{"id":525,"date":"2019-09-18T17:18:18","date_gmt":"2019-09-18T17:18:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rapidsslonline.com\/ssl\/?p=525"},"modified":"2019-11-27T11:20:48","modified_gmt":"2019-11-27T11:20:48","slug":"things-to-consider-before-you-buy-an-ssl-certificate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rapidsslonline.com\/ssl\/things-to-consider-before-you-buy-an-ssl-certificate\/","title":{"rendered":"Things to Consider Before You Buy an SSL Certificate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Whether you need to buy an SSL certificate to secure your website with HTTPS because of compliance or to avoid customer complaints, purchasing the right SSL certificate is important. Jumping the gun and buying the first, cheapest SSL certificate you can find isn\u2019t necessarily the smartest way to go about it. You see, buying an SSL certificate can be a bit like buying a car \u2014 if you buy the first one you find, it may end up not being the one you actually need<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

SSL certificates<\/a> come\nin several varieties and offer a variety of different functions and benefits. As\nsuch, it\u2019s important to do your due diligence before purchasing an SSL cert for\nyour site. Some of these differences between certificates include brands, warranties,\nsupport, verification levels, site seals, and price. Everyone\u2019s needs are\ndifferent, so SSL certificates are not a \u201cone-size-fits-all\u201d products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that being\nsaid, buying an SSL certificate doesn\u2019t need to be complicated \u2014 but it should\nbe an informed decision. To make your selection process easier, we\u2019ve compiled\na list of things that you should consider before you buy an SSL certificate: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before Purchasing an SSL Certificate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before you purchase an SSL certificate,\nthere are a few things you need to be aware of in order to choose the right SSL\ncertificate for you, such as the type of verification you want or how much\nwarranty you need in case something goes wrong. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s a list of four factors you\nneed to consider when choosing your SSL certificate:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Type of SSL Certificate You Need<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are several types of SSL certificates:\nsingle domain<\/a>,\nmulti\ndomain<\/a>, wildcard<\/a>,\nand multi domain wildcard SSL certificates. Single domain SSL certificates are\nperfect for those who only need to cover a single domain, a great choice for\nsmall businesses or blogs. Multi domain certificates, on the other hand, allow\nyou to manage multiple domains under a single certificate. This can be useful\nfor larger companies with lots of different domain names, as their\n\u201cone-for-all\u201d nature make them easy to manage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wildcard certificates are similar to single domain certificates in the way that they cover a single domain, but they come with a twist \u2014 they cover an unlimited number of subdomains on a single level as well (ex: mail.domain.com or shop.domain.com, where mail and shop are the subdomains). Multi domain wildcard SSL certificate are also an option; they cover multiple domains as well as their multi-level subdomains under a single certificate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Level of Validation You Want Your Site to Have When You Buy an SSL\nCertificate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to SSL certificates,\nthere are three different levels of validation, which dictate the visual clues\nyour website has to prove that it is \u201csecure.\u201d These validation levels are: <\/p>\n\n\n\n