices for SSL, but it does not necessarily mean that you should make your choice based on cost only.

Some CAs may also have special prices on their websites for new customers or those willing to enter a long term contract or partnership.

2. Choose the Right Certificate

There are important differences between the various types of SSL certificates and this is why it is important to know the key differences and get the most of it at a low cost.

Domain Validated (DV) certificates are the cheapest and ideal for small companies or blogs/elaborated on in the next section.

Organization Validated (OV), and Extended Validation (EV) are more expensive but provide higher levels of check and trust to websites. Compare your security needs and depending on your budget, choose the type of certificate that will be suitable for your needs.

3. Buy For a long-term

Quoting the prices for the multi-year SSL certificate, it is worth mentioning that this is in many cases cheaper than renewals annually.

For instance, most CAs have more affordable rates for the longer validity certificates like those with validity periods of two or three years.

It also enables you to secure a cheaper SSL certificate since the multi-year certificate prices are usually cheaper than the single year and you do not have to worry about the annual price change or fluctuation in the market.

4. Use Wildcard or Multi-Domain Certificates When Possible

Any organization that is administering a number of subdomains or domains ought to opt for wildcard SSL or multi-domain SSL certificates.

These certificates enable the installation of multiple domains or many subdomains underneath a single certificate, making it cheaper than getting many certificates for the domains.

This approach not only cuts costs but also makes the administration of the certificates and their reissuing less complicated.

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