Tag Archives: wildcard ssl

Top 5 Best Wildcard SSL Certificates of 2020

SSL Basics

Looking at the top 5 best wildcard SSL certificates and the different benefits they each offer

Products Validation Warranty Save Lowest Price
PositiveSSL Wildcard (DV) DV $50,000 67% $78.32/yr Buy Now
PositiveSSL Multi-Domain Wildcard (DV) DV $50,000 50% $159.20/yr Buy Now
InstantSSL Premium Wildcard (OV) OV $250,000 87% $122.31/yr Buy Now
Sectigo OV Multi-Domain Wildcard SSL OV $1,000,000 59% $639.20/yr Buy Now
EnterpriseSSL Pro Wildcard OV $1,500,000 21% $1,143.12/yr Buy Now

If you are looking for the best wildcard certificate, you can buy it from www.sectigostore.com at a considerable discount of up to 87%. SectigoStore has in its store a wide selection of wildcards to choose from. You can select the best wildcard certificate that suits your requirements and is friendly to your pocket. Wildcard SSL certificates are an excellent option due to their ability to secure an infinite number of subdomains and your main domain under one single certificate – this offers immense convenience and long-term affordability. However, not all wildcard SSL certs are created equal. There are slight differences and benefits depending on the CA, brand, type and validation level.

That is why we complied this list – to give you the top 5 best wildcard SSL certificates of 2020 and explain how they can help you in their own unique ways.

Best Wildcard SSL Certificate for Affordability – PositiveSSL Wildcard (DV)

The reason the PositiveSSL Wildcard SSL certificate is on this list is largely due to one key word – affordability. At the price of $78.32 per year, this certificate is a steal. This classic wildcard cert will secure your main domain and an unlimited number of subdomains with 256-bit encryption and a 2048-bit key. Throw in a site seal, $50k warranty and the fact that this cert can be issued in just minutes, and this truly is a great deal.

Best Price: $78.32 per year

View PositiveSSL Wildcard Certificate

 

Best Wildcard SSL Certificate for Multiple Domains – PositiveSSL Multi-Domain Wildcard (DV)

The PositiveSSL Multi-Domain Wildcard SSL certificate is perfect for the web admin/business owner who is looking to build out multiple web properties/websites. This certificate secures 3 domains and an unlimited number of subdomains for the flat fee of $159.20 per year. In addition to this, you can add up to 1,997 more domains to the certificate and secure an unlimited number of subdomains for each new domain you add.

This benefits you in a few ways:

  • You can build out a heck of a lot of web properties and secure them with one SSL cert.
  • This gives you the convenience of being able to handle SSL lifecycle tasks (issuance, renewal, etc.) for all of your secured domains/subdomains.
  • You are saving money as securing all these subdomains individually will get very expensive very fast.

Best Price: $159.20 per year

View PositiveSSL Multi-Domain Wildcard Certificate

 

Best Wildcard SSL Certificate for Small Companies – InstantSSL Premium Wildcard (OV)

For the buyer looking for a higher level of validation, this is the one for you. There are no extended validation (EV) wildcards but lucky for us, there are organizational validation (OV) options. With an OV cert, this means that your main domain and your subdomains will feature an SSL cert that carries a higher level of trust and prestige. You will need to go through light business vetting to obtain this cert but after that, users will be able to verify your company details to ensure you are legit and the correct website they are looking for in your certificate details found by clicking on the padlock icon next to your URL.

This way, you get the wildcard functionalities AND a higher level of validation.

Best Price: $122.31 per year

View InstantSSL Wildcard Certificate

 

Best Wildcard SSL Certificate for Mid-Sized Companies – Sectigo OV Multi-Domain Wildcard SSL Certificate

The Sectigo OV Multi-Domain Wildcard SSL certificate is certainly a special certificate – maybe the most special on this list as it combines all the features of the certificates above.

  • You get the wildcard functionality (securing an unlimited number of subdomains).
  • You also get the multi-domain function with 3 domains and the ability to add up to 2,000 domains total (and their subdomains).
  • It’s OV, so you get a higher level of validation and trust from the users who visit your site.
  • And a $1,000,000 warranty!

This is truly a special certificate that can serve many purposes!

Best Price: $639.20 per year

View Sectigo Multi-Domain Wildcard Certificate

 

Best Wildcard SSL Certificate for Large Companies – EnterpriseSSL Pro Wildcard

For enterprises looking to manage enormous internal infrastructures and secure an unlimited number of subdomains, the EnterpriseSSL Pro Wildcard SSL certificate is the best option for you. Backed by $1.5M warranty, OV validation and 256-bit symmetric encryption, this is the type of SSL certificate that is sure to make an enterprise feel secure and confident in their web security! Not to mention, at  $1,143.12 per year this is an excellent price range for a certificate like this.

Don’t get caught trying to manage what will seem like an endless amount of expiration dates and renewals – rather secure your domain or IP address (and an unlimited number of subdomains) all with one single cert!

Best Price: $1,143.12 per year

View EnterpriseSSL Pro Wildcard Certificate

 

SectigoStore.com Is the Place for a Wide-Range of Trusted Wildcard SSL Certificates

Looking for the best wildcard SSL provider? When buying from SectigoStore.com, you will also receive 24/7 customer support and some of the best prices on the market in addition to access to the best wildcard SSL certificates of 2020.

SSL Certificate for Subdomain – How Do I Get One for My Website? What is HSTS and Why Should Your Organization Use It

Wildcard SSL vs Standard SSL: What’s The Difference?

Compare SSL Certificates, SSL Basics, ,

Ensure you find the right SSL option for you by understanding wildcard SSL vs standard SSL…

In the world of SSL certificates where there seems to be endless types, brands, validation levels, CAs and so on – it’s easy to feel lost or confused. But don’t worry, we got your back! We assume you’re here because you’re deciding between wildcard SSL vs standard SSL. These are two different SSL certificates that help satisfy different needs. They both secure an HTTPS connection, but they don’t secure the same number of domains or type of domains. Here is what you need to know…

Wildcard SSL vs Standard SSL in a Nutshell

The quickest and to-the-point way of explaining standard SSL vs. wildcard SSL is:

  • a standard (single domain) SSL certificate secures one domain name
  • a wildcard SSL certificate secures your domain and an unlimited number of first-level subdomains

Keep on reading for a more in depth look at a standard ssl certificate vs wildcard ssl certificate…

What is Standard SSL?

Standard SSL is better known as a single domain SSL certificate. This particular type of SSL certificate secures your domain name IE www.domain.com or domain.com. The single domain SSL certificate ensures that when a user communicates with www.domain.com, the information/data traveling from their browser (client) to the website (web server) does not get intercepted by a hacker.

Standard SSL certificate
Example of a standard SSL certificate (non-wildcard).

In addition, you receive the following benefits from an SSL certificate:

  • The coveted padlock icon in your URL
  • Eliminates unwelcoming messages such as “not secure” next to [AT1] your URL
  • A small boost to your SEO
  • The appearance of a safer, more trustworthy and professional brand/website

The wildcard SSL certificate provides all the same things and more…

Sectigo EV SSL Certificates from $79.84/year!

Get the lowest prices on trusted SSL certificates from Sectigo.

Shop for Sectigo SSL Certificates

What is Wildcard SSL?

As mentioned above, a wildcard SSL certificate provides your users with a secure connection to your website as well as the other benefits of having an SSL certificate. What makes it different is that you can secure an unlimited number of subdomains with a wildcard SSL certificate. During the issuance process, all you have to do is put an asterisk, such as *.domain.com, in the Fully Qualified Domain Name field to signify you want all of your subdomains secured in addition to your domain name.

Wildcard ssl certificate
An example of a wildcard SSL certificate. Note the * at the beginning of the domain name. That’s how you can tell the difference between a wildcard SSL vs standard SSL.

This is what a subdomain looks like: subdomain.domainname.com. A subdomain basically acts as a mini website or subsection to your main website. Here are a few ways you can use a subdomain:

  • A blog section
  • Sub-brand mini website, such as what Air Jordan is to Nike
  • Product sections (maybe you want each product to have its own look and feel without feeling out of place)
  • A media gallery or portfolio for photos or videos

Secure Unlimited Subdomains With One Wildcard SSL Certificate – Save 50%

Save 50% on Sectigo Wildcard SSL Certificates. Includes unlimited server licenses, reissuances, 256-bit encryption, and more.

Shop for Wildcard SSL Certificates

Wildcard SSL vs. Standard SSL

The biggest difference when shopping for wildcard SSL vs standard SSL certificates is price. Wildcard SSL certificates are going to be more expensive. Here on SectigoStore.com, standard SSL certificates can go for as low as $8.78 per year while a wildcard SSL certificate can go as low as $78.32.

So, right from the jump (not including validation level or other considerations), you are looking at roughly a $70 difference. However, if you anticipate you’ll use multiple subdomains, it’s worth the extra money. Having multiple single domain SSL certs can get confusing as you have to go through the issuance process every time you need a new cert and not to mention, they will have different expiration dates.

With a wildcard SSL certificate, you can go through the entire SSL lifecycle for your domain and all of your subdomains in one swoop.

SectigoStore.com Has Both Wildcard SSL AND Standard SSL Options!
There you have it, wildcard SSL vs standard SSL explained. For excellent SSL certificate options at affordable prices and issued by a highly respected and longstanding CA, SectigoStore.com is the choice for you.

SSL Certificate for Subdomain – How Do I Get One for My Website?

How to Install a Wildcard SSL Certificate in Apache Web Server

SSL Basics,

Your step-by-step directions for how to install a wildcard SSL certificate on Apache

Most of you reading this article probably know that Apache is a widely used web server distributed under the open-source license that is maintained by the Apache Software Foundation. It’s used to host one or more HTTP-based websites and has built-in support for shared/virtual hosting. To make your websites accessible over a secure connection (i.e. HTTPS), you will need to install an SSL/TLS certificate on your web server. A wildcard SSL certificate secures your domain along with all its accompanying first-level subdomains. This is why we think it’s important to cover how to install a wildcard SSL certificate on your Apache web server.

Secure Unlimited Subdomains with One Wildcard SSL Certificate – Save 50%

Save 50% on Sectigo Wildcard SSL Certificates. It includes unlimited server licenses, reissuances, 256-bit encryption, and more.

Shop for Wildcard SSL and Save 50%

If you’ve already purchased a wildcard SSL certificate, you can skip ahead to the installation instructions. If not, you can get a wildcard certificate at an affordable price from SectigoStore.com.

Now that we know what these terms mean, let’s discuss how to install wildcard SSL in Apache! Note that regardless of the type of SSL/TLS certificate you are trying to configure on your Apache server, the installation steps remain unchanged.

Install a Wildcard SSL Certificate in Apache Web Server: a Step-by-Step Guide

After generating the certificate signing request (CSR) for your wildcard SSL and placing your order, you can follow the steps below to install the certificate on your Apache server. (Or, if you don’t want to manually install the certificate yourself, you can pay a minimal amount to have our installation service take care of it for you.)

Ideally, the CSR should be generated from the server. If not, ensure that the private key is saved on the Apache server.

How to Install Wildcard SSL in Apache

If you are looking at how to install wildcard SSL on Apache, you have come to the right place. This article is your comprehensive guide to install a wildcard SSL certificate on Apache.

  1. Begin by downloading all the certificates — your primary server certificate as well as the intermediate certificates that are provided by your CA — and save them in the folder that contains your private key.
  2. Navigate to the /etc/httpd directory, which usually contains the config file titled httpd.conf, and open it with the text editor. Near the bottom of the file, you’ll usually find the <VirtualHost> block. You might also find it in a file named ssl.conf or under directories such as /etc/httpd/vhosts.d/ or /etc/httpd/sites/.
  3. If your site needs to be available over both non-secure (HTTP) and secure (HTTPS) connections, you will need a virtual host for each. Make a copy of the original non-secure virtual host and change the port number from 80 to 443.
  4. In the <VirtualHost> block for the SSL enabled site, change the settings to point to the correct paths for the certificate files and website. The certificate files are usually found within the /etc/ssl/crt/ directory. Alter the settings and adjust the names based upon your sites’ information.
Virtual Host File changes for Wildcard SSL Installation

Here’s a bit of context about what each of these components entails:

  • SSLCertificateFile is the primary certificate file for your server.
  • SSLCertificateKeyFile is the private key generated when you created the CSR.
  • SSLCertificateChainFile is the intermediate certificate file (if any) provided by your certificate authority. If there are multiple Intermediates, you may be required to concatenate the files. If this file does not work, try using SSLCACertificateFile.
  1. Ensure that there are no syntactical errors, save the changes, and close your editor.
  2. Execute the following command to check your Apache server for configuration errors:
/usr/local/apache/bin/apachectl configtest
  • Using one of the following options Restart your Apache web server:

/usr/local/apache/bin/apachectl stop

/usr/local/apache/bin/
OR
/usr/local/apache/bin/apachectl restart

Top Apache Wildcard SSL Certificate

Features PositiveSSL Wildcard (DV) Sectigo SSL Wildcard Certificate (DV) Sectigo OV Wildcard SSL
Lowest Price $78.32/yr $199.20/yr $399.20/yr
Domains Secured Secure Unlimited Subdomains Secure Unlimited Subdomains Secure Unlimited Subdomains
Validation Level Domain Validation Domain Validation Organization Validation
SSL Encryption up to 256-bit up to 256-bit up to 256-bit
Key Length 2048 bits 2048 bits 2048 bits
Server License/td> Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited
SSL Site Seal Included Included Included
Reissue Policy Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited
Warranty $50,000 $1,000,000 $500,000
Refund Policy 30 Days 30 Days 30 Days
Wildcard Support Yes Yes Yes
Browser Support 99% 99% 99%
OS Support [Desktop] Yes Yes Yes
OS Support [Mobile] Yes Yes Yes
Buy Now View Product View Product View Product

Multi Domain SSL vs Wildcard SSL — What You Should Know

SSL Basics,

SSL/TLS certificates play a significant role in web security. Most business owners are moving their websites to HTTPS  in part due to Google’s initiative to flag sites not using SSL/TLS certificates as “not secure,” and because they see the benefits of installing an SSL/TLS certificate on their web servers.

With cyber-crime on the rise, using SSL/TLS certificates is integral to building trust with users and taking a step toward improved digital security. SSL/TLS certificates ensure that the communication channel between your client browser and the server you’re connecting to is encrypted. Over an encrypted channel, if an attacker tries to sniff your traffic, they would end up with garbled information that is unintelligible and practically useless.

A multi domain SSL certificate is a single certificate that you can use to secure multiple domains (or subdomains if you list them as SANs). A wildcard SSL certificate, on the other hand, secures only your primary domain and unlimited subdomains at a single level.

Multi Domain SSL/TLS Certificates

Multi domain SSL/TLS certificates, also called unified communications certificates (UCC) or subject alternative name (SAN) certificates, secure multiple fully-qualified domain names (FQDNs).

Consider the following example:

Bob is a serial entrepreneur with multiple lines of business. He has a different website for each of these businesses, and he wants to use HTTPS on all of them without the hassles of managing multiple SSL/TLS certificates. Suppose he wants to secure the following websites:

  • www.site1.com
  • www.site2.net
  • www.site3.org
  • www.site4.com

With a SAN certificate, he can secure all of these sites by citing them as SANs on a single certificate.

Secure Up to 250 Multiple Domains with One Multi Domain SSL – Save 50%

Save 50% on Sectigo Multi Domain SSL Certificates. It includes unlimited server licenses, reissuances, 256-bit encryption, and more.

Shop for Multi Domain SSL and Save 50%

Wildcard SSL/TLS Certificates

With a wildcard SSL certificate, you can secure unlimited subdomains using one certificate at a single level. Consider Bob from our previous example. Let’s say he purchased a domain named www.site5.com. Now, suppose www.site5.com has multiple sub-domains:

  • music.site5.com
  • order.site5.com
  • collection.site5.com
  • dev.site5.com, etc.

With a wildcard SSL certificate for *.site5.com, Bob can secure music.site5.com, order.site5.com, collection.site5.com, dev.site5.com, etc. The asterisk is used to specify one particular level that it can secure, not multiple levels. For example, a certificate for *.site5.com will not secure test.dev.site5.com. You would need a separate wildcard SSL certificate to secure second-level subdomains (*.dev.site5.com).

Secure Unlimited Subdomains with One Wildcard SSL Certificate – Save 50%

Save 50% on Sectigo Wildcard SSL Certificates. It includes unlimited server licenses, reissuances, 256-bit encryption, and more.

Shop for Wildcard SSL and Save 50%

Multi-Domain SSL vs Wildcard SSL

The table below highlights the differences between multi domain (SAN) SSL certificates and wildcard SSL certificates:

Multi Domain SSL SSL Wildcard Certificate
A single certificate for multiple domains and subdomains. A single certificate for an unlimited number of subdomains at a specific level.
Limitations on the number of domains covered are defined by the issuing certificate authority. No limits on the number of subdomains covered.
Example: www.website.com, blog.website.com, www.website.org, www.example.com, etc. can all be secured using one certificate. Example: *.site.com secures every subdomain at that level such as order.site.com, blog.site.com, etc.
The different domain names to be secured must be defined and added at the time the certificate is purchased. Additional subdomains can be added or removed at any time.
Available for all levels of validation – DV, OV, and EV. Available for DV and OV levels of validation only. EV is not an option for wildcard certificates.

As far as making a choice between the two certificates is concerned, it depends on your business needs. If you need to secure multiple domains, a multi-domain (SAN) SSL certificate would be a good fit. If, on the other hand, your business has numerous subdomains all at the same level on your primary domain, you could choose a wildcard SSL certificate instead.

There is a third option: using a multi domain wildcard SSL certificate, which combines the utility of both types of certificates. With this option, you can choose to secure multiple domains and an unlimited number of multi-level subdomains.