SSL Certificate Types India 2026 — DV, OV, EV: Which Do You Need?
By HostStack Editorial · · All posts
SSL certificates enable HTTPS (the padlock in your browser) and encrypt data between your website and visitors. There are several types, but for most Indian websites the answer is simple: the free certificate from Let's Encrypt is sufficient. Here is when each type is relevant.
The 3 SSL certificate validation types
1. DV (Domain Validated) — free, sufficient for most
DV SSL verifies that you control the domain. It issues in minutes and is free via Let's Encrypt (what HostStack AutoSSL provides). It shows the padlock and encrypts all traffic. Indistinguishable from paid certificates in browsers.
Use for: Business websites, blogs, WooCommerce stores, portfolios, SaaS applications. Trusted by all browsers, payment gateways, and email clients.
2. OV (Organisation Validated) — paid, for institutional trust
OV SSL verifies your company's legal existence by checking government registries. Takes 1–3 days. Costs ₹2,000–8,000/year. The company name appears in the certificate details (view by clicking the padlock → Certificate).
Use for: Companies that need to demonstrate corporate identity to B2B clients who inspect certificates, certain government procurement requirements, or internal corporate policy requirements.
3. EV (Extended Validation) — expensive, rarely needed
EV SSL requires the most verification — legal existence, address, phone number, and operational presence. Takes 3–7 days. Costs ₹8,000–25,000/year. Previously showed a green company name bar in browsers, but Chrome, Firefox, and Safari removed this display. EV certificates now look identical to DV in most browsers.
Use for: Financial institutions, banks, or companies whose specific compliance requirements mandate EV SSL by policy. For most businesses, EV provides zero visible benefit to website visitors.
Wildcard vs single-domain vs multi-domain SSL
| Type | Covers | India cost |
|---|---|---|
| Single domain | yourdomain.in only | Free (Let's Encrypt) |
| Wildcard (*.domain.in) | All subdomains | Free via Let's Encrypt DNS |
| Multi-domain (SAN) | Multiple different domains | ₹3,000–15,000/yr |
The honest answer for Indian businesses
For 99% of Indian websites:
- Use free Let's Encrypt DV SSL via cPanel AutoSSL
- It installs automatically, renews automatically every 90 days
- Identical encryption strength to paid certificates
- Accepted by all Indian payment gateways (Razorpay, PayU, CCAvenue)
- No annual renewal fee
Do not pay ₹3,000–25,000/year for a paid SSL certificate unless your specific industry compliance requires it or your CA explicitly tells you DV is insufficient.
Frequently asked questions
What SSL do I need for an Indian business website?
Free DV SSL via Let's Encrypt (included with HostStack hosting via AutoSSL). Provides HTTPS, padlock, and full encryption. Identical to paid certificates for all practical purposes.
Is Let's Encrypt safe for Indian ecommerce?
Yes. Used by millions of ecommerce sites. Razorpay, PayU, and CCAvenue all work with Let's Encrypt. The encryption level is identical to paid Comodo or DigiCert certificates.
What is the difference between DV, OV, and EV SSL?
DV: verifies domain control, free, instant. OV: verifies company existence, paid, takes days. EV: maximum verification, expensive, no longer shows green company name in modern browsers. DV is sufficient for most Indian websites.