SSL certificates range from $0 (free) to $500+ per year. The encryption is identical across all price points — you’re paying for validation level, warranty, and support, not security.
2026 SSL certificate pricing
Free certificates
| Provider | Validity | Wildcard | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Let’s Encrypt (via GetHTTPS) | 90 days | ✅ Free | Unlimited |
| Buypass Go | 180 days | ❌ | Unlimited |
| Google Trust Services | 90 days | ✅ Free | Unlimited |
| ZeroSSL (free tier) | 90 days | ❌ (paid) | 3 certificates |
Paid certificates (DV)
| Provider | Single domain | Wildcard | Multi-domain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sectigo / Comodo | $8-50/year | $70-200/year | $30-100/year |
| DigiCert | $268/year | $528/year | $390/year |
| GlobalSign | $249/year | $449/year | $349/year |
| GeoTrust | $149/year | $344/year | $270/year |
Paid certificates (OV)
| Provider | Single domain | Wildcard |
|---|---|---|
| Sectigo | $68-88/year | $170-245/year |
| DigiCert | $398/year | $688/year |
| GlobalSign | $349/year | $599/year |
Paid certificates (EV)
| Provider | Single domain | Multi-domain |
|---|---|---|
| Sectigo | $100-200/year | $200-400/year |
| DigiCert | $498/year | $598/year |
| GlobalSign | $499/year | $599/year |
Prices are approximate and vary by reseller. Discount SSL resellers (like SSLs.com, CheapSSLSecurity) often offer significantly lower prices than buying direct.
What are you paying for?
| What | Free (DV) | Paid DV | Paid OV | Paid EV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Encryption strength | ✅ Same | ✅ Same | ✅ Same | ✅ Same |
| Browser padlock | ✅ Same | ✅ Same | ✅ Same | ✅ Same |
| Domain validation | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Organization validation | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Extended validation | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Warranty | ❌ | $10K-50K | $50K-250K | $250K-1.75M |
| Support | Community | Email/phone | Dedicated | |
| Validity | 90 days | 1 year* | 1 year* | 1 year* |
| Green bar | — | — | — | Removed in 2019 |
*Maximum validity shrinking to 47 days by 2029 for all certificates.
Cost comparison: 5-year total
| Scenario | Free (Let’s Encrypt) | Budget paid (Sectigo DV) | Premium (DigiCert DV) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 domain | $0 | $40-250 | $1,340 |
| 5 domains | $0 | $200-1,250 | $6,700 |
| 1 wildcard | $0 | $350-1,000 | $2,640 |
| 10 domains, 5 years | $0 | $400-2,500 | $13,400 |
The bottom line
| Your situation | Recommendation | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|
| Most websites | Let’s Encrypt via GetHTTPS | $0 |
| Need OV for compliance | Budget OV (Sectigo) | $68-88 |
| Enterprise EV requirement | DigiCert or GlobalSign EV | $498-499 |
| Many domains | Let’s Encrypt (unlimited) | $0 |
The encryption is identical. A $0 Let’s Encrypt certificate and a $500 DigiCert EV certificate use the same TLS protocols, same cipher suites, same key exchange mechanisms. Detailed comparison →
Frequently asked questions
Why do some certificates cost $500 when Let’s Encrypt is free?
You’re paying for: organization identity verification (OV/EV), a warranty against CA errors, dedicated phone/email support, and the CA’s brand. You’re NOT paying for better encryption — that’s identical across all certificates.
Is a free certificate safe for my business?
Yes. Let’s Encrypt secures 63.9% of the web, including major companies. PCI DSS accepts DV certificates for payment processing. The padlock icon is the same. Is paid SSL worth it? →
Will the 47-day validity change affect pricing?
Yes — paid certificates lose their “longer validity” advantage. By 2029, all certificates (free and paid) max out at 47 days. The renewal cost of paid certificates effectively multiplies by 8x. Free certificates already operate on 90-day cycles and won’t feel the change as much.
Where can I buy SSL certificates cheaply?
Discount resellers like SSLs.com, CheapSSLSecurity, and NameCheap offer Sectigo/Comodo DV certificates from $5-10/year. But unless you need OV/EV, free Let’s Encrypt certificates provide identical encryption at $0.