We offer many different types of SSL certificates ranging from no assurance free certificates, to extremely high assurance certificates pushing past $1,000/year. However, choosing one is actually quite simple. Below is a checklist to go through on your certificate.
First things first... we need you to understand assurance. Assurance is basically a warranty for your SSL. Free SSL certificates do not have any assurance (typically). This means if someone manages to break your SSL, in that VERY unlikely case you have no insurance from the issuer which means YOU are fully liable for damages. However, if you have an SSL with assurance you are given a warranty with a specified insurance amount in the case of a broken SSL. Below is a list of our SSL certificates and the assurance:
| Certificate | Warranty | Validation | Issuance | Green Bar | Seal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Let's Encrypt SSL | $0 | Domain | Instant | - | None |
| RapidSSL | $10,000 | Domain | Minutes | - | Static |
| RapidSSL Wildcard | $10,000 | Domain | Minutes | - | Static |
| Geotrust QuickSSL Premium | $500,000 | Domain | Minutes | - | Dynamic |
| Geotrust QuickSSL Premium Wildcard | $500,000 | Domain | Minutes | - | Dynamic |
| Geotrust True BusinessID | $1,250,000 | Domain + Business | 1-3 Days | - | Dynamic |
| Geotrust True BusinessID Wildcard | $1,250,000 | Domain + Business | 1-3 Days | - | Dynamic |
| Geotrust True BusinessID with EV | $1,500,000 | Highest Business Validation | 1-5 Days | Yes | Dynamic |
| Symantec Secure Site | $1,500,000 | Domain + Business | 1-3 Days | - | Dynamic Norton Secured |
| Symantec Secure Site Pro | $1,500,000 | Domain + Business | 1-3 Days | - | Dynamic Norton Secured |
| Symantec Secure Site with EV | $1,500,000 | Highest Business Validation | 1-5 Days | Yes | Dynamic Norton Secured |
| Symantec Secure Site Pro with EV | $1,750,000 | Highest Business Validation | 1-5 Days | Yes | Dynamic Norton Secured |
Finally, you need to understand when you need a wildcard certificate. If you are processing data on your primary domain and sub-domains you need a wildcard certificate.
- www.example.com (Primary domain)
- *.example.com (Sub-Domain)
Note: A wildcard certificate covers MULTIPLE sub-domains but one primary domain.
Does your site deal with any type of payments or personal information?
- No: Login to your cPanel interface and issue a FREE Let's Encrypt SSL Certificate, you don't need a paid one with assurance.
- Yes: Continue on, you may need an SSL with assurance.
Since you process some personal data... what kind?
- Simple username and password to read my blog or access non personal information. [Use a Free Let's Encrypt SSL]
- I process payments, or I need to store personal information such as but not limited to... credit history, medical history, client personal info, personal billing info, etc...
- If you fit any of the categories, you should really be using an SSL with some assurance. The next few questions will let you know what to get.
What certificate should I get for my website?
- If you are processing basic personal data such as billing info (NOT CARD/BANK INFO), client info, or other personal information then we would recommend a simple RapidSSL: https://clients.goatlantahosting.com/cart.php?a=add&pid=17
- If you are running a small eCommerce website we would recommend a Geotrust QuickSSL Premium: https://clients.goatlantahosting.com/cart.php?a=add&pid=19
- From this point on, you move into high assurance SSL certificates. Issuing these certificates take a few business days since they have to be manually checked and approved. Read on to see what you need.
I process multiple transactions a day for my eCommerce website... or I deal with lots of personal information.
- If you are processing multiple transactions per day, you really need to have a certificate from a reputable company backed by a strong warranty of at least one million dollars.
- If you meet the requirements for this SSL, you need one. With an SSL of this type, your customers will know your site is trustworthy and is backed by a globally trusted certificate authority, GeoTrust.
- If you don't meet the above requirements but you deal with HIGHLY personal information such as credit information, or medical information, you will need this certificate.
- You can get it here: https://clients.goatlantahosting.com/cart.php?a=add&pid=21
I run a medium scale eCommerce site processing thousands of transactions per month....
- At this point you need an SSL with the highest level of security validation. To prove you have this validation you will be awarded a green bar in the URL of your browser. This is what you see on many major websites.
- Before you purchase an SSL of this type, we would highly recommend raising a certificate with our support staff to see if this is the right certificate for you.
- You can get it here: https://clients.goatlantahosting.com/cart.php?a=add&pid=24
I run a large scale eCommerce website processing tens of thousands of transactions per month...
- If you are running at this scale, first off you should be on a dedicated server with backup servers. Contact our support for more information.
- With this much personal information flying through your website, you are now at the point of needing an SSL from Symantec. They offer the absolute highest assurance SSL certificates with one of the strongest warranties in the industry. We offer four levels of Symantec certificates.
- You should contact us before purchasing ANY of these certificates.
- Symantec Secure Site [Non Transactional]: https://clients.goatlantahosting.com/cart.php?a=add&pid=24
- Symantec Secure Site Pro: https://clients.goatlantahosting.com/cart.php?a=add&pid=25
- Symantec Secure Site Extended Validation: https://clients.goatlantahosting.com/cart.php?a=add&pid=26
- Symantec Secure Site Pro EV: https://clients.goatlantahosting.com/cart.php?a=add&pid=27
As always, if you have any questions contact us!
