Why Are Wildcard SSL Certifications More Expensive Than Single-Domain SSL Certificates?

In today’s technologically advanced world, website security is crucial. The user information must be protected by website owners due to the growing threat of cyberattacks as well as data breaches. A secure website’s key components include an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate. A web server and a user’s browser are connected securely using SSL certificates. Wildcard SSL & single-domain SSL certificates are two main types of SSL certificates. We will look at the causes of these pricing differences in this blog.

Understanding SSL Certificates

These known as digital certificates are used to provide secure connections between the user browser & web server. Authentication and encryption are their two main functions. The use of encryption makes sure that all the info sent between the user and the server is safe and confidential. Users are reassured that they are communicating with reliable and trustworthy organizations by using authentication which confirms the identity of the website.

Single-Domain SSL Certificates

As the name indicates that single-domain SSL certificates protect only a single domain along with subdomains associated with it. They are perfect for website owners that only run one website and do not require several subdomains. There are several validation levels for single-domain SSL certificates including Domain Validation (DV), Organization Validation (OV) as well as Extended Validation (EV).

Wildcard SSL Certificates

This offers broader coverage as compared to single-domain SSL certificates. They secure the domain and all its subdomains with a single certificate. The certificate is issued with an asterisk () in place of the subdomain level. For example, a wildcard certificate for “.example.com” would secure “blog.example.com”, “shop.example.com” and any other subdomains.

The Price Difference

With the single certificate, website owners can secure several subdomains using this which offers a wider range of coverage. Due to increased complexity as well as technical requirements associated with issuing and administering wildcard certificates, these flexibility and convenience come at a higher cost.

Subdomain Management

This cover all subdomains under the specific domain. This means that any new subdomains added in the future are automatically secured. As we can understand that managing a large number of subdomains as well as ensuring their security can be more complex leading to higher costs.

Certificate Renewal

Renewing this involves more considerations as compared to single-domain certificates. As wildcard certificates cover multiple subdomains, the process of reissuing as well as renewing certificates needs careful planning and coordination. The added complexity along with administrative efforts contribute to higher costs.

Compatibility and Technical Requirements

This must work with various server configurations as well as software applications. It takes a lot of testing along with development work to ensure perfect platform compatibility which might increase the cost.

Conclusion

Building confidence with website visitors and guaranteeing secure surfing depend on SSL certificates. This cost more than single-domain SSL certificates on a typical basis, considering the fact that they secure many subdomains while offering larger coverage as well as convenience. The higher expense may be linked to elements like the complexity of managing subdomains, thinking about certificate renewals, and compatibility requirements.

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