If you own a website, you have probably been told that you need an SSL certificate. SSL is essential for protecting information exchanged between your website and its visitors, enabling HTTPS and helping browsers recognise that a secure connection is being used.
But there is another question website owners regularly ask: should you buy an SSL certificate, or is a free SSL certificate such as Let’s Encrypt good enough?
For the vast majority of websites, a free SSL certificate provides strong, trusted encryption, and there is usually no need to pay every year for a standard Domain Validation (DV) SSL certificate.
At Birch Hosting, we believe SSL should be a fundamental part of modern web hosting rather than an expensive optional extra. That’s why we provide free SSL certificates with both our cPanel hosting and our standard non-cPanel hosting services.
And if your business has a specific requirement for a commercial SSL certificate, paid SSL certificates are also available from Birch Hosting.
What Is an SSL Certificate and Why Do You Need One?
An SSL certificate enables an encrypted connection between your website and the visitor’s browser. Although the modern technology is technically TLS, “SSL certificate” remains the term most people recognise and search for.
Once SSL is correctly configured, your website can use HTTPS instead of HTTP.
HTTPS helps protect information travelling between your website and its visitors from interception or modification. This can include login credentials, contact form submissions, customer information and other potentially sensitive data.
SSL isn’t just important for online shops or websites taking payments. Every modern website should use HTTPS, whether it’s a small business website, WordPress site, Joomla website, blog or larger commercial platform.
What Is Let’s Encrypt SSL?
Let’s Encrypt is a widely used certificate authority providing SSL/TLS certificates free of charge.
These certificates are trusted by modern browsers and provide the encryption necessary for websites to operate securely over HTTPS.
One of the biggest advantages of free SSL is automation.
On a correctly configured hosting platform, certificates can be issued and renewed automatically. This removes much of the traditional administration involved with purchasing, installing and renewing SSL certificates.
For most website owners, SSL can simply operate in the background without an additional annual certificate bill.
Is Free SSL Less Secure Than Paid SSL?
One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding SSL is that a certificate must be more secure simply because it costs more.
A paid SSL certificate is not automatically more secure than a free SSL certificate.
A free certificate from a reputable certificate authority and a commercial certificate can both provide strong encryption between the browser and web server.
When comparing a free Domain Validation certificate with a typical paid Domain Validation certificate, paying for the certificate doesn’t inherently mean that the encrypted connection becomes stronger.
It is also important to remember that SSL is only one element of website security.
A website can have a perfectly configured SSL certificate and still be vulnerable because of an outdated WordPress plugin, weak password, compromised administrator account or vulnerable website code.
This is why Birch Hosting takes a broader approach to hosting security rather than relying on SSL alone.
Free SSL Across Birch Hosting Services
We don’t believe customers should have to purchase an SSL certificate simply to get HTTPS on their website.
That’s why Birch Hosting provides free SSL certificates across both our cPanel hosting and standard non-cPanel hosting services.
If you choose one of our cPanel hosting packages, free SSL is available for websites hosted within your account, including supported domains, subdomains and addon domains where correctly configured.
But importantly, free SSL isn’t restricted to cPanel customers.
Customers using our standard non-cPanel hosting services also receive free SSL, helping ensure websites across our hosting platforms can benefit from HTTPS without having to purchase an additional certificate.
This means that whichever suitable Birch Hosting platform you choose, you don’t need to buy a standard SSL certificate simply because you want to secure your website with HTTPS.
We believe that’s how modern web hosting should work.
We Also Offer Paid SSL Certificates When Required
Although free SSL is the right choice for most customers, we recognise that some businesses and organisations have more specific requirements.
That’s why Birch Hosting can also provide paid SSL certificates when required.
A commercial certificate may be appropriate where an organisation requires a particular certificate authority, certificate type, validation process, warranty or other feature as part of its internal policies, contractual obligations or technical requirements.
Depending on the certificate required, commercial options can include different validation levels and additional features that aren’t part of a standard free SSL certificate.
The important point is that we don’t encourage customers to purchase a paid SSL certificate when they don’t need one.
If free SSL is suitable for your website, we’re happy for you to use it. If your organisation has a genuine requirement for a paid SSL certificate, we can provide that option too.
It’s about giving customers the right solution rather than selling them an unnecessary extra.
When Should You Consider a Paid SSL Certificate?
For most WordPress, Joomla, small business and personal websites, free SSL will be perfectly suitable.
However, you may want to discuss a paid certificate with us if your organisation specifically requires:
- A particular commercial certificate authority
- Organisation Validation (OV)
- Extended Validation (EV), where available and appropriate
- Certificate warranty provisions
- Specific corporate or contractual requirements
- A particular certificate type or configuration
If you’re unsure, speak to us before purchasing an SSL certificate. We can help you determine whether you genuinely need a paid certificate or whether the free SSL included with your hosting is sufficient.
Does a Paid SSL Certificate Improve SEO?
Another misconception is that purchasing a more expensive SSL certificate will automatically improve your Google rankings.
While using HTTPS is important for a modern website, paying more for the SSL certificate doesn’t inherently provide an additional SEO advantage over a properly configured trusted free certificate.
Instead, website owners should concentrate on factors that can make a meaningful difference, including website performance, high-quality content, mobile usability, security and user experience.
This is another reason why spending money on a paid DV SSL certificate may not be the best use of your website budget when a suitable free certificate is already included with your hosting.
More Than Just Free SSL with Birch Hosting
SSL is important, but it’s only one part of running a fast and secure website.
Our cPanel hosting platform combines free SSL with technologies including LiteSpeed Web Server, NVMe storage, CloudLinux and Imunify360.
CloudLinux helps provide account isolation and resource management, while Imunify360 provides additional protection including malware scanning and security features designed for web hosting environments.
LiteSpeed helps deliver excellent website performance and can provide further benefits for WordPress websites when used with the LiteSpeed Cache plugin.
Premium hosting customers can also benefit from Redis object caching, providing another performance boost for compatible dynamic websites.
Combine this with our UK-based servers and friendly UK support, and you have hosting designed around security, performance and customer service rather than simply providing disk space.
Free SSL or Paid SSL: Which Is Right for You?
For most website owners, free SSL is the sensible choice.
It provides the HTTPS encryption modern websites need without adding another annual cost to running your website.
That’s why Birch Hosting includes free SSL with our cPanel hosting and our standard non-cPanel hosting services.
However, we also understand that one solution doesn’t fit every organisation. If your company requires a particular commercial certificate, validation level or other paid SSL feature, Birch Hosting also offers paid SSL certificates.
Our approach is simple: if you don’t need to pay for SSL, we won’t tell you that you do.
Secure Your Website with Birch Hosting
Whether you choose our cPanel Website Hosting, cPanel Business Hosting or standard non-cPanel hosting, you can benefit from free SSL as part of your hosting service.
And should your business require a commercial certificate, our team can help you choose an appropriate paid SSL certificate for your requirements.
With fast UK hosting, free SSL, excellent security features and knowledgeable UK-based support, Birch Hosting gives you the tools you need to run your website with confidence.
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