# SSL certificates: DV, OV, EV and Wildcard > Compare DV, OV, EV and Wildcard SSL certificates from RapidSSL, GeoTrust and DigiCert, with what each validation level checks and how renewals work today. Encrypt the connection between your website and its visitors. Compare domain, organization and extended validation certificates and wildcard options, each available for one, two or three years. - RapidSSL, GeoTrust and DigiCert - DV, OV and EV validation levels - Wildcard certificates for subdomains - One-, two- and three-year terms Starting at $1.50 /mo Compare certificates https://example.com **Connection is secure** Certificate is valid Issued to**example.com** TLS**1.3** HTTP/2 · HSTS ## SSL Certificates | Plan | Annually | Biennially | Triennially | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | RapidSSL | $1.50/mo (Billed $17.95 every year) | $1.38/mo (Billed $33.00 every 2 years) | $1.31/mo (Billed $47.00 every 3 years) | | RapidSSL Wildcard | $12.42/mo (Billed $149.00 every year) | $11.46/mo (Billed $275.00 every 2 years) | $10.94/mo (Billed $394.00 every 3 years) | | GeoTrust QuickSSL Premium | $6.58/mo (Billed $79.00 every year) | $6.08/mo (Billed $146.00 every 2 years) | $5.81/mo (Billed $209.00 every 3 years) | | GeoTrust QuickSSL Premium Wildcard | $23.25/mo (Billed $279.00 every year) | $20.34/mo (Billed $488.25 every 2 years) | $14.86/mo (Billed $535.00 every 3 years) | | GeoTrust True BusinessID | $13.25/mo (Billed $159.00 every year) | $12.25/mo (Billed $294.00 every 2 years) | $11.69/mo (Billed $421.00 every 3 years) | | GeoTrust True Business ID with EV | $20.75/mo (Billed $249.00 every year) | $19.17/mo (Billed $460.00 every 2 years) | $13.44/mo (Billed $484.00 every 3 years) | | GeoTrust True Business ID Wildcard | $36.58/mo (Billed $439.00 every year) | $33.83/mo (Billed $812.00 every 2 years) | $32.31/mo (Billed $1,163.00 every 3 years) | | DigiCert Secure Site | $37.33/mo (Billed $448.00 every year) | $32.21/mo (Billed $773.00 every 2 years) | $31.08/mo (Billed $1,119.00 every 3 years) | | DigiCert Secure Site Pro | $82.92/mo (Billed $995.00 every year) | $73.00/mo (Billed $1,752.00 every 2 years) | $70.42/mo (Billed $2,535.00 every 3 years) | | DigiCert Secure Site EV | $82.92/mo (Billed $995.00 every year) | $73.00/mo (Billed $1,752.00 every 2 years) | $70.42/mo (Billed $2,535.00 every 3 years) | | DigiCert Secure Site Pro EV | $124.92/mo (Billed $1,499.00 every year) | $106.33/mo (Billed $2,552.00 every 2 years) | $102.58/mo (Billed $3,693.00 every 3 years) | #### RapidSSL [Order Now](https://hyperdc.com/order/42?billingcycle=annually) #### RapidSSL Wildcard [Order Now](https://hyperdc.com/order/43?billingcycle=annually) #### GeoTrust QuickSSL Premium [Order Now](https://hyperdc.com/order/44?billingcycle=annually) #### GeoTrust QuickSSL Premium Wildcard [Order Now](https://hyperdc.com/order/45?billingcycle=annually) #### GeoTrust True BusinessID [Order Now](https://hyperdc.com/order/46?billingcycle=annually) #### GeoTrust True Business ID with EV [Order Now](https://hyperdc.com/order/47?billingcycle=annually) #### GeoTrust True Business ID Wildcard [Order Now](https://hyperdc.com/order/48?billingcycle=annually) #### DigiCert Secure Site [Order Now](https://hyperdc.com/order/49?billingcycle=annually) #### DigiCert Secure Site Pro [Order Now](https://hyperdc.com/order/50?billingcycle=annually) #### DigiCert Secure Site EV [Order Now](https://hyperdc.com/order/51?billingcycle=annually) #### DigiCert Secure Site Pro EV [Order Now](https://hyperdc.com/order/52?billingcycle=annually) ## Which certificate do you need? ### Domain validation (DV) The CA checks that you control the domain. Issued quickly, no organization details in the certificate. [Learn more](https://hyperdc.com/ssl-certificates/domain-validation) ### Organization validation (OV) The CA also verifies that your organization exists and asked for the certificate. [Learn more](https://hyperdc.com/ssl-certificates/organization-validation) ### Extended validation (EV) The most detailed organization checks, defined by the CA/Browser Forum EV Guidelines. [Learn more](https://hyperdc.com/ssl-certificates/extended-validation) ### Wildcard One certificate for a domain name and every subdomain on the same level. [Learn more](https://hyperdc.com/ssl-certificates/wildcard) ## What an SSL certificate does for your site ### Encrypts the connection Passwords, forms and payment details travel encrypted over HTTPS. ### Confirms the domain Visitors’ browsers check that the certificate was issued for the name they opened. ### Names your organization OV and EV certificates carry the verified organization name in the certificate details. ### Avoids “Not secure” warnings Chrome has labelled plain HTTP pages as not secure since 2018. ### Publicly logged Every publicly trusted certificate is recorded in Certificate Transparency logs, so mis-issued ones can be detected. ### Works on shared IP addresses With SNI, many sites and certificates share one IP address on the same server. ## DV, OV and EV at a glance The encryption is the same at every level. What changes is how much the certificate authority verifies before issuing. | Feature | **DV** | **OV** | **EV** | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What the CA checks | Control of the domain | Domain plus organization identity and address | Legal, physical and operational existence | | Organization name in the certificate | Not included | Included | Included | | Typical issuance | Minutes after validation | A few business days | A few business days | | Wildcard available | Included | Included | No, not allowed for EV | | Typical use | Blogs, personal sites, internal tools | Company sites and customer logins | Payments and sensitive data | ## Certificate lifetimes are getting shorter The schedule was adopted by the CA/Browser Forum in ballot SC-081v3. It applies to every publicly trusted TLS certificate, whichever brand you choose. 1. Until 14 March 2026 ### Up to 398 days The longest validity publicly trusted TLS certificates could have. 2. From 15 March 2026 ### Up to 200 days Today’s limit under the CA/Browser Forum Baseline Requirements. Domain validation can be reused for up to 200 days. 3. From 15 March 2027 ### Up to 100 days Certificates and domain validation reuse both drop to 100 days. 4. From 15 March 2029 ### Up to 47 days Certificates last at most 47 days and domain validation can be reused for only 10 days, so renewal has to be automated. ## A two- or three-year term is a subscription, not one long certificate Because no certificate may be valid for more than 200 days today, a longer term works as a subscription: the certificate is reissued during the term each time it nears the end of its lifetime, and domain or organization validation is repeated when the reuse periods require it. You pay for the term once instead of buying a new certificate every time. - One price for the whole term - Reissued within the term as certificates expire - Validation repeated when the rules require it https://example.com **Connection is secure** Certificate is valid Issued to**example.com** TLS**1.3** HTTP/2 · HSTS ## From order to online 1. ### Choose a service Pick the product, location and billing cycle that fit your project. 2. ### Complete your order Review your cart and pay with one of the available payment methods. 3. ### Receive your details We email your login details as soon as the service is ready. 4. ### Get help when you need it Open a support ticket from the client area and follow every reply. ## Services that work well together ### Website Security Malware scanning and removal plans from SiteLock. ### Site & Server Monitoring Uptime, performance and SSL certificate checks with alerts. ### Domain Registration Search for a name and register it with live prices. [Learn more](https://hyperdc.com/domain-register) ### Linux Web Hosting Web hosting for websites, blogs and online shops, with your choice of control panel. [Learn more](https://hyperdc.com/linux-web-hosting) ### WordPress Hosting LiteSpeed hosting with LSCache, Redis and your choice of control panel. [Learn more](https://hyperdc.com/wordpress-web-hosting) ### Website Backup CodeGuard backups of your website files and databases. ## Frequently asked questions Still have a question? Send us a message and our team will reply by email. [Contact us](https://hyperdc.com/contact-us) Chat with our team ### What is an SSL certificate? An SSL certificate (today a TLS certificate) binds your domain name to a cryptographic key. Browsers use it to encrypt the connection to your site over HTTPS and to check that they are talking to the right server. ### What is the difference between DV, OV and EV? The encryption is the same; the checks before issuance differ. For DV the certificate authority confirms control of the domain. For OV it also verifies the organization’s identity and address. For EV it follows the CA/Browser Forum EV Guidelines: legal, physical and operational existence, and the authority of the person who requests the certificate. ### How long is an SSL certificate valid? Since 15 March 2026 a publicly trusted TLS certificate can be valid for at most 200 days. The limit drops to 100 days on 15 March 2027 and to 47 days on 15 March 2029 (CA/Browser Forum ballot SC-081v3). Longer purchase terms are subscriptions in which the certificate is reissued. ### How do I prove that I control my domain? The certificate authority asks you to answer an email sent to a standard address of the domain (such as admin@ or webmaster@), to add a DNS record or to place a file on your web server. Validation through WHOIS contact details is no longer allowed since July 2025, and the CA/Browser Forum has decided to phase out the email and phone methods by 15 March 2028, leaving the DNS and web server methods. ### Do I need a dedicated IP address for SSL? No. Server Name Indication (SNI) lets many sites with their own certificates share one IP address, and every current browser supports it. ### What does a two- or three-year term include? One price for the whole term. Within it, the certificate is reissued whenever it reaches its maximum lifetime, and domain or organization validation is repeated when the reuse periods require it. ### How long does it take to get a certificate? A DV certificate is usually issued within minutes of completing domain validation. OV and EV certificates need the organization checks first, which usually take a few business days and go faster when your company details are easy to verify in official sources. ### Does an EV certificate show a green address bar? No. Chrome and Firefox removed the company name from the address bar in 2019. The verified organization details are shown when a visitor opens the site information or certificate viewer. ### Does SSL improve my search ranking? Google announced HTTPS as a lightweight ranking signal in 2014 and counts it as part of a good page experience. It is not a shortcut to higher rankings, but browsers mark plain HTTP pages as not secure, which visitors notice. ### Is a free certificate enough? Free certificates such as Let’s Encrypt are domain validated and are renewed automatically; our Linux, Windows and reseller hosting plans list a free SSL certificate in their features. A paid certificate is the choice when you need organization or extended validation, a wildcard from a commercial certificate authority, or a specific brand. ### Which billing cycles can I choose? Every plan lists the billing cycles it is offered with. Switch the cycle above the plans to compare prices; longer cycles show the saving against monthly billing when there is one. ### How do I pay? Choose one of the payment methods offered at checkout. Every invoice also stays available in the client area, where you can pay it online. ### Where do I manage my service after ordering? Your service appears in the client area as soon as it is set up. From there you can manage it, pay invoices and open support tickets. ## Questions before you order? Send us a message and our team will help you choose the right service. [Contact us](https://hyperdc.com/contact-us) [Client area](https://hyperdc.com/account) Support ticket **You**Can you help me move my website to a new server? **HyperDC team**Of course. Send us the details of your current host and we will plan the move with you. Answered --- Source: \ Updated: 2026-10-10