3 Ways to Get a Cheap (or FREE) SSL Certificate

If you are planning an eCommerce store, you will find that there are all sorts of expenses that you might not have planned for. There’s the merchant account, the payment gateway fees, the hosting account, the license for the shopping cart software, and finally the SSL certificate which can run as much as $250 annually. So it makes sense to reduce costs wherever you can.

Below, we will tell you how you can get a cheap (or free) SSL certificate.

Go Cheap: Go Daddy offers its own cheap proprietary SSL.

Go Daddy has a cheap low-price SSL certificate which is only a fraction of the price of typical SSL certificates. Right now, they are on sale for $14.99. And even when not on sale, Go Daddy certificates are always much less than other SSL certificates.

Go Discount: Never buy full price.

While the Go Daddy SSL certificate does have browser recognition, many people prefer to get SSL certificates from more established and well-known security companies such as Comodo, Verisign, GeoTrust, and Thawte. For these certificates, we suggest that you get discount prices by scouring the web for promotional codes or by purchasing certificates for an extended period of time. By purchasing an SSL certificate for multiple years, you can experience significant savings.

Go Free: HostGator Gives Customers Free SSL Certificates.

Probably the best way to get an SSL certificate is to sign up with a web host which gives you one for free. Many hosts, for example, offer a complimentary certificate with their business or eCommerce packages. So before you go out and buy a certificate, determine whether your web host has such an offer, or search for a new web host which does.

Looking for a new host? HostGator , our preferred web host, offers customers a business plan at $12.95 per month ($14.95 if you pay monthly), and you get a free Comodo SSL certificate. This plan also features a complimentary IP address, and all sorts of other addons to make your website a success.