Which SSL certificate authorities are there?

In many areas, certifications are necessary to provide evidence of compliance with standards and requirements for products, services, companies, systems or individuals. Such certification is issued by independent certification bodies that verify whether the standards of the respective industry are met. Certificates are generally valid only for a limited period, so regular renewal or extension is necessary. SSL certificates are also issued by various certification bodies.

What is a certification body?

A certification body is simply an organisation tasked with carrying out certification. Of course, it must be a recognised and trusted organisation. Certification bodies commonly operate in product testing, management systems and digital certification.

What is an SSL certificate?

The abbreviation SSL stands for "Secure Sockets Layer". The term refers to a hybrid encryption protocol, i.e. the SSL certificate. This protocol is used on the internet to ensure secure data transmission by the SSL provider. Nowadays you will often also encounter the name TLS for "Transport Layer Security". It is the same encryption method, although it has been further developed. More on this in the article TLS vs. SSL differences. The encryption method is based on a public and a private key. The public key is responsible for encrypting data, while the private key is used for decrypting data. The data that is transmitted between the internet and a computer via a server is secured by an SSL certificate. The same applies to communication between a website and a server.

Which SSL providers are there?

There is a wide range of SSL certificate providers on the market. These include, among others, the following:

SSL provider Sectigo (formerly Comodo)

Sectigo, formerly known as Comodo CA, is one of the world's leading certificate authorities and provides a wide range of digital certificates, including SSL/TLS certificates.

Sectigo has its origins in the Comodo Group, which was founded in 1998. Comodo CA was for a long time a leading company in the field of certification services. In 2018 the Comodo Certificate Authority business unit was sold by the Comodo Group and renamed Sectigo. The company offers a broad range of SSL certificates, including Domain Validated (DV), Organisation Validated (OV) and Extended Validation (EV) certificates. The company also provides other types of digital certificates, including code signing, email, and more. Sectigo owns its own root certificates, which are trusted by most common web browsers and operating systems. This ensures that certificates issued by Sectigo are recognised by the majority of end users without issues. Sectigo has strict procedures and policies for issuing certificates to ensure the integrity and security of the entire ecosystem. This includes the use of modern technologies for identity verification and fraud prevention.

Sectigo is a renowned certificate authority with a long history in the industry. Over the years the company has developed a wide range of security products and services and provides reliable SSL/TLS certificates for websites and applications worldwide.

Find suitable Sectigo SSL certificates for your web project here

SSL provider DigiCert

DigiCert is one of the leading certificate authorities worldwide and offers a wide range of SSL/TLS and other digital certificate solutions.

DigiCert was founded in 2003 and has since built a reputation for high standards in security and customer support. The company offers a variety of SSL certificates, including Domain Validated (DV), Organisation Validated (OV) and Extended Validation (EV) certificates. In addition to traditional SSL certificates, DigiCert also provides solutions for IoT, code signing, secure email and more. In a significant move in the certificate authority (CA) industry, DigiCert acquired the website security and PKI business from Symantec in 2017. This acquisition greatly expanded DigiCert's customer base and cemented its position as one of the leading SSL providers. DigiCert has introduced a number of technologies and solutions to simplify certificate management and enhance security. These include advanced platforms for certificate management and innovative solutions for automating certificate renewal.

DigiCert is a central player in the field of digital certificates and over the years has earned the trust of many large and small organisations through reliability, innovation and excellent customer service.

Find suitable DigiCert SSL certificates for your web project here

SSL provider GeoTrust

GeoTrust is a well-known certificate authority and a major provider of SSL/TLS certificates and other digital security products.

GeoTrust was founded in the early 2000s and quickly grew to become one of the world's largest digital certificate providers. In 2006 GeoTrust was acquired by VeriSign, another leading certificate authority. That acquisition combined the resources and customer bases of both companies. After VeriSign sold its certificate business to Symantec in 2010, GeoTrust became part of Symantec's extended product portfolio. Later, in 2017, when DigiCert took over Symantec's website security business, GeoTrust came under the DigiCert umbrella. GeoTrust offers a range of SSL/TLS certificates, including Domain Validated (DV), Organisation Validated (OV) and Extended Validation (EV) certificates. They also offer other products such as code signing certificates and True BusinessID. Like other major certificate authorities, GeoTrust has trusted root certificates in most modern web browsers and operating systems, which means certificates issued by GeoTrust are generally accepted by end users without issues.

GeoTrust has for many years been a central player in the field of digital certificates. Despite several corporate changes and acquisitions, the brand has retained its presence and reputation in the digital security sector.

Find suitable GeoTrust SSL certificates for your web project

SSL provider GlobalSign

GlobalSign is one of the established certificate authorities in the digital security industry and offers a variety of SSL/TLS certificates as well as other digital identification solutions.

GlobalSign was founded in 1996 and is therefore one of the oldest active certificate authorities. The company has been headquartered in Europe since its founding, although it operates worldwide. GlobalSign offers a comprehensive range of SSL/TLS certificates, including Domain Validated (DV), Organisation Validated (OV) and Extended Validation (EV) certificates. In addition to SSL/TLS certificates, the company provides a variety of other digital identity products, such as code signing certificates, email security solutions and identity verification services. GlobalSign places great emphasis on security standards and is compliant with industry standards such as WebTrust. It implements strict procedures for the issuance and management of certificates. GlobalSign was one of the first companies to offer cloud-based PKI solutions to help organisations ensure security in an increasingly connected world.

GlobalSign is a renowned and trusted certificate authority with a long history and a broad portfolio of digital security products. The company has made a name for itself in the industry through quality, reliability and ongoing innovation.

Find suitable GlobalSign SSL certificates for your web project

SSL provider Thawte

Thawte is one of the older and best-known certificate authorities in the digital security industry and offers a range of online security solutions.

Thawte was founded in 1995 by Mark Shuttleworth in South Africa. The company quickly gained recognition and grew to become one of the leading providers of SSL/TLS certificates. In 1999 Thawte was acquired by VeriSign, another major certificate authority. After the acquisition Thawte remained as a stand-alone brand and complemented VeriSign’s portfolio. Thawte offers a wide range of SSL/TLS certificates, including Domain Validated (DV), Organization Validated (OV) and Extended Validation (EV) certificates. Thawte has also offered other products and services such as code signing certificates and email security certificates. Although Thawte was originally founded in South Africa, it quickly developed into a global player in the certificate authority (CA) industry, issuing certificates in many countries and in multiple languages.

Thawte has over the years established itself as a trusted and reliable certificate authority that meets the needs of businesses and individuals worldwide. Despite organisational changes and an ever-evolving security landscape, the Thawte brand remains recognised and respected within the industry.

Find suitable Thawte SSL certificates for your web project

SSL provider Certum

Certum is a European certificate authority based in Poland that operates across Europe and offers a range of digital certificate solutions.

Certum is the oldest active certificate authority in Poland. It was founded in the early 2000s and has since expanded its services both domestically and on the international market. Certum offers a variety of SSL/TLS certificates, including Domain Validated (DV), Organization Validated (OV) and Extended Validation (EV) certificates. In addition, Certum also provides other products such as code signing certificates, email certificates and digital signatures for documents. One of Certum’s main features is its expertise in electronic identification (e-ID). It offers various solutions related to electronic signatures and trust services. Certum places great emphasis on security and compliance with European and international standards for digital certificates. Its infrastructure and procedures are regularly audited to meet the highest security standards.

Certum is a reputable certificate authority in Europe that offers a broad range of digital certificate solutions. Its specialisation in e-ID products and trust services makes it an important choice for many businesses and individuals across Europe and beyond.

Find suitable Certum SSL certificates for your web project here

SSL provider RapidSSL

RapidSSL is a well-known Certificate Authority specialising in the provision of cost-effective and efficient SSL/TLS certificates, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses and individuals.

RapidSSL places emphasis on a fast and simple issuance process for SSL/TLS certificates. This makes it a preferred choice for many seeking a quick and straightforward solution to secure their website. RapidSSL primarily offers Domain Validated (DV) certificates. These certificates provide basic encryption and are typically available within minutes after submitting the required information. One of RapidSSL's main selling points is the low price. The brand targets customers looking for a cost-effective solution without compromising on basic security requirements. RapidSSL is part of the DigiCert portfolio, after DigiCert acquired the website security business from Symantec (previous owner of brands such as Symantec, Thawte, GeoTrust and RapidSSL) in 2017. As RapidSSL is now part of the DigiCert ecosystem, customers benefit from the broad support and resources DigiCert provides, including tools for certificate installation and management.

RapidSSL is a reliable choice for those looking for a quick, simple and cost-effective way to secure their websites. The brand has built a reputation for efficiency and ease of use, making it particularly attractive to small and medium-sized businesses or individuals who are new to the world of web security.

Find suitable RapidSSL SSL certificates for your web project here

SSL provider AlphaSSL

AlphaSSL is a brand known for cost-effective SSL/TLS certificates. It is less well-known than some of the major names in the certification industry, but has found its place by offering simple and affordable security solutions.

AlphaSSL positions itself as a competitive, low-cost certificate authority that focuses on simple and straightforward SSL/TLS certificates. AlphaSSL primarily offers Domain Validated (DV) certificates, which means validation is based on verifying domain ownership and does not require extensive company validation. This simplifies and speeds up the certificate issuance process. AlphaSSL is in fact a brand of GlobalSign, one of the established and larger certificate authorities worldwide. While GlobalSign offers a wide range of certificate products and services, AlphaSSL is specifically aimed at cost-effective and fast solutions. A key selling point of AlphaSSL is the fast issuance time, allowing websites to be secured in very little time. This is particularly beneficial for developers and website owners who need a quick solution. Although AlphaSSL is positioned as an inexpensive brand, customers benefit from the comprehensive support and resources provided by GlobalSign.

AlphaSSL is a suitable choice for those looking for a quick and cost-effective way to secure their websites with SSL/TLS. It offers fewer extensive validation options compared with some other certificates, but for many applications and users it can provide precisely the right level of security and validation.

Find suitable AlphaSSL SSL certificates for your web project here

Finding the right SSL provider

Anyone looking for an SSL certificate authority will quickly find a large number of providers. It is therefore important to check the offers carefully. Not every offer is optimally equipped for your own online shop. Every website owner must consider exactly what type of SSL certificate is required for their needs. Our SSL certificate buying guide also provides more information. This makes the decision for a provider a little easier.

Our article is based on our own experience and research as well as information from external sources.

Sources & further links on the topic: