OV SSL vs EV SSL — Which Type of Certificate Should You Choose?

OV SSL vs EV SSL. Purchasing the “right” SSL certificate is a little bit more complicated than some of the hosting providers may have you believe. That’s largely owed to the fact they’re trying to sell you on a certain type or validation level that they’re likely getting good pricing on. It’s a resale opportunity. Everyone is trying to sell you something. Remember that.

In a general sense, we’re no different — after all, we’re ultimately trying to sell you on the best bang for your buck. However, we’re trying to provide a service by educating you so you can make the best, most informed decision in the process. SSL is not monolithic — there are different types of certificates for different use cases and different validation levels for asserting different levels of identity. It’s essential that you know how to choose the right certificate to meet your needs.

No two websites are the same. If you’re running a site to host your Dungeons & Dragons game results for posterity, you probably aren’t concerned with putting a big “My name is…” sticker in your users’ address bars. But if you’re a new business with a new site in a crowded industry — asserting identity is critical.

How Do I Choose Between OV SSL vs EV SSL? What to Know

Asserting identity is for websites that find themselves in that latter category that organization validation (OV) and extended validation (EV) SSL certificates make the most sense. So, in this article we’re going to compare SSL certificates EV vs. OV — we’ll take a look at how both OV SSL and EV SSL work and will discuss what type of SSL certificate might make the most sense for you.

Organization Validation SSL Certificates

OV SSL is the OG SSL — initially it was the only game in town. This was a time before server name indication (SNI) allowed for multiple certificates to be used on the same IP address. Each website needed its own dedicated IP and the organization that wanted the certificate had to undergo a light business vetting prior to issuance.

That’s still largely true to this day. OV SSL certificates are the only ones that can secure IP addresses. When they’re installed on a server, they provide verified organizational information in the certificate details that can be viewed through users’ browsers (by clicking the padlock). It takes about one to three business days for an OV SSL certificate to get issued due to the vetting process.

They’re ideal for large enterprise networks and for use with wildcard certificates where EV isn’t an option.

Top OV Certificates of 2021

Extended Validation SSL Certificates

EV SSL asserts the maximum amount of identity. In return for undergoing a rigorous business vetting, EV SSL certificates afford websites special browser treatment. Your organization’s name will display in browsers’ address bars. This form of identification is unmistakable and unfakable. When visitors see an EV address bar, they know they’re guaranteed to be in the right place.

And while we say rigorous, what we really mean is thorough. For any legitimate business, this is just a matter of due diligence on the part of the CA and can be completed within a few days. EV SSL certificates are advisable for any websites that collect personal or financial information, regardless of industry. Though banking and healthcare organizations are generally advised to use EV as a matter of best practice (and in some jurisdictions, compliance).

OV SSL vs EV SSL: What’s the Better Choice?

Generally, if a website is public facing, we suggest using an EV SSL certificate. This inspires the most trust and provides the most protection against phishing. For non-public domains, OV SSL still provides a strong level of authentication without the benefit of the EV name bar.

Regardless of what validation level you choose, make sure you don’t overpay. Nobody sells SSL certificates for lower prices than we do. We guarantee it.