5 Drawbacks Of Using Free SSL Certificate

With an increase in the number of website attacks in recent years, site owners have started focusing on website security as a critical aspect. Offering a secure browsing experience to online users involves ensuring that the server is secure, the site does not have any security loopholes, and information being transmitted to and from the server is protected.

You can ensure server security by choosing the right web hosting plan and installing the latest tools to secure the website. Further, you can install an SSL Certificate to encrypt and protect the information exchanged between the server and a visitor’s browser.

Here’s a video that explains how SSL certificates work:

How Does SSL Certificates Work

There are various free SSL Certificates available that offer basic security to websites. On the other hand, there are premium SSL certificates like the Comodo SSL Certificate that offer top-notch protection and support to site owners. In this article, we will talk about free SSL Certificates and share five drawbacks of using them.

1. No Warranty

When you buy SSL Certificates, you usually receive a warranty protecting you against potential losses in the event of a breach after installing the SSL security. However, with free SSL certificates, there is no such warranty.

2. Limited validation

Paid SSL Certificates have different types of validation, such as domain validation and extended validation, to cater to the needs of different websites. With free SSL Certificates, there is no validation of the ownership of the domain. They only prove who controls the domain.

3. Frequent renewals

Another drawback of using free SSL Certificates is that most of them have a short certificate lifespan. This means that you will need to renew it regularly. While this is usually not at any additional cost, it requires you to spend time and ensure that you renew it within time so that your site has SSL security at all times.

4. Lack of technical support

Usually, free SSL Certificates do not offer technical support. Hence, site owners that are not technically sound might need to hire the services of a technical professional to install the certificate. This can result in unplanned costs.

5. No support for multiple domains

While paid SSL Certificates offer support for multiple domains, this feature is not available with free ones. Hence, if you are using a free SSL Certificate, then you might need multiple certificates for multiple domains.

When you buy an SSL certificate like Comodo SSL, you get a visual indicator on your site that tells visitors that your site uses SSL security. This can help boost user trust and brand reputation.

Summing Up

Site security is not something that can be ignored in today’s times. Online users are highly sensitive to security and tend to abandon sites that don’t feel secure. Even search engines rank such sites lower than their counterparts that have top-notch security measures in place. In such a landscape, a free SSL Certificate falls short of ensuring a highly secure browsing experience.

Hence, as a site owner, it is important to think about the incidental costs associated with not installing a paid SSL Certificate on your site.