Wildcard SSL vs Multi-domain SSL

Wildcard Domain SSL Certificate

A Wildcard Domain SSL Certificate, also known as a Wildcard SSL Certificate, can protect a domain and all its subdomains with a single certificate. This type of SSL certificate is widely used and suitable for corporate websites, e-commerce sites, blogs, etc., with many subdomains under the same domain. Subdomain sites can be added for free an unlimited number of times during the certificate's validity period, meaning the more subdomain sites, the higher the cost-effectiveness.

Multi-Domain SSL Certificate

The Multi-Domain SSL Certificate is the most flexible among all SSL certificates, as it can protect multiple independent domains, whether they are main domains or subdomains. If a company needs to protect multiple subdomains simultaneously or needs to protect multiple different domains at once, using a Multi-Domain SSL Certificate can enhance the website's security and credibility. However, the Multi-Domain SSL Certificate by default protects 3-5 domain records. If more protection is required, additional fees may apply. While a Wildcard Domain SSL Certificate allows for free domain additions, the added domains must be subdomains under the same domain.

Conclusion

By comparing wildcard HTTPS certificate and multi-domain HTTPS certificate, we can see that each type of HTTPS certificate has its own advantages and disadvantages. When choosing the right certificate, it is necessary to consider the actual needs. If your website needs to protect multiple different domain names at the same time, or needs to manage multiple domain names in one certificate, then the multi-domain HTTPS certificate may be more suitable for you; if you only need to protect one domain and all its subdomains, then the wildcard HTTPS certificate may be more suitable for you.