Have you been thinking about getting a Namecheap SSL certificate but are unsure what kind is best for your site? It can initially seem a bit confusing, but once you familiarize yourself with the terminology, you’ll find that choosing an SSL is pretty easy. There are just a couple of aspects you need to think about. Those are:
- The kind of site you have
- How many domains or subdomains you have
These two things will dictate the type of SSL you get. Let’s go through them.
Validation levels
If you’ve spent any time on SSL sites, you’ve probably noticed that each one comes with a specific validation level. They range from Domain Validation (DV), Organization Validation (OV), and extended validation (EV). This might sound kind of complicated, but it essentially boils down to how hard the issuing Certificate Authority (CA) will work to verify you or your company’s existence before giving you your SSL. Let’s go through each one:
- DV: The lowest validation level. The CA will check that you have admin access to the site.
- OV: Medium validation. The CA will carry out some company verification.
- EV: The highest validation level. The CA will do things like cross-check government records and verify your company premises.
So, how do you know which validation level you need? Generally, the more interactive your site, the higher a validation level you should go for. So if you have forms, login pages, or an e-commerce feature, OV or EV is probably right for you. In contrast, a simple blog or informational site will likely be fine with a DV.
This guidance mostly refers to customer peace of mind. In case you didn’t know, when you visit a website, you can click on the padlock symbol in the browser address bar to read about the site’s SSL. So if you come across an unfamiliar e-commerce store, you can look through the site’s SSL information to determine whether the company is legit. If they see a verified company there, they’ll be more likely to carry out a transaction.
Number of sites
There are three SSL types based on the number of domains and subdomains you have. They are:
- One-site SSL: If you just have a single domain and have no plans to create any more, this is the one for you.
- Multi-domain SSL: This SSL can secure 3-100 domains and subdomains.
- Wildcard SSL: This type secures one primary domain and unlimited single-level subdomains linked to it. So if your site is example.com, a subdomain like *.example.com It will even secure subdomains you create later.
This aspect of choosing an SSL is a bit more self-explanatory. Simply count your domains and subdomains, think about whether you want to create more shortly, and you’ll have an answer!
Conclusion
While SSL terminology may be off-putting at first, it’s easier than you might think. By counting your domains and subdomains and considering their functionality, you should pick the right one in no time.
