Securing your website with an SSL certificate is crucial, but if you’re using GoDaddy’s shared hosting, your options for free certificates might seem limited. The information you find on GoDaddy’s site often guides you towards their paid certificates, especially if you’re not managing your own server configurations.
For users on GoDaddy shared hosting seeking a free alternative to GoDaddy’s SSL offerings, CertSage presents a strong solution. CertSage is a user-friendly PHP script designed to simplify the process of installing free SSL certificates from Let’s Encrypt. Specifically optimized for control panels, it offers an easy webpage interface, eliminating the need for complex command-line interactions or root access.
However, CertSage, in its current form, requires manual renewal. This means every couple of months, you’ll need to log in and perform a few clicks for each domain to update the certificate. While the developer is planning to add automation features in the future, currently, renewals are a semi-manual process.
This semi-manual approach has varying appeal. Some users appreciate the hands-on aspect, ensuring they are aware of their site’s security status and that everything is functioning correctly during each renewal. They see the short manual renewal process as a worthwhile trade-off for free SSL. Conversely, others find the idea of manual renewals less appealing, concerned that missing a renewal could lead to website downtime and security warnings for visitors if they are not vigilant.
Beyond CertSage, your other primary choices include embracing GoDaddy’s paid SSL certificate services. GoDaddy offers to handle certificate issuance and management for a fee, providing a more automated and hands-off approach. Alternatively, you could consider switching your web hosting provider entirely. Many hosting providers now include free Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates as a standard feature, often with automatic renewal, simplifying the entire process of securing your domain.
Each option has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Choosing the best path depends on your technical comfort level, budget, and preference for automation versus manual control in managing your GoDaddy domain’s SSL certificate.
