Getting an SSL certificate for your site can be overwhelming. Decision fatigue is real, and there are many factors you need to decide on before making that purchase, from SSL type and validation levels to the actual store you purchase it from.
This article will focus on helping you decide which is the right vendor for you, so you make the perfect decision when you take the plunge and buy an SSL certificate.
Value for money
SSL pricing can vary immensely from website to website and from SSL type to SSL type. You probably have a good idea of how much of your budget you can afford to allocate to SSL security, but it’s normal to second guess yourself when you see how high SSL prices can get.
A good thing to remember when you feel like this is that all SSL certificates on the market currently all offer the same encryption strength. If an SSL vendor claims that their certificates are stronger than the competition’s, rest assured – it’s all marketing. No matter what price you pay for your SSL certificate, it should offer 256-bit encryption, just like the more expensive counterparts. Although price can sometimes indicate higher quality, this simply isn’t the case with SSL certificates.
Trustworthy Certificate Authorities
Certificate Authorities (CAs) are the people in charge of general certificate management in the industry, from issuing and revoking certificates to verifying the identities of those who want to get one. Typically there are two ways of buying an SSL certificate: directly from the CA itself or through a partner vendor (this is usually the cheaper option). Whichever you decide to do, first do a rudimentary check on the issuing CA. The main thing you need to know is whether or not it is trusted by major web browsers. If you end up getting an SSL from a CA that isn’t trusted, it’s basically useless because website visitors using major browsers will be told that your site is “not secure” or “not trusted”. So make sure your CA of choice is legit before making any purchases.
Reliable customer service
The process of SSL activation and installation can be tricky, especially if you’re entirely new to it. That’s why you want to make sure whatever vendor you purchase from will do whatever they can to help if you get stuck at any point. Before you buy, check the customer service availability (24/7 is best!), whether they offer free trials, and what people say in their reviews.
Conclusion
Getting SSL on your website can seem challenging at first, but once you take the time to do your research, you’ll find it’s not as difficult as you once thought. Hopefully, this article will help you make the right choice when choosing a vendor to buy an SSL certificate from.
