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OV vs EV SSL Certificate – Which One Should I Buy?

Compare SSL Certificates, ,

The rise of e-commerce and adoption of the digital platform as a mode to conduct business led to the subsequent need to ensure that these online transactions ensued securely. Netscape’s secure sockets layer (SSL) internet protocol, which later evolved into the more advanced and secure transport layer security (TLS) protocol, set the ball rolling. As time progressed, the digital certificate industry came up with different products – for example, domain validation (DV), organization validation (OV), and extended validation (EV) SSL certificates. These solutions targeted different sections of the market. But before we get into comparisons like OV vs EV SSL, it makes sense to look at both validation levels individually.

Now bear in mind, all SSL/TLS certificates provide the same level of encryption. You can purchase a certificate based on its validation level or its functionality. Without further delay, let us dive right into OV vs EV SSL. Spoiler alert? The difference lies in the verification process conducted by a trusted third-party certificate authority (CA).

What Is OV SSL Certificate

An organization validated (OV) certificate is an SSL certificate issued by the certificate authority (CA) after verifying the organization’s identity. An OV certificate mentions the issuer’s identity right on the user’s browser, and therefore, it builds more trust. A CA carries out more validation in the OV certificate than a domain validation (DV) certificate.

OV vs EV SSL: What Is an OV SSL Certificate?

An Organization Validation (OV) certificate is an SSL certificate issued after limited verification by the Certificate Authority (CA). An OV certificate verifies the existence of an organization and the ownership of the domain name. Generally, a CA will take 1-2 days for the issuance of an OV certificate.

Organization validation is one of the most feasible solutions for enterprise environments and intranets if a moderate level of user trust is sufficient. The verification process is more detailed than domain validation, but it is not as thorough as extended validation. 

To begin with, for any SSL certificate, the applicant needs to generate the certificate signing request (CSR). The issuing certificate authority (CA), apart from verifying that the applicant has rights to the specific domain name, also conducts additional investigations of the applicant’s business at a basic level. This information is displayed on the certificate for enhanced trust from the site’s end users. An OV SSL certificate can also be used to secure IP addresses.

OV SSL certificate example

OV vs EV SSL: What Is an EV SSL Certificate?

If you go for an EV SSL certificate, the CA will perform a rigorous verification of the site’s ownership as well as the legitimacy of the company before issuing your certificate. The vetting process is more intensive than any other validation level and thus commands higher trust with end-users. Website owners will need to provide acceptable documents for the company during the validation process. These verifying documents attest that they have rights to the specific domain and that the business itself is legitimate.

The EV process ensures a thorough investigation is performed on the organization, and this information is displayed on the certificate itself. Historically, it’s also been the only certificate that enables the organization’s name to appear on the browser to indicate your website’s identity.

EV in Chrome
EV in Firefox

OV vs EV SSL: The Difference Between the Two

As you probably know by now, whether you choose to go with an OV vs EV certificate (or vice versa), both are excellent choices if you are looking to switch from HTTP to HTTPs. They are both SSL certificates, therefore both provide an encrypted communication channel of the same strength between the client and the server. Moreover, both these certificates offer extremely generous warranties just in case something goes wrong with your certificate.

Get an OV SSL certificate starting at $33.69 per year

The table below makes a comparison on OV vs EV certificate.

OV SSL EV SSL
With OV SSL certificates, CAs verify the domain ownership and conduct an adequate investigation to confirm the legitimacy of a company. In case of EV SSL certificates, apart from CAs verifying the domain ownership, a rigorous investigation is conducted with regards to the legitimacy of a company.
OV certificates look similar to DV certificates, but when you inspect an OV certificate, it displays the organization’s name inside. This is not the case with DV certificates. Previously, to indicate that a website uses EV SSL certificates, a green address bar with the company’s name would display. Depending on which browser you use, the company name appears before the URL (on Firefox) or after the padlock is clicked (on Chrome).
Example: Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/) uses an OV SSL certificate. Example: Sectigo (https://sectigostore.com/) uses an EV SSL certificate.
CAs usually require a day or two to issue an OV certificate. It can be issued in a single day if an applicant is in a rush and requests for the process to be expedited. It typically takes a CA a few business days to issue an EV certificate, but this process can be expedited in some cases.
OV SSL certificates establish a moderate level of trust in its users. The level of trust in EV certificates is higher due to the intensive verification process.
OV certificates are more expensive than DV certificates. EV certificates are generally more expensive than DV and OV certificates.

OV vs EV SSL: Which One Should You Buy?

When it comes down to making a choice between the two certificates, it really depends on your business needs and your budget constraints. Undoubtedly, an EV SSL certificate would give you the highest possible validation level and establish greater trust in your customer base. However, it’s ultimately up to you to weigh the advantages of each certificate to determine which is best suited to meet your goals and financial needs.

Get an EV SSL certificate starting at $88 per year

DV SSL vs OV SSL Certificates – Which One Is Affordable for My Website?

SSL Basics, ,

You have many choices when it comes to purchasing an SSL/TLS certificate for your website. You’ll see all kinds of acronyms — DV SSL vs OV SSL , OV vs EV SSL, etc. It can be a somewhat disconcerting experience having to scour through the web to find the perfect certificate that will meet your needs. Confused about which product to choose? Consider looking at domain validated (DV) and organization validated (OV) SSL certificates if you’re on a budget but need your site to run on HTTPS in a secure manner.

If we look at DV SSL vs OV SSL, a domain validation SSL certificate is a quick and easy solution to switch your site from HTTP to HTTPS. However, it has advantages and disadvantages, too. This type of certificate provides the same level of encryption as any other SSL certificate. However, it can also be purchased by malicious attackers who phish data from end-users. OV SSL, on the other hand, has a relatively stringent process to validate the legitimacy of your business and website and is a much more secure alternative.

Choosing between these and their variants will depend upon your specific requirements. The two validation levels are different, but before getting into DV vs OV SSL, let’s take a look at each of these individually.

DV SSL vs OV SSL: What Is Domain Validation?

Domain validated SSL/TLS certificates are a fast and convenient way to encrypt your website with the least vigorous verification process. It is the most basic validation level where the certificate authority (CA) only checks if the applicant (organization or individual) truly owns the registered domain.

To verify ownership of the domain that was submitted with the order, you can respond to the email the CA sends on your registered mail ID. The CA can also send the domain control validation (DCV) email to five preapproved emails associated with your website. Email-based authentication is the simplest and most preferred form of verification.

You can also verify your ownership via alternative methods like file-based authentication or hash-based authentication (offered exclusively by Sectigo).

Get a DV SSL certificate starting at as little as $9.98 per year

DV SSL vs OV SSL: What Is Organization Validation?

Organization validated SSL/TLS certificates offer the same level of protection as their domain validated counterparts. In addition to encrypting the traffic and verifying domain ownership, they also check the organization details.

In case of an OV certificate, the issuing certificate authority verifies if the business that is associated with the domain is genuine. It validates registration details like the business’s name, location, address, and incorporation information. For public-facing websites representing a company where the security and authenticity of a website is a concern, OV certificates have proved to be a suitable solution.

To get an OV certificate, you’ll need to clear the following verification steps:

  • Domain Verification
  • Organization Authentication
  • Locality Presence
  • Telephone Verification
  • Final Verification Call

These steps are considerably straightforward, and the process is hassle-free for most legitimate businesses.

Get an OV SSL certificate starting at $33.69 per year

DV SSL vs OV SSL: Let’s Compare the Differences

Up until now, we have looked at a high-level overview of the individual certificates and what they have to offer. Now let us dive into a comparison to understand which certificate will serve you best when it comes to DV vs OV SSL:

DV SSL Certificate OV SSL Certificate
DV SSL only verifies the ownership of the associated domain. OV SSL not only verifies the domain information but also the legitimacy of the business associated with it through basic business validation.
DV SSL certificate supports automated issuance and can be issued within minutes. OV SSL certificate can be issued within a single business day.
DV SSL certificates provide the most basic form of validation. This is perfect for websites that merely need the traffic to be encrypted. OV SSL certificates have a more thorough vetting process as compared to DV and should be used where the identity of an organization needs to be asserted.
DV SSL certificates should not be used on security-critical sites or sites that collect any sensitive data. OV SSL certificates provide greater assurance in terms of identity. It is a much safer alternative as far as security goes.
The company information is not provided. A phishing site might also be able to get a DV certificate. The company information is mentioned in the certificate, which provides a certain level of trust among users.