What Free SSL Actually Covers (And When You Need a Paid Certificate)
March 17, 2026 · Bitfoo · 2 min read
Every Bitfoo hosting plan includes a free Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate. For most websites, that’s all you need. Here’s a clear breakdown of what it covers and where paid certificates genuinely add value.
What free DV SSL covers: Encryption between the visitor’s browser and your server. The padlock in the address bar. Google’s HTTPS ranking signal. That’s it — and for a blog, portfolio, small business site, or most web applications, that’s everything you need.
What it doesn’t cover: Identity validation beyond domain ownership. A free SSL proves you control the domain — not who you are or whether your organisation is legitimate. It also doesn’t include warranty coverage.
When a paid certificate is worth considering:
OV (Organisation Validation): Your verified company name appears in the certificate details. Visitors who click the padlock and inspect the certificate see your organisation name, not just your domain. Useful for businesses where clients might check.
EV (Extended Validation): Full legal entity verification. Historically showed a green bar with the company name in the address bar — major browsers removed that in 2019–2020. EV certificates still include rigorous identity verification and higher warranty coverage, which matters in financial services and high-trust e-commerce contexts.
Wildcard: Covers your main domain and all first-level subdomains with a single certificate. *.yourdomain.com covers app.yourdomain.com, api.yourdomain.com, shop.yourdomain.com, and any others. If you’re managing multiple subdomains, a wildcard is significantly simpler than maintaining individual certificates.
Multi-domain (SAN): One certificate covering multiple entirely separate domains. Useful for agencies managing client sites or businesses with multiple brand domains.
The honest answer: If you’re running a standard website, use the free SSL. If you need wildcard coverage, subdomains, or business identity verification in the certificate, look at paid options.