Which SSL certificate authorities are there?

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

What is a certification body?

A certification body is simply an organisation mandated to carry out certifications. Of course, it must be a recognised and trustworthy organisation. Certification bodies commonly operate in the areas of product testing, management systems and digital certifications.

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. Today you will also commonly encounter the name TLS for "Transport Layer Security". This is the same encryption method that 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 data encryption, while the private key is used for data decryption. The data that travels between the Internet and a computer via a server is protected by an SSL certificate. The same applies to communication between a website and a server.

Which SSL providers are available?

There is a wide range of SSL certificate providers on the market. These include 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 originated from the Comodo Group, 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 was sold by the Comodo Group and renamed Sectigo. The company offers a broad range of SSL certificates, including Domain Validated (DV), Organization 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 most end users without issues. Sectigo employs strict procedures and policies for certificate issuance 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 well-known 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 service. The company offers a variety of SSL certificates, including Domain Validated (DV), Organization 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 CA industry, DigiCert acquired the website security and PKI business from Symantec in 2017. This acquisition greatly expanded DigiCert’s customer base and consolidated its position as one of the leading SSL providers. DigiCert has introduced a range of technologies and solutions to simplify certificate management and improve security. These include advanced platforms for certificate management and innovative solutions for automating certificate renewal.

DigiCert is a leading player in the field of digital certificates and has, over the years, 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 into one of the world's largest providers of digital certificates. In 2006 GeoTrust was acquired by VeriSign, another leading Certificate Authority. This 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 acquired Symantec's website security business, GeoTrust came under the DigiCert umbrella. GeoTrust offers a range of SSL/TLS certificates, including Domain Validated (DV), Organization 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 that certificates issued by GeoTrust are generally accepted by end users without problems.

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

Find suitable GeoTrust SSL certificates for your web project here

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 (CAs). The company has maintained its headquarters in Europe since its foundation, although it operates worldwide. GlobalSign offers a comprehensive range of SSL/TLS certificates, including Domain Validated (DV), Organization 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 strong emphasis on security standards and complies with industry standards such as WebTrust. They implement strict procedures for issuing and managing certificates. GlobalSign was one of the first companies to offer cloud-based PKI solutions to help organisations maintain 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 earned a reputation in the industry for quality, reliability and continuous innovation.

Find suitable GlobalSign SSL certificates for your web project here

SSL provider Thawte

Thawte is one of the older and better-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 rapidly to become one of the leading providers of SSL/TLS certificates. In 1999 Thawte was acquired by VeriSign, another major Certificate Authority. Following the acquisition, Thawte remained a standalone 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 became a global player in the CA industry, issuing certificates in many countries and multiple languages.

Over the years Thawte has 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 certification authority based in Poland that operates across Europe and offers a range of digital certificate solutions.

Certum is the oldest active certification authority in Poland. It was founded in the early 2000s and has since expanded its services both on the Polish and 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 strengths is its expertise in electronic identification (e-ID). They offer various solutions related to electronic signatures and trust services. Certum places strong emphasis on security and compliance with European and international standards for digital certificates. Their infrastructure and procedures are regularly reviewed to meet the highest security standards.

Certum is a well-regarded certification 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 in Europe and beyond.

Find suitable Certum SSL certificates for your web project

SSL provider RapidSSL

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

RapidSSL focuses 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 basic security requirements. RapidSSL is part of the DigiCert portfolio, after DigiCert acquired the website security business from Symantec (previously 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 seeking a fast, 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 new to 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 it has found a place by offering simple and affordable security solutions.

AlphaSSL positions itself as a competitive, low‑cost Certificate Authority focused on simple, straightforward SSL/TLS certificates. AlphaSSL primarily offers Domain Validated (DV) certificates, which means validation is based on verifying domain ownership and no extensive organisation validation is required. 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 a very short period. This is particularly beneficial for developers and website owners who need a quick solution. Although AlphaSSL is positioned as a budget brand, customers benefit from the comprehensive support and resources that GlobalSign provides.

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

Find suitable AlphaSSL SSL certificates for your web project here

Finding the right SSL provider

If you are looking for an SSL Certificate Authority, you will quickly find many providers. It is therefore important to examine the offers carefully. Not every offering is optimally suited for your online shop. Every website owner must carefully consider which type of SSL certificate is required for their needs. More information is available in our SSL certificate buying guide. 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.

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