SSL certificate is crucial feature to secure online data transition. Customer will not register or submit orders if no ssl protection on product page. However, a reputable ssl service is not cheap and often cost more than web hosting services. We have done indepth research among various SSL providers and found the following free or super cheap certificates. They're perfect if you need basic protection on personal or small cart site.

StartSSL – Free and cheap ssl provider since 2004. Actually, startssl is the only place to apply free certificate without any restriction. Their class 1 ssl is 100% free and guaranteed compatibility with over 95% popular browsers like IE, Firefox, Chrome etc. It's primary choice if you have very tight budget or just want to see how SSL works on your website.

How to apply? To get free ssl from startssl company is pretty easy and straight, just go to www.startssl.com and select the free product to proceed. The first step is to verify ownership of the domain name we're going to apply SSL for, the system will send verification code to domain email. Then put the code to registration page and follow the instructions to complete certificate generation. The process is clear and fast, ssl certificate will be ready in few minutes.

Please be noted the free ssl is only valid for one year, we will need to renewal or apply a new one in the next year. And maybe because of frequent application on their website, we often get http 429 too many connections error on the page.

Startssl site: http://www.startssl.com

Except for complete free service, some ssl groups provide low cost plans to work with our web requirements. There're top 3 in the list – GogetSSL, SSLPoint & Godaddy

GogetSSL – Single domain protection starts only $3.05/yr! Just fill out the order form then get your certificate in 3~4 minutes. The longer billing you choose, the better price will be generated. This certificate provides $10000 warranty service and 99.3% browser compatibility guaranteed. If you're worried about free product quality, try out this one and you'll not be disappointed.

Besides this super cheap certificate, other ssl plans are also affordable by either personal or enterprise choice. Their wildcard ssl only costs $68.83/yr. In order to ensure your worry free purchase, the company provides up to 90 days free trial service to make sure your website security is handled perfectly.

GogetSSL website: http://www.gogetssl.com

SSLPoint – A HongKong based company with cheap ssl certificate plans. Comodo ssl starts at $8.95/yr with immidate issuance. Free static site seal and unlimited re-issurance supported! if you're not satisfied with the product, 15 days full refund guaranteed.

SSLpoint is similar to gogetssl. They might be subjected to different business clients but both are good choice for cheap solution.

SSLPoint website: http://www.sslpoint.com

Godaddy – A giant company on the planet and probably everybody knows its name. Godaddy is famous about their domain service, but actually they're also doing good for ssl being one of the top issuer. The godaddy ssl is not cheap at all if we order directly, the word "cheap" only applies after we filled the proper coupon code.

For example, the single domain certificate starts at $69.99/yr and it's very expensive to many people. But after applied a good coupon code, it can be reduced to as cheap as $5.99/yr. Godaddy frequently send out such codes and it's available on many promo websites, just do your research for the right code untill you get a good price from check out.

After purchased certificate from godaddy, client will be assigned a free dedicated IP address for ssl installation. The IP is available from account center. On this point, godaddy is very good and cheap comparing to other providers.

SSL Knowledges

What's SSL?

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a standard security technology for establishing an encrypted link between a server and a client. SSL allows sensitive information such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, and login credentials to be transmitted securely.

How many kinds of SSL available?

There're two types SSL available: single domain ssl and wildcard SSL. While single domain ssl only works for the exact domain we entered for ssl registration(such as www.domain.com OR domain.com), wildcard ssl works for all sub domains under the main domain(such as www.example.com & mail.example.com & secure.example.com etc)

What's the difference between 128 bit and 256 bit encryption?

128 bit encryption vs. 256 bit encryption depends on the the cipher suite that is negotiated for the specific connection. In the modern industry, 256 encryption means SSL certificates offer the highest possible levels of security for your customers and always primary choice by most people.