So, you’re finally working on implementing HTTPs to your website? This will surely help your blog or website a lot because not only a SSL certificate (https) will improve your users’ trust in your website, but it will also help it rank better on Google. Even more, you will be forced to do so as WordPress will soon require its users to have https by default.
This sounds scary for most blog and website owners out there. The truth is that in most cases, implementing a SSL certificate (which is needed for your website to move from http to https) is a real pain. Many hosts only offer paid SSL certificates, while others offer them for absolutely nothing and they’re also easy to implement – in some cases by default, with you only having to push a button.
I think it’s pretty obvious that, no matter if you are an advanced user or a beginner, going the easy route makes more sense. Most likely, more hosts will join the movement eventually, but until then you don’t want to have your website penalized or not ranked because of your host?
Things are easier if you’re just starting up: simply select a host on our list of the best hosting providers that offer free HTTPs / SSL integration. If you already have a blog or more and your host doesn’t offer them, you’ll have to transfer your websites to hosts that do. This is a must if you want to remain competitive in your niche and not lose customers! This is a bit more difficult and time consuming, but some hosts offer free website migration services as well in case you don’t know how to do it. If you don’t want to pay, you can perform a Google search and do it yourself by following the easy steps based on the host you choose.
These being said, let’s check out below a list of the best hosts out there that offer free SSL certificate to their users. We highly recommend the hosting services below and I am sure you will love working with them, no matter if you are moving your blogs away from an outdated host or starting a new blog.
These hosting providers offer free SSL certificates, extremely easy installation (sometimes by simply clicking a button or sending them an e-mail) and great website performance for all types of traffic – all at great prices. I am listing them based on my personal opinion and experience with the hosting providers, but in the end you can pick any and enjoy your headache free HTTPs integration!
| Hosting Company | Price per month | Homepage Link |
|---|---|---|
| Bluehost | $3.95 | Click here |
| Dreamhost | $7.95 | Click here |
| Siteground | $3.95 | Click here |
| A2 Hosting | $3.50 | Click here |
| Cloudways | $7 | Click here |
| Webhosting Pad | $4.99 | Click here |
Bluehost
This is one of the most popular hosting services on the planet! And so many people using it can’t be wrong! They are cheap, reliable, offer an extremely easy to implement SSL certificate (all you have to do is simply click a button!) and you can easily upgrade in case your website grows huge and you need server capacity for more traffic.
I’ve been using Bluehost for years now and I never had to contact their support team… this is how good they are as a hosting service! And even though they’re not really the fastest hosting companies around, the website speeds you’ll get are at least decent. Plus, they’re reliable and easy to use. I personally consider Bluehost the best option for free HTTPs hosting.
They are also extremely cheap – with monthly fees starting at $3.95. One click installs for all the popular CMS (including WordPress, of course!) Highly recommended!
Dreamhost
Ever since I started making a living from blogging back in 2008 I’ve been using Dreamhost’s services and I’ve been extremely pleased with them. They are a bit more expensive than other hosts, but they have amazing features and really good servers even on shared hosting. My websites had spikes of over 50,000 unique users per month and my shared hosting account had no problem dealing with that.
You’ll have to do a bit of tinkering around to install your SSL certificate (or contact their extremely helpful support team), but it’s all worth it! If you really want high quality hosting even on a shared server, definitely choose them. I did and I have no plans to change this!
Siteground
Another extremely popular option among bloggers. Siteground has been growing in popularity over the years and their service only gets better. They have a plethora of options and goodies – just like the other companies listed in this article and they are indeed extremely stable and fast.
The only problem I personally have with Siteground is the fact that they are somewhat more strict whit traffic limitations. This helps keep the speed of websites hosting there at top levels, but it also means that you will have to upgrade once your websites becomes very popular. However, reaching their recommended users per month limit of 25,000 (for the cheapest hosting option) will still take some time in most cases, so you can consider them safe to use. And most likely, once your blog surpasses that number, you’ll afford the more expensive options without a problem!
A2 Hosting
I’ve recently discovered them and I am extremely pleased with them. Very cheap indeed and offering great features and super speeds, they are slowly becoming one of my favorites. I know you rarely hear them mentioned around, but they’re really good.
One of the things that I really like about A2Hosting is the fact that they also have built a plugin that optimizes your WordPress install with many features. Complete and perfect, I’d call it!
The SSL integration is also extremely easy to implement: just a click and you’re all set – nothing else required on your side, which is always a bonus. Definitely a company worth checking out. I am extremely satisfied with them!
Cloudways
This is a hosting service for more advanced websites or those in need of some extra firepower. They are a bit more expensive than the options we have on this list, but they offer an amazing service and ultra fast website speed. You can also opt for various cloud hosting platforms: Digital Ocean is the base one, but they also have Amazon Web Services, Vultr or Google cloud platform.
Really high quality here, even though it’s a bit more expensive. But you know that you’re paying for quality and that’s all that matters! Of course, if you’re just starting up, you can easily start with a different provider which offers good service at a lower cost.
Webhosting Pad
I left Webhosting Pad for last place because I haven’t personally tried their services yet. But I’ve been talking with people who have in the past and who were really satisfied with what they offer. They consider them reliable and secure hosts, but decent speeds and more than decent prices.
In order to get free SSL certificates from them, you will have to sign for a Power Plan Plus package which is a bit more expensive than what they offer (but still cheap at $4.99 per month). For that price, you get Unlimited websites, bandwidth and hosting space. You also get one free domain as well as free site transfer.
A lot of freebies and goodies, so you definitely have to check them out. Don’t forget that it’s the Power Plan Plus package that you need for free SSL!
Why do you need a SSL Certificate (aka https hosting)
Until very recently, plain http was more than enough for most of the website on the internet. https offer a secure connection, meaning that the data transferred between two applications (like an user visiting your website and the website itself) is private and secure.
This was a requirement for most ecommerce websites out there, but Google soon decided that the extra security doesn’t hurt. WordPress decided to follow them and decided to make SSL connections obligatory for their websites starting 2017 (although this requirement wasn’t implemented yet at the moment of writing this article).
Technical reasons aside, what matters the most for a blog or website owner is this: you need a SSL Certificate in order to rank better on Google. The giant search engine which is responsible for generating the most search engine traffic to English websites worldwide will give websites with SSL connections a boost over the ones who don’t have https enabled.
Even more, some suggest that Google will actually start penalizing websites not using https, while the “Connection not secure” messages and other potential warnings might actually keep users away from your website.
So, if you want to stay competitive, if you want your website to rank better in the search engines and visitors to keep coming to your website, you need a SSL certificate and https.
Free SSL Certificates vs Paid Ones
Many believe that paid SSL certificates are better than free ones, but that is not necessarily the case. Especially if you’re running a basic website or blog and you don’t sell anything – nor you collect credit card information, it’s usually easier to run a free SSL certificate to get your https and green padlock.
Paid SSL certificates offer the same thing: a private connection between users and your website, but offer greater liability protection, as well as extended validation. For example, a paid SSL certificate can be valid for one year or more, while the popular free SSL certificate from Let’s Encrypt has to be renewed every 90 days. However, since the latter is managed and automatically installed by the recommended hosts above, you don’t really have to worry about this.
Basically, if you’re running an eCommerce store or any other type of business that requires the extra bits and added security information that users receive, it’s better to go with a paid SSL certificate provider. But if you’re running a blog or informational website, a Free SSL certificate should work just as fine, without any potential penalties from the search engines.
Do you know other companies that offer free SSL certificates that are easy to implement? If so, let us know in the comment section below and we’ll make sure to check them out and recommend if we consider them good enough to be featured on this list!