Research on the Best Wildcard SSL Certificates

Finding the right and best Wildcard SSL Certificate can save your business time and money

Few kinds of SSL certificates are as versatile as the Wildcard. Whereas, with the use of single-domain certificates, it could take you upwards of 10-15 certs to secure your fully qualified domain name (FQDN) and all of your sub-domains, with a wildcard SSL certificate you can secure all of them on just a single cert.

That equals massive savings in both money and in time and management. Rather than managing installation and renewals for a handful of certificates—you’re only worrying about one. The benefits are undeniable. So let’s take a look at what to consider when you’re shopping for a Wildcard SSL Certificate, and then list a few suggestions.

What to Look for with your Wildcard SSL

PRICE: The first factor most people are going to look for when it comes to their Wildcard SSL Certificate is going to be the price. Price is great but it’s not everything when you’re looking for such a versatile certificate. First of all, you have to factor the cost against the savings. Or to put it another way, consider what it would cost you to secure each page individually and then measure that against the cost of the Wildcard SSL certificate. Wildcards do cost a little more than single-domain certs, but this is for a very good reason. With a wildcard, you can secure unlimited sub-domains along with your main domain. That’s a lot of flexibility.

LEVEL: Wildcard SSL Certificates come in two different validation levels: Domain and Organization. Unfortunately, at this time there are no Extended Validation Wildcard SSL Certificates on the market. If you’re not running an e-commerce business or if your identity and reputation are not integral to your success, you can probably settle for a DV Wildcard. However, if it’s important that your customers can trust you – which is the case for most businesses – then you would be better off springing for the OV Wildcard. Just like with other OV SSL Certificates, the cert will feature your company’s business information when clicked on—this, in turn, engenders a greater deal of trust.

CERTIFICATE AUTHORITY: Another important factor to consider when selecting a Wildcard SSL Certificate is the Certificate Authority issuing it. Different CAs enjoy different reputations. For starters, you want to be absolutely sure that the CA you’re going through is trusted by the web browsers, or else you’ll get a litany of browser warnings and you’ll potentially see a huge drop in traffic. Beyond that, make sure to select a CA that inspires trust and positive name recognition. The SSL Certificates come with trust seals that indicate your site is protected by the CA that issued the cert. Better CAs have better trust seals and these, in turn, can lead to boosted trust and increased conversions. Compare Wildcards of Top Certificate Authorities.

REISSUANCE: The last factor to consider when you’re looking for a Wildcard SSL Certificate is reissuances. This is important because if you ever wish to add a Sub-Domain to your SSL Certificate in the middle of its valid period, you’ll need to reissue the entire certificate. Now, if your certificate doesn’t come with unlimited reissuances, this could cost you money or time, or both. Fortunately, at this point, most Wildcard SSL Certificates do come with unlimited reissuances, but you’ll definitely want to make sure just to be safe. Here is the step-by-step guide on How to Install a wildcard SSL certificate in cPanel or WHM.

The Best Wildcard SSL Certificates Suggestions

• RapidSSL Wildcard (DV) – This Wildcard SSL Certificate is a domain validated and prices at the lower end of the spectrum. RapidSSL is a highly respected CA, a brand owned by DigiCert, and comes with a respectable trust seal and lightning-fast issuance process. If you’re looking for a Wildcard that is cheap and fast, this is the one for you.
• GeoTrust True BusinessID Wildcard (OV) – GeoTrust is another DigiCert brand and one of the most well-respected CAs in its own right. This particular certificate is Organization Validated, meaning it will display your business details. It runs a bit pricier, clocking in at $384/year, but the value you get from it is undeniable.
• DigiCert Secure Site Wildcard SSL – This Wildcard SSL Certificate from DigiCert is among the more expensive on the market, but for good reason. DigiCert is the biggest, most well-trusted CA on the market and just being associated with them is proven to boost conversions and raise trust in customers. The certificate also includes some other premium web security add-ons, world-class support, and a massive $1,500,000 warranty.