Wildcard SSL or Standard Certificate: Which to Choose

An SSL certificate encrypts traffic between a visitor and your site, turning http into https. But once you run several subdomains — blog.example.com, shop.example.com, api.example.com — a question appears: one certificate for all of them, or a separate one for each? That is the choice between a Wildcard and a standard (single-domain) certificate.

What a standard certificate covers

A standard certificate covers exactly one domain, usually example.com and www.example.com. Add a new subdomain and it is unprotected, so visitors see a warning. For a site with a single hostname this is perfectly enough and the cheapest option. If you are unsure how https works at all, start with our guide to SSL and HTTPS.

What Wildcard SSL covers

A Wildcard certificate is issued for *.example.com and automatically covers every first-level subdomain, no matter how many you create. It does not cover a different root domain or second-level subdomains such as a.b.example.com. It shines when you plan to grow: you add new subdomains without buying and installing a new certificate each time.

When each one pays off

• One site, no subdomains — a standard (or free Let's Encrypt) certificate is enough.
• A few rarely changing subdomains — a SAN/multi-domain certificate with an explicit list works.
• Many subdomains or frequent changes — Wildcard saves time and money.

Whatever the type, enable an HSTS header for permanent HTTPS and make sure you have no mixed content problem breaking the padlock. Our WordPress hosting plans include free SSL, with Wildcard available as an add-on. See the details on the plans page.

Frequently asked questions

Is free Let's Encrypt enough? For most sites, yes; it even offers a Wildcard variant via DNS validation. Paid certificates add a warranty and support.

Does Wildcard slow the site down? No. The certificate type does not affect speed, only which domains it covers.