What type of SSL / Secure Certificate do I need?

Part 2 of 4 of SSL for Newbies

There are several types of SSL Certificates (also known as Secure Certificates) that you can choose from.  This article explains the differences between the various types:

• Shared Certificates
• Domain Validated Certificates
• Company Validated Certificates
• Extended Validation Certificates
• Wildcard Certificates
• Multi-Domain Certificates

If you already know what you require, skip to "Part 4: How to Obtain an SSL Certificate."

Shared Certificates (Free on Shared & Reseller Plans)

Shared certificates are provided free on all of our shared and reseller web hosting plans.  This allows you to enjoy the encryption that SSL provides without purchasing your own SSL Certificate.  However, because it is a shared certificate, it is not tied specifically to your domain name, which means that you must use the server name in the URL (typically something similar to https://secure###.hostgator.com) instead of your own domain name, if you want to avoid browser warnings.  If you attempt to use your own domain name with a shared certificate, you will receive warnings in your web browser that your domain name does not match the domain name indicated on the certificate.

Shared certificates are appropriate when you desire a secure connection to your server, but do not intend for it to be used by the general public (for example, logging into an administrative area of your website that customers or visitors do not see).  Shared SSL is not appropriate for e-commerce sites, since your customers will expect your domain to have its own private SSL certificate.

For more details, visit our article on How to set up and use your shared SSL.

Domain Validated Certificate (Comodo Positive SSL - $50)

For situations where the general public will be visiting a secure section of your site (e.g., making a payment by credit card), you'll want to utilize a private SSL certificate such as this one.  It is directly tied to your domain name, letting customers know they are on the correct website, and unlike a shared certificate, there will be no browser warnings.

Private SSL Certificates are appropriate for e-commerce websites and for any situation where you desire secure communication between your website and its visitors.

Private SSL certificates are provided free with our Business or Enterprise Packages, and are available for purchase with any of our other web hosting packages (except Hatchling).  We provide the Comodo Positive SSL, which is a domain validated certificate. 

For more details, visit our article on the Difference between Instant and Positive Private SSL.

Company Validated Certificate (Comodo Instant SSL - $150)

A company validated certificate is similar to a domain validated certificate; however, additional documentation must be provided to certify your company's identity.  The biggest advantage of a WHOIS company validated SSL certificate is the way your site is displayed in a browser. More validation means more trust, and your visitors will have more confidence in the security of your site.

HostGator provides the Comodo Instant SSL, which is a company validated certificate.

For more details, refer to the article on the Difference between Instant and Positive Private SSL.

Extended Validation Certificates (Comodo EV SSL - $375)

EV certificates provide secure connections, verify the business' identity, and help to prevent fraud through a thorough set of checks and validations.

These certificates are designed to provide a higher standard of assurance for visitors to authenticate the business behind the domain. The green HTTPS address bar is exclusive to EV SSL certificates and reassures website visitors that they are interacting with a verified business on a secured domain.

For more details, visit our article on EV SSL Certificates.

Wildcard Certificates (Comodo Wildcard SSL - $400+)

A Wildcard SSL Certificate enables SSL encryption on unlimited subdomains using a single certificate. The subdomains must have the same second level domain name (i.e. domain.com).

For more details, visit our article on Wildcard SSL.

Multi-Domain Certificates (Comodo MDC SSL - $150+)

Multi domain certificates make it possible to secure up to 100 domains with a single certificate. You can mix all your different second level domains (i.e. domain.com, www.domain.com, domain.net, and otherdomain.com).

For more details, visit our article on Multi-Domain SSL.

< Back to Part 1 | Continue to Part 3 > >>

SSL For Newbies Series

• Part 1: What is SSL / Secure Certificate?
• Part 2: What type of SSL Secure Certificate do I need?
• Part 3: Important Things You Should Know Before Installing an SSL Certificate
• Part 4: How do I get an SSL Certificate?