Start with free SSL. Choose extras only when you need them.
Hosting.com free SSL is included on its current offering. Set up HTTPS carefully and avoid paying for features your website does not require.
Compare Hosting.com plans →Affiliate disclosure: We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases through our affiliate links, at no additional cost to you. Research reviewed October 16, 2026. This is a documentation-based guide, not an account-level SSL test.
Quick answer
Hosting.com advertises free automatic Let’s Encrypt SSL. First check that it covers your website’s hostname. Then verify secure page resources, WordPress URLs and redirects. Paid SSL is an optional decision based on your business requirements.
Check the selected service and hostname.
Buy for a documented requirement.
Test pages, forms and secure resources.
Monitor renewals and DNS changes.
Does Hosting.com include free SSL?
Yes. Hosting.com’s current global SSL page says websites receive an automatic free Let’s Encrypt certificate, with paid certificates offered as optional upgrades. That is the starting point for a typical blog, portfolio or small business website. Check the product attached to your account if you are on a legacy service or moving from another platform.
A certificate and a working HTTPS website are related, but separate checks. The certificate needs to cover the hostname visitors use. Your application also needs to load its resources securely and send people to the preferred HTTPS address. A free certificate does not resolve every WordPress configuration problem automatically.
Before adding a paid certificate at checkout, identify the requirement it would meet. Many content websites simply need a valid domain certificate and dependable renewal. A business with a documented identity-validation requirement may have a different purchasing brief. Our Hosting.com review covers the broader hosting decision.
Free SSL vs paid SSL: what are you paying for?
The practical distinction is the validation and coverage you require. Domain validation checks control of a name. Organization and extended validation add business identity checks. Coverage also matters: the main domain, a subdomain and a different domain are separate names that must be included appropriately.
For a new affiliate blog, start by checking the included certificate. A paid product should solve a specific business need, such as an organization’s procurement requirement or a chosen multi-name certificate arrangement. Do not assume a larger certificate price makes every part of your website safer.
A certificate warranty has eligibility rules and does not replace your own backups, security maintenance or business insurance. Read the issuer’s actual terms if warranty coverage influences the decision. Also compare issuance, installation, renewal responsibility and the support you receive, rather than choosing from a large warranty number alone.
Which option fits your website?
A personal blog, review site or freelancer portfolio usually needs straightforward encrypted access and a consistent domain setup. Confirm that the included certificate covers the public address, then spend your attention on updates, access control and recovery. Those tasks remain necessary regardless of the certificate you select.
For an online store, check the requirements of your payment provider, business policies and hosting arrangement. Free domain-validated TLS can encrypt a connection; buying a paid certificate does not automatically establish payment compliance. Document the requirements first and ask the relevant provider when a rule is unclear.
For an agency, inventory the names used by each client before buying anything. A dashboard, store and public marketing website may have different hostnames. Choose a manageable certificate arrangement with clear renewal ownership. If you are comparing providers, our Bluehost vs Hosting.com comparison adds context beyond SSL.
Choose the plan around your whole website
Compare resources, backups, support and the recurring bill alongside the included SSL. Check the selected term and final total before purchasing.
Compare Hosting.com plans →Before setup: record your domain and recovery details
Write down the exact address you want visitors to use, including whether it starts with www. Also list any subdomains needed for the website. A certificate for one name does not prove that every other name is covered. Open the address you actually advertise when checking the result.
Identify where DNS is managed and which hosting service should receive the traffic. Take a record of the existing website records before a planned change. Keep mail records separate from website changes so an HTTPS task does not accidentally become an email outage. Our Hosting.com email guide explains the account planning questions.
Create a recoverable backup before changing application URLs or redirect rules. A small setting change can affect access to WordPress administration as well as the public website. Save the current configuration and know how support can help restore access. Use our Hosting.com backup guide to plan the recovery copy.
Step 1: check the certificate for the correct site
Sign in through Hosting.com’s official customer portal and select the correct service and website. Find the SSL or security controls documented for that product. Menu names can differ between current and older platforms, so use the instructions for your actual account rather than assuming every panel looks like cPanel.
If your account uses cPanel, its SSL/TLS Status interface is the relevant starting point. The cPanel documentation describes viewing domain certificate status and running AutoSSL where the host makes that function available. Check the selected domains and any reported validation result; do not repeatedly start duplicate jobs.
If the account uses a different dashboard, use its supported certificate workflow or ask Hosting.com support to confirm issuance. Record the affected hostname, visible error and time of the check. That gives support a clear starting point and avoids unnecessary certificate purchases while the real issue is being investigated.
Step 2: resolve domain validation problems
A certificate authority needs to verify control of the requested domain. If issuance fails, check that the domain is active, attached to the intended website and routed as required by the chosen validation method. A recently changed record may still be resolving differently in different places.
Read the actual validation error before editing records. An old IPv6 record, an incorrect destination or an unsuitable certificate authority authorization record can require different fixes. These are general troubleshooting possibilities, not a diagnosis of your account. Ask support which record or challenge is failing before changing a working configuration.
Avoid switching nameservers solely because a certificate has not appeared immediately. Nameservers control more than the website and can affect email or other services. If a DNS change is needed, change the specific relevant record using your provider’s instructions and verify the result. Keep a record of what changed and when.
Step 3: verify HTTPS before forcing redirects
Open the exact HTTPS address directly in a fresh browser session. Check that the certificate is trusted for that hostname and that the expected website loads. If a browser presents a certificate warning, investigate the name, validity and installation rather than telling visitors to bypass it.
Test both the preferred address and any alternative address you plan to redirect. For example, a visitor may arrive through a saved www link even if your main address has no www. The secure connection is established before an HTTPS redirect can be followed, so coverage for the incoming HTTPS name matters.
Only after direct HTTPS works should you enforce the preferred scheme and hostname. Use the supported hosting or application mechanism and keep the rule understandable. Several overlapping redirect controls make failures harder to diagnose. Keep your previous settings so you can undo the last change if the site stops loading.
Step 4: update WordPress URLs carefully
Review WordPress Address and Site Address using the method appropriate to your installation. A standard installation often uses the same public HTTPS base for both, but installations in a subdirectory or other customized setups can differ. Follow the actual site configuration rather than copying another website’s values.
Old absolute HTTP references can remain inside content, menus, theme settings or page-builder data after the main address changes. Use a WordPress-aware migration process that preserves structured values. Back up the database and preview replacements before applying them. Do not run an indiscriminate text replacement across unrelated domains.
Reopen administration, the homepage and several deep pages after the change. Check media, menus, search and contact forms. If you use a staging copy to test the update, follow our Hosting.com staging guide and protect current live content when deploying the approved settings.
How to fix mixed content after SSL activation
An HTTPS page can still refer to an image, script, stylesheet or other resource through HTTP. Browsers may block or upgrade those requests depending on the resource and context. An installed certificate therefore does not prove that every item loaded by the page is configured correctly.
Use the browser’s developer tools to identify the specific insecure request. Check its source in the page, theme, plugin or external service. Update the source to a valid HTTPS resource where supported, then test that the resource still loads. Replacing an unavailable resource may be necessary when its provider offers no secure endpoint.
Clear the relevant site and CDN caches after fixing the source, then recheck the affected page. Test more than the homepage: older posts, embedded forms and custom landing pages may contain different resources. Keep a short list of resolved requests so you can distinguish a remaining problem from an old cached result.
What to do about too many redirects
A redirect loop means requests keep circulating instead of reaching a final page. In a hosting setup, compare the application’s public URL, hosting redirect settings and any proxy rules together. Follow one sample URL through its redirects to see where the direction reverses.
Restore the most recent change if it introduced the failure, then investigate one control at a time. Adding another plugin or redirect rule without understanding the existing chain can hide the original problem. Keep the intended outcome simple: each old public address should reach the selected live HTTPS destination.
If a CDN or reverse proxy sits in front of the host, confirm the supported TLS configuration for the complete connection path. A certificate at the visitor-facing edge is not evidence that the origin is configured correctly. Ask the providers to review their respective connection settings rather than experimenting with weaker encryption modes.
Keep SSL working after a migration
Plan certificate issuance as part of the move, alongside DNS, files, databases and application settings. Do not assume the old host’s certificate will be transferred automatically with the website files. Ask the destination host when the certificate can be issued and which checks must pass before traffic switches.
After the move, verify the public hostname from a fresh session and check the certificate served by the destination. Test a deep page, a media URL and an important form. If a proxy remains in place, confirm that it reaches the intended origin and that the origin’s secure connection is valid.
Keep the former environment available for the agreed transition period while you verify website and email delivery. Use our Hosting.com migration checklist for the wider transfer process. An SSL check is one acceptance test within a complete migration, not proof that every business service has moved successfully.
Renewal: what to monitor after launch
Automatic certificate management reduces manual work, but you should still notice renewal failures before visitors do. Keep the domain registration current, preserve the required validation setup and make sure the responsible person receives service notifications. Review the website after major DNS, proxy or hosting changes.
Do not confuse certificate renewal with the hosting or domain bill. The included SSL feature and the paid hosting subscription are different parts of the service. Our Hosting.com renewal price guide helps you examine the recurring hosting commitment without treating free SSL as free hosting.
When comparing plans, record who handles issuance, troubleshooting and renewal. A low introductory rate is less useful if the account lacks the resources or workflow your site needs. Review storage, backups, migration and support together, then choose the smallest plan that meets the complete requirement.
What SSL does not do for your business
HTTPS protects data in transit between connection endpoints. It does not assess whether your content is truthful, patch an outdated plugin or recover a deleted database. Keep separate controls for those problems and avoid presenting a secure connection indicator as proof that a business is trustworthy.
For an affiliate site, verify outbound destinations and disclosure placement as part of normal publishing. For a lead generation site, confirm forms deliver to the correct inbox. For a store, test the checkout using the payment provider’s supported method. These functional checks are separate from the certificate status.
A useful hosting purchase supports the whole operating routine: reliable updates, suitable resources, recoverable backups and responsive help. SSL is a necessary baseline for a modern public website, but it should be one item in your evaluation. Spend on a paid certificate only when its documented features meet a real requirement.
Compare the decision before checkout
| Requirement | Starting point | Confirm first |
|---|---|---|
| Blog or portfolio | Included domain certificate | Correct hostname and renewal |
| Business identity policy | Evaluate OV or EV | Required validation and documents |
| Several hostnames | Review coverage options | Names and renewal ownership |
Your final HTTPS checklist
- Confirm the exact public hostname and certificate coverage.
- Verify direct HTTPS access without a browser warning.
- Check HTTP and alternative hostname redirects.
- Resolve insecure page resources.
- Test mobile pages, forms, login and checkout where applicable.
- Keep backups and renewal notifications available.
Frequently asked questions
Does Hosting.com include free SSL?
Its current global SSL page advertises an automatic free Let’s Encrypt certificate. Confirm the exact service if you have a legacy account or an unusual hosting arrangement.
Do I need paid SSL for a WordPress blog?
Usually the included domain certificate is the appropriate starting point. Consider a paid certificate when a documented identity, coverage or business requirement calls for one.
Why is my website still showing a warning?
Check the hostname, certificate status and the exact browser message. Certificate validation, an incorrect destination and insecure resources are different issues with different fixes.
Can SSL fix a hacked website?
No. You need a separate investigation and cleanup process. A valid encrypted connection does not remove compromised files or replace software maintenance.
Should I buy SSL before moving my website?
Ask the destination host how the included certificate will be issued and verified during the move. Plan the transition before changing traffic, and purchase an extra product only for an identified requirement.
Is this a hands-on Hosting.com SSL test?
No. This is a public-documentation guide with a general troubleshooting checklist. We did not activate a certificate in a customer account for this article.
Ready to compare hosting?
Review current plan inclusions and the full recurring cost. If you already have working SSL, upgrade only when another verified requirement justifies the expense.
Compare Hosting.com plans →Prepared for MentorsReview readers comparing hosting features and practical website setup. Product claims are grounded in the official sources below; setup advice is general and must match your actual account.
Sources and research method
Reviewed October 16, 2026. Provider claims can change, and legacy products may differ. We reviewed public documentation; we did not issue a Hosting.com certificate or benchmark the service for this guide.
