Just what is the difference between DV, OV, and EV and which one should you choose? We know, it can be confusing but we can hopefully clear things up!

DV stands for Domain Validated and that is exactly what it sounds like – your domain is validated to be yours (or you have authorization to request a SSL for it) and that’s it. This is the most basic type of SSL and it’s issued nearly instantly. It offers good baseline protection, and helps secure communications between the server and your visitor. We also offer FREE SSL certificates from Let’s Encrypt on all of our shared hosting servers. These are DV certificates and carry no warranty, but offer the same encryption protection.

OV stands for Organization Validated and this means the company issuing the certificate will check into your organization. For instance, are you a registered company; Does your address exist and does your business reside there; Does your phone number actually go to your business; among other criteria. This cert can take 1-4 days to issue.

EV stands for Extended Validation and this has the most checks. They will scan your domain for malware, check your organization, and many other checks. This certificate can take up to 14 days to be issued. It’s also the most expensive because of the labor required to perform all these checks.