SSL certificates encrypt the connection between your website and your visitors' browsers, protecting sensitive data and boosting SEO.
Free SSL (Let's Encrypt)
- Included free with all hosting plans
- Automatically installed and renewed every 90 days
- Provides the same encryption strength as paid certificates
- Recommended for most websites
Paid SSL Certificates
- Domain Validation (DV) — Basic encryption, issued in minutes
- Organization Validation (OV) — Verifies business identity, better for e-commerce
- Extended Validation (EV) — Highest trust level, displays organization name in browser
- Wildcard SSL — Covers unlimited subdomains (*.yourdomain.com)
Installing SSL
- Log in to DirectAdmin.
- Navigate to Account Manager > SSL Certificates.
- For free SSL, click Free & Automatic Certificate from Let's Encrypt.
- Select your domain and click Save.
Tip: After installing SSL, set up a redirect from HTTP to HTTPS to ensure all visitors use the secure connection. See our guide on Forcing HTTPS.
SSL is essential for any website that collects user data, processes payments, or wants to rank well in search engines.