If you're running an ecommerce store, the best SSL certificate for ecommerce isn’t just a tech checkbox — it’s a sales tool. Without one, your site shows up as “Not Secure,” your customers bounce, and Google quietly pushes you down the rankings.
But here’s the thing: not all SSL certificates are built the same. Some offer nothing more than basic encryption. Others display your business name in the browser and come with liability protection in case things go sideways.
The right one depends on what you’re selling, how big your store is, and how serious you are about trust.
This guide breaks it all down: what SSL actually does, how to choose the right type, and which providers give you real value without the markup.
Why SSL Certificates Matter for Ecommerce
What Does an SSL Certificate Actually Do?
At its core, an SSL certificate encrypts data between a user’s browser and your website. That means personal information like credit card details, login credentials, and contact forms can’t be intercepted during transit.
More importantly, it turns your URL from http:// to https:// and adds the padlock symbol in the browser. That tiny change makes a big impact on how trustworthy your site looks.
Why Ecommerce Stores Can't Ignore It
- Security compliance: If you’re processing payments, you're required to secure data under PCI compliance standards.
- Trust factor: Shoppers are savvier than ever. If they don’t see a padlock or they get a browser warning, they’ll leave fast.
- SEO ranking boost: Google confirmed that HTTPS is a ranking signal. It's not massive, but it matters — especially when competitors already have it.
- Conversion rates: According to GlobalSign, 84% of online shoppers said they would abandon a purchase if data was sent over an insecure connection.
It’s Not Just About Encryption
You might think free SSL does the job — and for basic sites, it might. But ecommerce is about risk management and customer trust. That’s why premium SSL options include warranties, validation of your business, and extra security signals that drive conversions.
Different Types of SSL Certificates – And Which One You Actually Need
SSL certificates come in multiple flavours. The one you need depends on how your ecommerce store is set up.
Type of Validation
| SSL Type | What It Validates | Good For | Price Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| DV (Domain Validated) | Confirms you own the domain | Blogs, basic sites | $0–$50/year |
| OV (Organisation Validated) | Confirms business name & domain | Small–mid ecommerce stores | $60–$200/year |
| EV (Extended Validation) | Full business vetting, shows legal name in browser | High-trust ecommerce | $100–$400/year |
- DV is fast and basic — it verifies domain control only.
- OV adds business verification, which builds more trust.
- EV is the most legit — your business name appears in the certificate itself (like “Issued to: [Your Business, LLC]”).
Type of Coverage
- Single Domain SSL – Secures one domain only (e.g. yourstore.com)
- Wildcard SSL – Covers one domain and all its subdomains (e.g. *.yourstore.com)
- Multi-Domain (SAN) SSL – Secures multiple domains and subdomains (e.g. yourstore.com, yourshop.net, shopify.yourstore.com)
If you have multiple brands or a custom app running on a subdomain, a wildcard or multi-domain option makes your life easier.
How to Choose the Best SSL Certificate for Your Ecommerce Store
Choosing the best SSL for ecommerce depends on a few practical factors — things that directly affect how you run your store, how customers see you, and how much trust you actually need to build.
Here’s how to break it down.
1. Business Size and Structure
- Solo/small business: A DV or basic OV SSL may be enough.
- Mid-sized store or agency-run brand: Go for OV or EV for extra trust.
- Enterprise-level ecommerce: Use EV with warranty, support, and multi-domain features.
Smaller stores or solo sellers just starting out usually benefit from simplicity. A basic DV SSL, especially one that's free or built-in via your platform, will do the job early on. It's quick to set up, gets you the HTTPS padlock, and avoids added cost.
Once your revenue increases and you’re running paid ads or dealing with customer accounts, it's worth moving up to an OV or even EV cert. These help create trust beyond just encryption — especially if you're trying to get people to hand over payment details or subscribe to ongoing services.
For enterprise-level brands, there's more at stake. You’re managing multiple domains, large traffic volumes, and your reputation is on the line.
An EV certificate with a high warranty limit and solid support becomes a smart move — not just for security, but for risk reduction and brand protection.
2. Platform Used
Different ecommerce platforms offer different SSL compatibility.
| Platform | SSL Options | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify | Free DV SSL included | Good enough for most users |
| WooCommerce | Choose your own SSL | Use Let’s Encrypt or premium |
| BigCommerce | Free SSL + paid upgrades | Some plans include EV |
| Adobe Commerce | Manual install required | Works with any third-party SSL |
| Wix/Squarespace | Free SSL auto-installed | No support for external certs |
Some platforms like Shopify, Wix, and Squarespace handle SSL for you. It’s a hands-off process — great for beginners. But you’re limited to DV certificates, and you can’t upgrade or customise it much. Still, for small shops, it gets the job done.
If you’re using WooCommerce or Magento, you have full control. You can install any type of SSL you want — which is great if you need wildcard or multi-domain support. Just be aware that the setup takes more time, and you’ll need to handle renewals and redirects properly.
BigCommerce falls somewhere in between. It includes SSL on all plans, but higher tiers give you access to better certs with more validation. So if you’re scaling and want more control without handling everything manually, it's a solid middle-ground.
3. Domain Setup
- Single domain = Any standard SSL
- Multiple domains = Use SAN (Subject Alternative Name) SSL
- Subdomains = Use a Wildcard SSL
How your ecommerce store is structured across domains or subdomains makes a big difference in which SSL certificate you should pick.
If you’ve only got one main domain — like yourstore.com — a single-domain SSL works fine. But if you’re using multiple domains (for example, one for your store, one for a blog, and another for landing pages), it’s smarter to go for a SAN or Multi-Domain SSL.
Running subdomains like checkout.yourstore.com, blog.yourstore.com, and wholesale.yourstore.com? Save yourself the hassle of managing several separate SSLs and just get a Wildcard SSL.
It covers all subdomains under one cert, which keeps things simple and lowers the risk of expiry errors.
4. Visual Trust Signals
- Do you want your company name to appear in the browser?
- Do you want a clickable padlock showing full details?
- Do you want a warranty for data breaches?
- Then you’re leaning towards EV.
Visual trust indicators can directly influence whether someone decides to buy or bounce. EV certificates show more detailed information when users click the padlock in the browser — including your business name, address, and legal status.
These trust cues are especially useful for stores selling high-ticket items or operating in competitive niches. If someone lands on your site from a Google Ad and sees detailed validation, they’re more likely to stick around and convert.
Plus, having a warranty in place — which is often part of OV and EV certs — gives both you and your customers added peace of mind in case of any SSL failure.
5. Budget
SSL pricing can range from $0 to over $400 per year. But price doesn’t always equal better security — often, it’s about the level of validation and added trust factors.
Free SSL like Let’s Encrypt is great for getting started. It handles encryption and helps you meet basic compliance standards. But once you grow past basic needs, investing in a paid certificate is worth it — especially if you need OV/EV validation, warranty protection, or multi-domain coverage.
Here’s how to think about SSL cost:
- Under $100/year: Great for single-domain, DV or basic OV
- $100–$250/year: Mid-range SSLs with wildcard, OV, and solid support
- $250+: EV certificates with warranties, fast support, and business-level validation
If your brand reputation, customer data, and conversion rates are important — and they are — investing in SSL isn’t an expense. It’s risk control.
Top 5 Best SSL Certificate Providers for Ecommerce Stores
1. SSLs.com
SSLs.com is kind of the sleeper pick of the SSL world, it doesn’t always get as much attention as bigger players, but it’s actually ideal if you want plenty of choice. Basically, this company resells certificates from major providers (at a lower price). So you’re not getting cheaper security, you’re just not paying the brand tax, which is a win.
It’s not the prettiest website in the world, but if you know what you need and don’t want to spend 40 minutes being upsold things you didn’t ask for, SSLs.com gets you in and out fast. Issuance is usually quick, especially for DV certs, and live chat actually feels like talking to a person who wants to help.
The multi-server licensing on many certs is a really underrated perk, if you manage more than one environment, this can save you real money.
Pricing: Ecommerce SSLs start at $39.75 per year for one domain, or $69.99 for 3-100 domain seats.
Pros:
- Affordable pricing without the trade-offs
- Fast issuance, especially for DV
- Solid support that doesn’t sound copy-pasted
Cons:
- Better deals for multiple domains
- Slightly clunky dashboard
2. Namecheap SSL
If you’ve ever used Namecheap for domains, you’ll recognize the whole vibe instantly: cheap, cheerful, not intimidating, and genuinely decent value. Namecheap's SSL certs aren’t from some mystery provider either, most are powered by Sectigo, which is legit, widely trusted, and does the job.
What I like most here is how simple everything feels. The dashboard makes sense, the pricing is transparent, and you can activate most certs without needing a degree in server administration. They regularly run discounts too, so if you catch it at the right time, you can snag a cert for laughably cheap. However, it’s worth remembering that the renewal prices are often higher than initial purchase prices.
Pricing: Single domain SSL’s start at just $5.99 per year if you buy five years at once.
Pros:
- Super affordable, especially on promo
- Easy enough for non-techies to manage
- Fast activation most of the time
Cons:
- Renewal prices can creep up
- Support can be hit-or-miss during busy periods.
3. DigiCert
DigiCert is the SSL equivalent of showing up to the airport lounge with noise-cancelling headphones and a paid upgrade. It’s not the cheapest option (not even close), but it is one of the most trusted, polished, and enterprise-ready providers out there. Governments, banks, global brands, this is their kind of territory.
What you’re really paying for here isn’t just the certificate, it’s the whole reliability-over-everything package. Validation is fast, the support knows what it’s doing, and the dashboard feels like it was built by people who actually understand how teams manage certificates at scale. If you’ve ever spent hours fixing a botched SSL setup, DigiCert feels like a stress-reduction subscription.
Pricing: The Basic package starts at $27 a month, and automatically renews after a year.
Pros:
- Top-tier reputation and reliability
- Clean UI, excellent for team management
- Support that solves problems without drama
Cons:
- Prices can feel high for smaller budgets
- More than most basic websites will ever need
4. GlobalSign
GlobalSign has been around since the 90s. A lot of companies use it, and most of the time you only notice it when you’re checking a certificate’s details. Where GlobalSign shines is scalability. If you’re managing multiple sites, subdomains, internal servers, or complicated enterprise setups, this platform is built for that life. The automation and bulk certificate deployment tools can be a sanity saver for IT teams juggling too many moving parts.
But like most enterprise-leaning providers, pricing is chunky. You get value for it, just be prepared for the invoice to reflect the fact that Fortune 500 companies are the target audience, not side-hustle shop owners.
Pricing: Domain validated packages start at $261 per year.
Pros:
- Extremely trusted and globally recognized
- Excellent tools for scaling and automation
- Ideal for complex or multi-site deployments
Cons:
- Heavy for casual users or small sites
- Pricing isn’t cheap
5. Let’s Encrypt
Let’s Encrypt runs on pure “why are we paying for this” energy, and it’s easy to love for that. It’s free, it works, browsers trust it, and the automation is good enough that once it’s running, you rarely have to think about it again. If your hosting provider supports it, switching it on can take less time than making a cup of coffee. No billing emails, no awkward upsells, and definitely no accidental multi-year purchases you didn’t mean to make.
The catch? It’s DIY energy. You don’t get support, you don’t get warranties, and if something breaks at 2 a.m., the fix comes from a forum thread, not a helpdesk. Also, certs need to renew every 90 days, but automated renewals are standard now, so that’s less of a headache than it used to be.
Pricing: Free
Pros:
- Completely free
- Trusted and secure
- Very automation-friendly
Cons:
- No support or hand-holding
- Not built for users allergic to the command line
6. GoDaddy SSL
GoDaddy SSL is the SSL version of ordering from a very popular restaurant chain. You know exactly what you’re getting, it will work, but you might walk away wondering if it deserved to cost that much.
It’s widely trusted, integrates smoothly if you already live in GoDaddy land, and the setup is pretty painless. If you've got hosting, domains, and SSL all in the same dashboard, there’s a convenience to that kind of ecosystem, even if it sometimes feels like it was designed to upsell you three extra things before checkout.
Performance is fine, support is usually reachable (results may vary by agent, as with all big support teams), and there are plenty of certificate options. The real downside is price.
Pricing: $69.99 for the first term, then $99.99 per year after that.
Pros:
- Beginner-friendly setup
- Works seamlessly inside the GoDaddy ecosystem
- Recognized and widely trusted
Cons:
- Usually more expensive than it needs to be
- Frequent upselling and pushy prompts
Free vs Paid SSL – What You’re Risking If You Go Cheap
Let’s Encrypt: Great, But Limited
Let’s Encrypt is completely free and works well for most small ecommerce stores. But:
- No support team
- No warranty if something breaks
- Only DV-level validation — no business name, no extra trust
If you’re on a tight budget, it’s an easy win. You’ll get HTTPS and encryption, which is better than nothing. It’s also supported by many popular hosting providers, so installation is often just a click away.
But here’s where it falls short:
- You don’t get any help if something goes wrong with installation or renewal
- You don’t get visual trust indicators — no business info shown in browsers
- You don’t get legal protection like warranties if something breaks due to a certificate issue
When Paid SSL Is Worth It
If your average order value is high, or you’re dealing with international buyers, investing in a premium certificate can improve conversion rates and trust.
Here’s what you get with a paid SSL:
- Live customer support for setup, renewals, and troubleshooting
- Warranties that cover damage from certificate-related issues (up to $1.75 million)
- Higher-level validation like OV and EV that confirms you’re a real business
For ecommerce sites processing hundreds or thousands of transactions monthly, a paid SSL becomes less of a cost and more of an investment in trust and credibility.
Ideal Use Cases for Paid SSL:
- Selling high-ticket items
- Running Google Ads or paid traffic (where trust on landing pages matters)
- Operating in regulated niches like healthcare, finance, or insurance
- Offering subscription models where trust and renewals impact LTV
Free SSL works — but paid SSL performs.
What Actually Impacts SEO When It Comes to SSL
HTTPS as a Ranking Factor
Google confirmed back in 2014 that HTTPS is a ranking signal. It’s small on its own, but combined with other on-page and technical SEO best practices, it adds up.
Benefits include:
- Cleaner URL structures
- Improved crawl efficiency
- User trust → better engagement metrics
While a DV SSL is enough for SEO benefits, higher-level certificates may influence user behaviour, which in turn impacts rankings indirectly.
Trust Indicators Reduce Bounce Rate
Sites without HTTPS show browser warnings — especially in Chrome and Safari. These warnings can scare users off before they even hit your product page.
Having a visible padlock symbol and secure HTTPS connection:
- Reduces bounce rate
- Builds trust before the first click
- Helps boost time-on-site, pages per session, and conversions
All of these engagement metrics feed into SEO algorithms. Google sees a secure site with happy users and keeps you higher in the SERPs.
Secure Delivery Affects Speed
When combined with a CDN (Content Delivery Network), SSL can also help improve site speed and performance.
Here’s how:
- HTTP/2 support – only works with HTTPS
- Faster connection setup
- Improved mobile experience (important for SEO and UX)
Faster websites rank better — and secure, fast websites win.
Step-by-Step: How to Install an SSL Certificate on Your Ecommerce Platform
Here’s a general breakdown by platform:
Shopify
- SSL is auto-installed
- No extra work needed
- You can’t install a third-party SSL
Shopify takes care of all the SSL stuff for you — which is great if you just want to focus on products and sales. As soon as you connect your domain, Shopify will issue and renew a free DV SSL behind the scenes.
What to watch for:
- Can’t upgrade to OV or EV
- Limited if you need wildcard or multi-domain setups
- No manual control if you need advanced SSL config
WooCommerce (WordPress)
- Use Let’s Encrypt via your hosting panel (e.g. cPanel)
- Or buy a premium SSL and install manually
- Force HTTPS using plugins like Really Simple SSL
WooCommerce is flexible but needs more involvement. Most good hosting providers (like SiteGround or Cloudways) offer one-click SSL setup. You can use free SSLs or import a paid one.
Important steps to check:
- Make sure all internal links use HTTPS
- Enable 301 redirects from HTTP to HTTPS
- Test checkout, login, and form pages for secure content loading
BigCommerce
- Most plans include SSL
- Higher tiers offer EV options
- Settings > Security > SSL
BigCommerce provides a good balance between control and ease of use. SSL is included, but you can upgrade to EV certificates on premium plans if you need more trust.
BigCommerce SSL setup tips:
- Double-check email deliverability (SSL changes can affect SMTP settings)
- Always test your checkout flow after upgrades
- Use their support team for certificate-specific errors or mixed content
Wix/Squarespace
- Free SSL is automatic
- You cannot use third-party SSL providers
Like Shopify, Wix and Squarespace handle SSL automatically. You don’t need to lift a finger — unless you run into renewal issues or DNS problems.
Just note:
- No way to upgrade to higher validation
- No wildcard or multi-domain support
- Limited for scaling or switching platforms later
Final Thoughts – What’s The Best Move for Your Store?
The best SSL certificate for ecommerce isn’t about getting the fanciest option — it’s about getting the one that actually fits your store. What works for a solo founder on Shopify won’t make sense for a multi-brand setup with custom apps and international checkout flows.
You want to pick the certificate that matches your size, structure, and stage. Think of it like insurance — you don’t want to overpay, but you also don’t want to cut corners on something that protects your customers, your data, and your brand reputation.
For small stores or start-ups, a free SSL like Let’s Encrypt (or whatever your platform includes) is a perfectly valid starting point. As you grow and start getting real traffic, paid SSL options like Sectigo or DigiCert give you the extra layers of trust and flexibility you’ll need.
Here’s the quick cheat sheet:
- Small store on a budget – Let’s Encrypt
- Growing business – Sectigo OV SSL
- Enterprise store with brand focus – DigiCert EV SSL
- Multiple domains/subdomains – Wildcard or Multi-Domain SSL
- Using Shopify or Wix? – Your SSL is already included
A few last reminders before you choose:
- Make sure your certificate matches your domain structure
- Don't ignore support and renewal terms — expired SSL kills conversions fast
- Look at warranty limits if you're handling high-value transactions
- Use SSL as a trust signal, not just a tech feature
SSL isn’t a flashy upgrade — but it’s a crucial one. Get it right once, and it quietly protects everything behind the scenes while helping boost trust, SEO, and conversion.
Secure your site. Lock in trust. Focus on selling.
FAQs – SSL and Ecommerce
Do I need an SSL if I use Shopify?
Yes, but you don’t need to do anything extra — Shopify includes a free Domain Validated (DV) SSL for every store by default. It’s active as soon as your domain is connected, and it renews automatically. It’s good enough for most small to mid-sized stores, but keep in mind you can’t upgrade it to a higher validation type like OV or EV.
What’s the difference between a free and paid SSL?
Free SSL certificates like Let’s Encrypt provide basic encryption — that’s it. Paid SSLs go further by validating your business identity, offering customer support, and including warranties that cover potential damage from a certificate failure. If you’re just starting out, free is fine. But if you're running paid ads or dealing with sensitive customer data, a paid SSL offers more protection and credibility.
Can I switch SSL providers later?
Yes, you can switch providers anytime, but it’s important to plan the process properly. You’ll need to generate a new CSR, install the new certificate, and configure your server without causing downtime. If the transition isn't handled carefully, visitors might see a “Not Secure” warning — even if it’s just for a few minutes. Always test the new cert before removing the old one.
How long does an SSL certificate last?
Most paid SSL certificates are valid for 1 year and need to be manually renewed or set up for auto-renewal through your provider. Let’s Encrypt, which is free, renews every 90 days — but many hosts automate that for you. Just make sure you’re getting alerts or using a dashboard that tracks expiration dates to avoid sudden drops in trust or traffic.
