11 Best: Web Hosting With Free SSL Certificate (Feb. 2024)

Best Web Hosting With Free Ssl

When safeguarding your site and data against attacks, look for the best web hosting with a free SSL certificate.

The feature has become increasingly popular for giving site owners a cost-effective and user-friendly way to show visitors that you’re serious about security.

SSL certificates are no longer a luxury — they’re practically a requirement in this modern age of browsing the internet.

The easiest way to implement HTTPS is by hosting your site with a provider that takes care of the SSL certificate configurations and renewals for you — all without any added cost. Here, we’ll sift through all the options.

Best Overall: Web Hosting With Free SSL Certificate

Although the industry talks about encrypted client-server communications in terms of SSL, the Secure Sockets Layer protocol has been deprecated in favor of the more modern Transport Layer Security. You’ll technically receive a TLS certificate; remember that the SSL naming convention seems to have stuck.

Regardless of the acronym, certificates signal that a website uses HTTPS instead of plain HTTP to protect against security threats. Visually, the presence of an SSL certificate is confirmed and represented in web browsers with a lock icon or green area next to the URL; unsecured sites will often display a red X or the words Not Secure.

Although SSL certificates aren’t the silver bullet against all malicious online attacks, they greatly reduce the risk and are incredibly easy to implement. Look for a hosting provider that emphasizes customer support and well-rounded hosting plans.

For those reasons, Bluehost is our go-to option for all levels of site owners:

1. Bluehost.com

Bluehost Review

Monthly Starting Price $2.95

  • Cheap shared hosting from a trusted provider
  • Ideal for hosting a WordPress website
  • FREE Weebly website builder and Cloudflare CDN
  • Unlimited traffic and 24/7 live chat support
  • Get 75% off today with our Bluehost coupon
  • Get started on Bluehost now.

CHEAP
RATING
4.7 ★★★★★ Our Review

Bluehost: Our Expert’s Review

Ryan Frankel (HostingAdvice.com): Bluehost pricing is about as competitive as the industry offers. Sign up for a shared hosting plan for as little as $2.95 per month, and WordPress hosting packages are consistently priced; a VPS plan starts at around $31.99 per month; and the dedicated hosting rates are as little as $91.98 per month. Go to full review »

Money Back Guarantee Disk Space Domain Name Setup Time
30 days 10 GB SSD – 100 GB SSD FREE (1 year) 5 minutes

See other top hosts »

Cheapest Web Hosting With Free SSL Certificate

Yes, an SSL certificate is yet another factor to consider when starting a new website or shopping around for web hosting services. In addition to components like a domain name, content management system, website builder, solid-state drives, daily backups, and others, SSL certificates are a needed part of running a successful site. Fortunately for exasperated site owners, certificates are included for free with many respectable hosting plans.

Even if you build and operate your website by yourself, you can still expect to spend between $300 and $600 to get up and running. It’s understandable to not want to spend even more on another upgrade.

Although top-tier businesses can expect to spend upward of a few hundred dollars on an Extended Validation (EV) SSL certificate, the vast majority of blogs and online portfolios will be served perfectly by free and low-cost alternatives. With the advent of the Let’s Encrypt certificate authority, anyone can obtain a free SSL certificate that automatically renews every 90 days — removing any configuration headaches and extra time spent on the nitty-gritty details of your site.

Illustration with finger pressing on SSL badge
SSL certificates, more accurately known as TLS certificates, protect communications between a server and a web browser.

To make SSL certificates fast, easy, and painless, we recommend investing in an affordable hosting plan that takes the time to give customers all the help they need to get their site online. In 2016, the ultra-popular cPanel site management portal incorporated Let’s Encrypt certificates into its AutoSSL plugin after it quickly became the highest-voted request from users. So, any web host that offered cPanel quickly became a host that offered free SSL certificates.

That being said, you don’t want to just sign up with the cheapest hosting provider. Do your research into the reputation of your prospective web host, services offered, support channels, and add-on tools that can help your secured site gain even more traction online.

You should also research which type of hosting you need. If you’re building a small site with low traffic, a shared hosting plan may be the perfect fit. These inexpensive plans offer ample resources and often come with a free domain name, free website builder, email account, and other perks looped into your web hosting service. A shared hosting plan is proof you don’t need to shell out hundreds of dollars for a quality web hosting provider.

IONOS represents the cheapest hosting service that doesn’t skimp on quality or included features:

2. IONOS.com

1&1 IONOS Review

Monthly Starting Price $1.00

  • $1/month for 12 months
  • No hidden fees, pay just $12 at checkout
  • Easy setup and 24/7 expert support
  • FREE domain or transfer, plus FREE SSL certificate
  • Unlimited storage and databases with most plans
  • Get started on 1&1 IONOS now.

CHEAP
RATING
4.8 ★★★★★ Our Review

1&1 IONOS: Our Expert’s Review

Alexandra Anderson (HostingAdvice.com): If budget is the main factor on your mind when searching for your next web host, search no more. 1&1 IONOS has an impressive range of robust web hosting and website building packages for what may be the best price we’ve ever seen in the world of hosting. Go to full review »

Money Back Guarantee Disk Space Domain Name Setup Time
30 days 10 GB – Unlimited FREE (1 year) 4 minutes

See other top affordable hosts »

Top Shared Hosting With Free SSL Certificate

On the web hosting spectrum, shared servers represent the tier with the most number of people and the least experience. As a result, much of the marketing and information about SSL certificates is targeted toward this segment of the hosting audience. Although free Let’s Encrypt certificates and others are also available for VPS hosting, reseller, cloud, and dedicated accounts, it’s generally assumed those site administrators will handle configuration themselves, opt for a more expensive certificate, or need to oversee multiple certificates.

Shared hosting customers, whose website is on the same server as hundreds or thousands of other customers, have a variety of certificates to choose from. Shared SSL certificates validate a specific server or IP address and can be used by multiple sites (however, your URL will change to the hostname in the web browser). With so many free and low-cost options for Domain Validated (DV) certificates, however, we encourage site owners to go this route. These protections include only your domain name.

Image of a web browser navigating to an unsecured website
Web browsers will alert users when a site is or is not secured with an SSL certificate.

At the more expensive (and tougher security) end of the SSL gamut, OV certificates connect and authenticate your business name and domain name to ensure you are the site administrator. Sites with EV certificates have gone through a much stricter verification process and, as a result, get the most positive treatment in web browsers and customers’ perceptions.

Expert-recommended shared hosting providers strike the right balance between tight security, helpful customer support, and affordable solutions. To explore the shared hosting packages we endorse, read through our reviews:

3. InMotionHosting.com

InMotion review

Monthly Starting Price $2.29

  • High-quality hosting, no matter the format
  • FREE SSD storage packs 20x the performance
  • FREE SSL certificate and 24/7 support
  • 1-click installs for WordPress and popular CMSes
  • Get started with FREE website transfer service
  • Get started on InMotion Hosting now.

SHARED
RATING
4.8 ★★★★★ Our Review

InMotion: Our Expert’s Review

PJ Fancher (HostingAdvice.com): InMotion Hosting offers an excellent business-class shared hosting plan — with a price tag lower than several other budget hosts. For the IT crowd in the audience, you’ll appreciate SSH access, as well as support for PHP, Ruby, Perl, Python, WP-CLI, and other popular languages. Go to full review »

Money Back Guarantee Disk Space Domain Name Setup Time
90 days 100 GB SSD – Unlimited SSD FREE (1 year) 5 minutes

4. HostGator.com

HostGator review

Monthly Starting Price $2.64

  • Get 74% off monthly pricing
  • A perfect blend of price and performance
  • Intuitive control panel with 1-click CMS installs
  • Unlimited everything — from domains to databases
  • Around-the-clock expert support
  • Get started on HostGator now.

SHARED
RATING
4.6 ★★★★★ Our Review

HostGator: Our Expert’s Review

Ryan Frankel (HostingAdvice.com): HostGator is a great compromise between performance and price. The company offers unlimited emails, MySQL databases, disk space, and bandwidth, plus one-click installs of popular open-source projects, in addition to a 99. Go to full review »

Money Back Guarantee Disk Space Domain Name Setup Time
30 days 10 GB SSD – 40 GB SSD FREE (1 year) 4 minutes

5. SiteGround.com

SiteGround review

Monthly Starting Price $2.99

  • FREE CDN, email, and daily backups
  • Hassle-free website and email migrations
  • Unlimited traffic, databases, and email
  • Industry-leading customer support response times
  • HostingAdvice readers get 86% off
  • Get started on SiteGround now.

SHARED
RATING
4.6 ★★★★★ Our Review

SiteGround: Our Expert’s Review

Alexandra Anderson (HostingAdvice.com): Providing hosting with the perfect balance of technological innovation and superior customer support, SiteGround offers a range of affordable hosting services to meet your needs. In addition to the expected cheap web hosting perks — a free website builder and unlimited bandwidth — the company specializes in custom-built tools to deliver strong and positive user experiences. Go to full review »

Money Back Guarantee Disk Space Domain Name Setup Time
30 days 10 GB SSD – 40 GB SSD New or Transfer 6 minutes

6. Bluehost.com

Bluehost review

Monthly Starting Price $2.95

  • Known for high-performance, low-cost hosting
  • FREE website builder with 1,000s of templates
  • Endorsed by the WordPress.org team as a top host
  • FREE SSL certificate and CDN acceleration
  • Usually $7.99/mo, but our visitors pay $2.95/mo
  • Get started on Bluehost now.

SHARED
RATING
4.5 ★★★★★ Our Review

Bluehost: Our Expert’s Review

Ryan Frankel (HostingAdvice.com): Bluehost pricing is about as competitive as the industry offers. Sign up for a shared hosting plan for as little as $2.95 per month, and WordPress hosting packages are consistently priced; a VPS plan starts at around $31.99 per month; and the dedicated hosting rates are as little as $91.98 per month. Go to full review »

Money Back Guarantee Disk Space Domain Name Setup Time
30 days 10 GB SSD – 100 GB SSD FREE (1 year) 5 minutes

See other top shared hosts »

Top “WordPress & PHP” Hosting With SSL Certificate

Even though WordPress is the galaxy’s most popular content management system, the platform and its underlying programming language can be notoriously vulnerable when not maintained or updated properly. WordPress and PHP are used so frequently across the web that they carry massive targets on their backs — if you can expose a weakness in the WordPress core program, you expose millions of blogs and businesses.

Similarly, PHP does not come out of the box ready for SSL certificates. Many programmers will use a software library, such as the popular OpenSSL, to implement basic cryptographic functions needed for SSL certificates. However, even the open-source library has fallen to attackers, perhaps most notably the Heartbleed security bug that was publicly announced in 2014 that affected 15% of all SSL servers. SSL or TLS vulnerabilities are frustratingly common, and PHP developers should ensure all HTTPS requests are performed using the curl extension.

Now that we’ve scared you with all the doom and gloom, let us part the clouds and enable the sun to shine through. Open-source communities boast millions of developers working to secure all aspects of internet communication, and you can rest easy knowing that the experts handle things. As before, your best move is to align yourself and your online presence with a reputable WordPress hosting provider with the technical resources to keep you and your visitors safe.

When it comes to the best WordPress hosting, these hosts are a safe bet:

6. Bluehost.com

Bluehost Review

Monthly Starting Price $2.95

  • Recommended by WordPress.org since 2005
  • Automatic WordPress updates and initial install
  • FREE WordPress themes in the Bluehost Marketplace
  • 24/7 support via live chat, phone, and email
  • Get exclusive discounts on WordPress plans
  • Get started on Bluehost now.

WORDPRESS
RATING
4.9 ★★★★★ Our Review

Bluehost: Our Expert’s Review

Ryan Frankel (HostingAdvice.com): Bluehost’s WordPress hosting packages are aimed at first-time site owners and personal bloggers. These services come at a premium compared to the standard Bluehost web hosting (basic shared hosting) plans, but the WordPress optimization and platform-specific resources are arguably worth the cost. Go to full review »

Money Back Guarantee Disk Space Domain Name Setup Time
30 days 10 GB SSD – 100 GB SSD FREE (1 year) 7 minutes

7. SiteGround.com

SiteGround Review

Monthly Starting Price $2.99

  • Officially endorsed by WordPress.org
  • FREE migration plugin or automated installation
  • Pre-installed Git, 3 caching levels, and FREE CDN
  • FREE WP setup wizard, staging, and auto-updates
  • Fast, 24/7 support via custom chat system
  • Get started on SiteGround now.

WORDPRESS
RATING
4.9 ★★★★★ Our Review

SiteGround: Our Expert’s Review

Alexandra Anderson (HostingAdvice.com): Want a hassle-free, WordPress-optimized hosting service. SiteGround has thought of everything you need to get your site up and running. Go to full review »

Money Back Guarantee Disk Space Domain Name Setup Time
30 days 10 GB SSD – 40 GB SSD New or Transfer 6 minutes

8. Hostinger.com

Hostinger Review

Monthly Starting Price $2.49

  • 1-click WP install, PHP 7+, HTTP/2, and NGINX
  • All-in-one security protections from BitNinja
  • WordPress optimizations boost performance
  • No price markup for WordPress services
  • Daily backups and FREE SSL certificate
  • Get started on Hostinger now.

WORDPRESS
RATING
4.9 ★★★★★ Our Review

Hostinger: Our Expert’s Review

Laura Bernheim (HostingAdvice.com): As much as we love WordPress, one of our biggest pet peeves is when hosting providers exploit the popularity of the world’s most-used content management system by offering so-called WordPress hosting that, in reality, is exactly the same as the host’s shared server plans. Fortunately, Hostinger’s ultra-fast infrastructure and easy access to SSL certificates and backups sets up the company to outperform the vast majority of the violators of our admittedly made-up rule. Go to full review »

Money Back Guarantee Disk Space Domain Name Setup Time
30 days 100 GB SSD – 200 GB NVMe FREE (1 year) 4 minutes

See other top WordPress hosts »

Best Free Web Hosting With SSL Certificate

To us, free web hosting is only a temporary solution or a chance to test out a new platform — not a permanent solution. Online security and the infrastructure delivering your website are not places to cut corners, particularly when those decisions could harm your readers and customers.

While those free hosting plans frequently scale back the number and scope of available features, however, SSL certificates often survive the cuts. Because shared SSL certificates work at a server level, instead of the domain level, your site will reside on infrastructure that already follows security best practices for other customers. You’ll almost assuredly be relegated to subdomain status (yoursite.hostname.com instead of yoursite.com), but you will meet the basic HTTPS requirements.

Platforms that offer free hosting plans, which are particularly common in the website builder market, can be a good stepping stone to creating an online store. The emphasis on simplifying the site creation process extends to configuring product listings, managing shopping carts, and processing payment and shipping information.

SSL certificates are especially critical for eCommerce operations, as customers trust that brand to keep them safe. An EV or Operational Validation (OV) SSL certificate is required for compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) regulations that enforce secure online transactions and payment processing. Many eCommerce platforms outsource this step to gateways, such as Square, PayPal, or Stripe, that take care of your specialized security.

Although we don’t recommend operating your store out of a free hosting plan, the three options below will help you get started designing your site and online store before upgrading to your own domain name with your web hosting company:

9. Wix.com

Wix Review

Monthly Starting Price $0.00

  • Start designing for FREE
  • FREE domain with most plans
  • Drag-and-drop templates, specific to industry
  • Exhaustive knowledgebase of articles
  • Huge app market available
  • Get started on Wix now.

CHEAP
RATING
4.8 ★★★★★ Our Review

Wix: Our Expert’s Review

Alexandra Anderson (HostingAdvice.com): Wix is known as a web-leading site builder service that’s one of the most affordable — because getting started is absolutely free and about as easy as processes get. You can log in via Facebook or your Gmail account and be editing your new web property within minutes. Go to full review »

Money Back Guarantee Disk Space Domain Name Setup Time
14-day FREE trial 2 GB – Unlimited FREE (1 year) 4 minutes

10. Weebly.com

Weebly Review

Monthly Starting Price $0.00

  • All-in-one hosting and drag-and-drop builder
  • Start designing for FREE, upgrade whenever
  • Easily build a blog, personal site, or online store
  • 100s of FREE templates for websites
  • $100 credit toward Google advertising
  • Get started on Weebly now.

CHEAP
RATING
4.6 ★★★★★ Our Review

Weebly: Our Expert’s Review

Alexandra Anderson (HostingAdvice.com): Weebly is a well-known name in the cheap shared hosting space — not necessarily due to competitive pricing but because several of the web’s leading low-cost hosting providers have opted to include Weebly software for free, adding value to their existing offerings. It’s worth noting Weebly does offer a free plan, but websites are found on a Weebly subdomain and display Weebly advertising. Go to full review »

Money Back Guarantee Disk Space Domain Name Setup Time
30 days 500 MB – Unlimited FREE (w/ paid plans) 3 minutes

More on free hosts with SSL included »

What is an SSL Certificate?

Imagine going to a doctor’s office. It’s a nice place, and the waiting room is fairly crowded. As you’re filling out your forms, though, you realize the office’s letterhead is for Miss Jane Doe instead of Dr. Jane Doe. Hmm.

You get called back for your appointment and realize there aren’t any diplomas on the wall. When you return to the front office to pay, the receptionist reads off your credit card number loud enough for the folks in the waiting room to hear.

The situation may seem a little far-fetched, but it illustrates the impression you give visitors when your website doesn’t adequately protect them or meet general security standards. SSL certificates are the first step toward safeguarding sensitive information and signaling that your site is trustworthy.

secure website and an unsecure website URL
An SSL certificate shows your website visitors that your site has a safe, private connection.

HTTPS ensures a private, authenticated connection to a website’s server. Interactions between a visitor and the website, such as filling out a form, are encrypted and prevent attackers from eavesdropping or tampering with the information. That’s why SSL certificates are becoming increasingly necessary to gain and hold customer trust.

Even though 85% of consumers shopped online in 2016, research from the NCC Group showed only 20% said they felt very secure doing so. Nearly two-thirds of shoppers think an online data breach will compromise their financial information within a year, and roughly 30% said they would not revisit a website or open emails from an organization that had been breached.

Given these consumer attitudes, it’s essential to pick the best web hosting service to protect your site visitors’ information and your reputation.

What are the Benefits of Using an SSL Certificate?

A few years ago, Google announced its intentions to notify web users when they visited an unsecured site. SSL certificates have been around for more than a decade, and the news shined a light on the urgency to protect sensitive online information.

Since the original proclamation, Chrome and other browsers have increasingly and gradually upped the ante. Secure websites commonly display a lock or other indicator, while those still using the HTTP protocol are increasingly hit with visual penalties and SEO consequences.

Implementing an SSL certificate comes with many perks and benefits, ranging from increased customer trust and eCommerce sales to improved security and positioning in search results.

bar chart with SEO icons
SSL certificates boost your website’s search engine rankings.

Whether you’re browsing the internet or operating your own site, the encryption gained by HTTPS protects passwords, credit card numbers, addresses, names, and other personal information. That data is delivered directly to the authenticated site — not an attacker intercepting the communications as part of a man-in-the-middle exploit.

Security is especially important to small and medium-sized businesses, as 43% of cyberattacks are aimed at this segment. Although larger organizations represent a bigger potential windfall to the criminals, they tend to have more resources to devote to security.

Small businesses and freelancers, on the other hand, are spread thin trying to keep up with both business goals and website maintenance and are less experienced in technology developments and online security. By partnering with one of the best web hosting companies above, you’re taking the necessary steps to protect your site visitors’ data.

Regardless of what type of site you’re creating or what hosting plan you need, the time to switch to HTTPS is now. Why not do it for free?

Advertiser Disclosure

HostingAdvice.com is a free online resource that offers valuable content and comparison services to users. To keep this resource 100% free, we receive compensation from many of the offers listed on the site. Along with key review factors, this compensation may impact how and where products appear across the site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). HostingAdvice.com does not include the entire universe of available offers. Editorial opinions expressed on the site are strictly our own and are not provided, endorsed, or approved by advertisers.

Our Editorial Review Policy

Our site is committed to publishing independent, accurate content guided by strict editorial guidelines. Before articles and reviews are published on our site, they undergo a thorough review process performed by a team of independent editors and subject-matter experts to ensure the content’s accuracy, timeliness, and impartiality. Our editorial team is separate and independent of our site’s advertisers, and the opinions they express on our site are their own. To read more about our team members and their editorial backgrounds, please visit our site’s About page.