Which SSL certificate suits your website best
In the world of the internet, security is crucial. People want to trust that their data is well protected when they visit your website. An SSL certificate (Secure Sockets Layer) is the standard technology to guarantee that security. But did you know that there are different types of SSL certificates? In this article we explain in simple language which types exist, what the differences are and what you can best use each type for. This way you will soon choose the right certificate for your website.
1. What is an SSL certificate actually?
An SSL certificate creates an encrypted connection between your visitor's browser and your web server. You can see this in the address bar: instead of "http://", the URL starts with "https://" and you see a lock. That lock gives confidence: the data, such as passwords or payment details, cannot simply be eavesdropped.
2. Domain Validation (DV Certificate)
What is it?
Domain Validation (DV) is the most basic SSL certificate. The certificate authority only checks that you are the owner of the domain name, often via email or a file on your site.
Advantages
- Quickly available (within minutes or hours).
- Affordable or even free (e.g. Let’s Encrypt).
- Easy to install.
Disadvantages
- Limited trust: just a padlock, no company name.
Suitable for
- Small blogs or personal websites.
- Test or development environments.
3. Organization Validation (OV certificate)
What is it?
Organization Validation (OV) checks not only domain ownership but also the identity of your organization with official documents.
Advantages
- Shows company details in the certificate.
- Greater trust among visitors.
Disadvantages
- Longer delivery time (usually a few days).
- Higher costs than DV.
Suitable for
- Business websites and web shops.
- Member portals and login environments.
4. Extended Validation (EV certificate)
What is it?
Extended Validation (EV) performs the strictest checks on your company. Sometimes the browser shows the company name in green in the address bar.
Advantages
- Maximum trust through extended checks.
- Visual signal in older browsers.
Disadvantages
- High costs.
- Lowest delivery time (up to a week or longer).
Suitable for
- Large e-commerce sites and financial institutions.
- Expensive B2B services.
5. Wildcard certificate
What is it?
A Wildcard certificate secures your domain and all subdomains (e.g. *.example.nl).
Advantages
- One certificate for all subdomains.
- Cost-efficient and easy to manage.
Disadvantages
- Risk of leak: all subdomains at risk.
- Restriction to one subdomain level.
Suitable for
- Websites with multiple subdomains.
- Companies that flexibly add subdomains.
6. Multi-Domain (SAN) certificate
What is it?
Multi-Domain or SAN certificates secure multiple domains and subdomains under one certificate.
Advantages
- Security for different domains and subdomains.
- Cost savings compared to separate certificates.
Disadvantages
- More complex management during renewal.
- Limit on number of domains.
Suitable for
- Organizations with different brand or country domains.
- Service providers with separate login and shop domains.
7. Combination Certificates
Some providers offer Wildcard-Multi-Domain combinations. Ideal for very complex environments with many domains and subdomains, but with higher costs and management complexity.
8. How to choose the right certificate?
- Determine your needs: single domain, subdomains or multiple domains?
- Consider trust: DV for fast and cheap, OV/EV for more authority.
- Keep an eye on budget and delivery time.
- Plan management: automatic renewal and private key security.
9. Installation and management
- Generate a CSR (Certificate Signing Request) on your server.
- Go through verification (email, files or documents).
- Install the certificate on your web server.
- Test with SSL Labs.
- Schedule automatic or manual renewal.
10. Frequently made mistakes
- Forgot to renew: schedule reminders or auto-renew.
- Incomplete chain: also install intermediate certificates.
- Wrong type: do not choose DV for critical transactions.
- No HTTPS redirect: perform a 301 redirect from HTTP to HTTPS.
Conclusion
SSL certificates are essential for a secure website. Whether you manage a blog, company site or webshop, there is always a type of certificate that suits your situation. Choose consciously between DV, OV, EV, Wildcard and Multi-Domain based on your goals, budget and complexity. This way you protect visitors, build trust and improve your online reputation.
Website Authority, also known as Domain Authority, is a measure of the strength and trustworthiness of a website and indicates how well a domain can rank in search engines such as Google. This authority is measured using various tools and metrics, such as Moz’s Domain Authority, Ahrefs’ Domain Rating and Majestic’s Trust Flow and Citation Flow. Important factors that influence Website Authority include the quality and quantity of backlinks, the relevance of content and technical SEO elements such as loading speed and mobile friendliness. Backlinks involve well-known tags, including anchor text and rel attributes such as nofollow, sponsored and ugc, which help search engines understand the value and relationship of links...
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