SSL certificates explained: types, costs and installation

An SSL certificate is a digital credential that authenticates a website's identity and encrypts all communication between a visitor's browser and your web server, converting unencrypted HTTP into secure HTTPS. Every modern business website requires an SSL certificate to protect customer data, prevent browser "Not Secure" warnings, and maintain search engine visibility on Google.

A decade ago, SSL certificates were viewed as an optional upgrade reserved primarily for banking portals and e-commerce checkouts. Today, running a website without active HTTPS encryption is unacceptable. Web browsers actively warn visitors away from unencrypted sites, search engines penalize them, and modern payment processors refuse to process transactions without active encryption.

How SSL and TLS encryption work

Although people still use the term "SSL" (Secure Sockets Layer), modern security systems actually use TLS (Transport Layer Security), which is the updated, more secure cryptographic successor to SSL. The industry continues to refer to these credentials as SSL certificates for convenience.

When a customer navigates to your website, their browser and your web server perform an automated cryptographic exchange known as the TLS handshake:

Browser Request (HTTPS)  -->  Server responds with SSL Certificate & Public Key
Browser verifies CA      -->  Browser generates unique Symmetric Session Key
Session Key Encrypted    -->  Key encrypted with Public Key sent to Server
Secure Connection Open   -->  All further data encrypted with Session Key

This handshake takes only a fraction of a second. Once complete, all subsequent data (such as passwords, credit card numbers, and contact form entries) is scrambled using 256-bit AES encryption. If an eavesdropper intercepts the data packets on a public Wi-Fi network, the information appears as random, unreadable characters.

If an account on your server is ever compromised, review our step-by-step instructions on how to secure accounts after a data breach.

The three levels of SSL certificate validation

SSL certificates provide varying levels of identity vetting depending on how thoroughly the Certificate Authority (CA) verifies your business:

1. Domain Validation (DV) certificates

DV certificates are the most common certificates on the web. The Certificate Authority simply checks that you control the domain name by verifying a DNS record or checking an administrative email address.

Validation takes under five minutes, and encryption strength is identical to expensive certificates. Free certificates from Let's Encrypt are DV certificates, making them the ideal choice for small business websites.

2. Organization Validation (OV) certificates

To issue an OV certificate, the Certificate Authority verifies that your business is an officially registered legal entity with an active state registry listing and physical address.

When a visitor inspects the certificate details inside their browser, your verified company name appears in the certificate properties.

3. Extended Validation (EV) certificates

EV certificates historically displayed a prominent green address bar containing the company name.

However, modern browsers like Google Chrome and Apple Safari have removed green address bars to simplify mobile browser interfaces. Because EV certificates provide the exact same technical encryption as free DV certificates and no longer offer visual branding advantages in browser bars, they are rarely worth the high annual fees for small businesses.

Special certificate types: Wildcard and Multi-Domain

Beyond validation tiers, certificates differ in the number of domains and subdomains they protect:

Wildcard SSL certificates

A Wildcard certificate covers your primary domain and an unlimited number of first-level subdomains.

• Example: A single wildcard certificate for *.yourdomain.com secures yourdomain.com, shop.yourdomain.com, portal.yourdomain.com, and app.yourdomain.com.
• Wildcard certificates simplify administration for companies managing multiple customer subdomains under one brand.

Multi-Domain (SAN) certificates

Subject Alternative Name (SAN) certificates secure multiple completely distinct domain names under a single certificate file.

• Example: A single certificate can protect yourbrand.com, yourbrand.net, and brandservice.org.
• This is commonly used by digital agencies and multi-brand corporate holding companies to consolidate certificate management.

To see how certificate provisioning fits into broader server management, read our guide on types of web hosting.

Why your business website must have an SSL certificate

Operating without an active SSL certificate damages your business across multiple commercial fronts:

Eliminates browser security warnings

When a visitor attempts to load an unencrypted HTTP site, modern web browsers display an alarming full-screen error or a prominent red "Not Secure" tag in the URL bar. This warning destroys consumer trust before the visitor ever reads your headline.

Protects Google organic search rankings

Google confirmed HTTPS as an official ranking signal in 2014. If two competing websites have similar content and backlink authority, the site with active HTTPS encryption outranks the unencrypted HTTP site.

Secures form submissions and user logins

If your website features a contact form, job application upload, or customer login portal, transmitting those fields over plain HTTP exposes customer names, phone numbers, and passwords to network packet sniffing.

Satisfies credit card compliance (PCI-DSS)

If you sell products online or accept credit card payments, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) legally requires end-to-end encryption across all checkout pages. Failing to maintain HTTPS encryption voids payment gateway compliance with processors like Stripe and Authorize.net.

For a comprehensive review of website security safeguards, review our complete website security checklist.

Common SSL certificate mistakes and how to fix them

Even with an active certificate installed, configuration errors can trigger browser warnings:

1. Mixed content warnings

A mixed content error occurs when your web page loads over HTTPS, but specific elements on the page (such as an old image URL, a JavaScript file, or an embedded font) are hardcoded with an http:// address. Modern browsers block these unencrypted assets, breaking page layouts.

Fix this by running a search-and-replace across your database to convert all internal asset links to relative paths or https:// URLs.

2. Missing intermediate CA certificates

When installing a certificate, your web server must serve the primary domain certificate alongside an intermediate CA certificate bundle. If the intermediate chain is missing, desktop browsers with cached root authorities may load the site fine, but mobile browsers will reject the connection as untrusted.

3. Certificate expiration lapses

SSL certificates issued today have a maximum validity period of 398 days (roughly 13 months), and industry standards are shifting toward 90-day validity cycles.

If your team forgets to renew your certificate, your site displays an immediate security warning on the expiration date. Use automated renewal tools like Certbot or choose a managed web hosting plan that handles automated renewals.

Review our breakdown of website maintenance cost to see how managed maintenance plans protect you from accidental domain and certificate expirations.

Managed SSL and hosting from Techcelerant

Managing certificate installations, renewal webhooks, and mixed-content database audits requires ongoing technical supervision.

Through our website hosting and maintenance services, Techcelerant's care plans include managed hosting with SSL from $49 a month, with a firewall and malware scanning on Business care ($129 a month).

Review our transparent care plans on our pricing page or contact our technical team to ensure your business website stays encrypted and fully compliant.