Choose the right certificate
The right SSL certificate depends on which domain names you need to protect, not the validation type. Start with your names, and we will find the cheapest match.
Do you need to understand how domain validation works (email, DNS, AutoDNS, HTTP)? Read our guide to validation methods →
Single domain?
E.g. www.yourcompany.com + yourcompany.com
If you only have one domain (with and without www), a simple DV certificate is the cheapest and fastest solution. These automatically include both www.domain.com and domain.com.
Tip: Order the certificate for www.yourcompany.com as the primary name, then yourcompany.com is included automatically for free. If you only order yourcompany.com, it only covers that single name. The same rule applies to wildcards: *.yourcompany.com also includes the root domain.
Multiple domain names?
E.g. shop.com + webmail.company.com + intranet.company.com
If you have several specific domain names, possibly including a wildcard, use a multi-domain (SAN) certificate. You can mix single names and wildcards in one certificate.
Recommended
Thawte SSL 123
DV multi-domain. Supports SAN names and wildcards in combination.
Learn more →Wildcard?
E.g. *.yourcompany.com: covers all subdomains
A wildcard covers all subdomains at a single level (www, mail, shop, api, ...). Read exactly what * covers →
Need organisation validation (OV)?
Organisation data in the certificate, pre-validation or compliance requirements
OV certificates (Organisation Validation) display your organisation's name in the certificate details. With pre-validation, the CA approves your organisation in advance, you can then issue OV certificates instantly for up to 1 year.
OV supports single domain, wildcard and multi-domain.
Recommended
Thawte Web Server
OV with automatic pre-validation. Issue instantly after approval.
Learn more →Contact us
GlobalSign OV
Strong brand. Pre-validation is not automatic, contact us to set it up.
Learn more →Premium
DigiCert OV
Highest trust. Automatic pre-validation. Preferred by large organisations.
Learn more →Need Extended Validation (EV)?
Highest validation level: required by some industries and compliance standards
EV does not support wildcards
EV certificates can only contain specific domain names. You can add multiple names as SANs, but *.domain.com is not possible with EV.
The difference between OV and EV
| OV | EV | |
|---|---|---|
| Validation | Organisation identity verified | Legal existence, address and operations verified |
| Organisation name | Shown in certificate details | Shown more prominently in some browsers |
| Wildcards | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pre-validation | ✓ up to 1 year | ✓ up to 1 year |
| Typical use | Businesses, SaaS, internal systems | Finance, healthcare, government, compliance |
| Issuance time | 1-3 days (instant with pre-validation) | 1-5 days (instant with pre-validation) |
Quick overview
| Search | Recommended | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Single domain (www + root) | RapidSSL / AlphaSSL / PositiveSSL | DV |
| Several specific names | Thawte SSL 123 / PositiveSSL Multi-Domain | DV SAN |
| All subdomains (wildcard) | Thawte 123 Wildcard / PositiveSSL Wildcard | DV Wildcard |
| Organisation name in certificate | Thawte Web Server / GlobalSign OV / DigiCert OV | OV |
| Highest validation, compliance | Thawte Web Server EV / DigiCert EV | EV |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about SSL certificates and FairSSL.
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