Hey there, WordPress user! Are you looking to secure your website with SSL but don‘t want to break the bank? You‘re in the right place. In this ultimate guide, I‘ll walk you through exactly how to get a free SSL certificate for your WordPress site and configure HTTPS properly.
But first, let‘s talk about why SSL is so crucial these days…
Why Every WordPress Site Needs SSL in 2023
An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate encrypts the connection between your website and your visitors‘ browsers. This protects sensitive information like login credentials, personal data, and payment details from being intercepted by hackers.
But SSL does way more than boosting security. It‘s also critical for:
🔍 SEO – Google has used HTTPS as a positive ranking signal since 2014. Sites with SSL tend to outrank those without, all else being equal.
🛒 Ecommerce – Would you buy from a site that‘s not secure? Neither would your customers. SSL is non-negotiable for online stores.
😃 Trust – Browsers like Chrome and Firefox display prominent "Not Secure" warnings for non-HTTPS sites. SSL helps you look legit.
Consider these telling statistics:
- 84% of users would abandon a purchase if data was sent over an insecure connection (Source)
- HTTPS adoption on the web has doubled since 2016 (Source)
- 60% of Gmail traffic is now protected with SSL/TLS encryption (Source)
The bottom line? In 2023, there‘s really no excuse not to have SSL on your WordPress site. Fortunately, you can now get an SSL certificate totally free. Let‘s dive into how!
Free SSL Certificate Options
There are a few different options for obtaining a free SSL certificate for WordPress:
1. Let‘s Encrypt
Let‘s Encrypt is a free, automated, and open certificate authority run by the nonprofit Internet Security Research Group. They‘ve issued over 2 billion free SSL certificates since launching in 2016.
Let‘s Encrypt offers domain-validated (DV) certificates that are trusted by all major browsers. They‘re valid for 90 days but can be renewed indefinitely.
You can obtain and install Let‘s Encrypt certificates manually via the Certbot client, automatically through hosting control panels like cPanel, or via WordPress plugins. More on this below!
2. Cloudflare SSL
If you use Cloudflare‘s DNS proxy service, you get free SSL certificates thrown in, even on their free plan. They offer shared certificates that cover your root domain and first-level subdomains as well as dedicated certificates for more granular control.
Cloudflare‘s SSL is super easy to set up – usually just a few clicks in their dashboard. But you do need to be using their DNS service to take advantage.
3. Certificate Authorities with Free Options
A handful of other certificate authorities offer free SSL alongside paid certificates:
- SSL For Free – Free 90-day certificates with automatic renewal
- ZeroSSL – Free 90-day certificates with a limit of 3 per week
- Comodo FreeSLL – Free 90-day certificates for personal use
4. Hosting Providers with Free SSL
Many popular WordPress hosting companies now include free SSL certificates as a perk. Some use Let‘s Encrypt while others have their own solutions. A few examples:
| Host | SSL Details |
|---|---|
| Bluehost | Free Let‘s Encrypt SSL included on all plans |
| SiteGround | Free Let‘s Encrypt SSL with easy cPanel setup |
| DreamHost | Free Let‘s Encrypt SSL automatically configured |
| WP Engine | Free Let‘s Encrypt SSL certificates auto-renewed |
If your host offers a one-click SSL setup, that‘s often the path of least resistance – no need to fuss with Certbot or plugins.
But if your host doesn‘t have a built-in SSL option, no worries – Let‘s Encrypt to the rescue!
How to Get a Free SSL Certificate from Let‘s Encrypt
Let‘s walk through the steps to obtain and install a free Let‘s Encrypt SSL certificate on your WordPress site.
Option 1: Manually with Certbot
If you‘re comfortable with the command line, you can use the official Certbot client to generate your certificate.
- Install Certbot
SSH into your server and install Certbot using your system‘s package manager. For example, on Ubuntu it would be:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install certbot- Obtain a Certificate
Run this command, replacing example.com with your domain:
sudo certbot certonly --webroot --webroot-path /path/to/www -d example.com -d www.example.comCertbot will guide you through a series of prompts to validate your domain and generate the certificate. The files will be placed in /etc/letsencrypt/live/example.com/.
- Configure Your Web Server
Next, update your web server configuration to use the new SSL certificate. The exact steps depend on whether you‘re using Apache, NGINX, etc. Check the official Certbot docs for guidance.
- Set Up Auto-Renewal
Let‘s Encrypt certificates expire after 90 days, so it‘s important to auto-renew them. Add this cron job to handle it:
0 0,12 * * * /usr/bin/python -c ‘import random; import time; time.sleep(random.random() * 3600)‘ && certbot renewThis will attempt renewal twice a day, with a random delay to avoid overloading Let‘s Encrypt‘s servers.
For more detailed Certbot instructions, check out this step-by-step guide.
Option 2: Automatically with cPanel
If your host uses cPanel, you can install a free Let‘s Encrypt SSL certificate with just a few clicks.
- Log into your cPanel account
- Look for the "SSL/TLS" section and click "Manage SSL Sites"
- Choose your domain from the list and click "Autofill by Domain"
- Tick the box for "Let‘s Encrypt SSL" and click "Issue"
- After a few moments, your new SSL certificate will be ready to go!
For a visual walkthrough with screenshots, check out this tutorial.
Option 3: Via WordPress Plugins
Not comfortable messing with the command line? No problem – you can install a free Let‘s Encrypt SSL certificate right from your WordPress dashboard with the help of a plugin.
We recommend Really Simple SSL:
- Install and activate the Really Simple SSL plugin
- Navigate to Settings > SSL
- Click "Activate SSL" and the plugin will detect your certificate and configure WordPress to use HTTPS
- That‘s it – you‘re all set!
For a more detailed walkthrough, check out our step-by-step Really Simple SSL setup guide.
How to Fully Move WordPress to HTTPS
Getting an SSL certificate installed is a great start, but there are a few additional steps to fully migrate WordPress to HTTPS.
Update URLs in WordPress Settings
Go to Settings > General and update your "WordPress Address" and "Site Address" to use https:// instead of http://.
Fix Mixed Content Warnings
If some of your site‘s assets (images, scripts, stylesheets) are still being loaded over HTTP, visitors may see "mixed content" warnings. Resolve these by:
- Installing a search and replace plugin like Better Search Replace
- Doing a search and replace to change
http://yourdomain.comtohttps://yourdomain.comin your database - Updating any hard-coded HTTP URLs in your theme files
- Ensuring your CDN (if applicable) is configured for HTTPS
Implement an HTTP to HTTPS Redirect
Add this snippet to your .htaccess file to redirect HTTP traffic to HTTPS:
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301] For more details, see our full guide on how to add SSL and HTTPS in WordPress.
FAQs About WordPress SSL
Still have burning questions about SSL? I‘ve got answers!
What‘s the Difference Between SSL and HTTPS?
SSL is the protocol that encrypts the connection between a user‘s browser and a web server. HTTPS is the secure version of HTTP that uses SSL encryption.
So when you install an SSL certificate on your WordPress site, it allows your site to be accessed over HTTPS instead of HTTP.
Do I Need a Dedicated IP Address for SSL?
Nope! You used to need a dedicated IP to install an SSL certificate, but new technologies like SNI allow multiple SSL certificates to be used with a single IP address. All modern browsers support SNI.
Is a free SSL certificate as good as a paid one?
For most WordPress sites, a free SSL certificate from Let‘s Encrypt or Cloudflare is functionally equivalent to a paid one. The main difference is the validation level.
Free certificates offer domain validation (DV), while some paid certificates offer extended validation (EV). EV requires more extensive vetting of the organization behind the site.
EV certificates show the organization name in the browser address bar, which can boost trust for big brands and Ecommerce sites. But for the vast majority of WordPress sites, a standard DV certificate is perfectly adequate, and the price tag of EV usually isn‘t worth it.
Does SSL impact site speed?
SSL does add a small amount of overhead since there‘s an extra round-trip between the browser and server to establish encryption. However, the impact is minimal, and SSL can actually improve performance thanks to HTTP/2.
HTTP/2 has significant speed benefits like multiplexing and header compression, but it only works over HTTPS. So for optimal WordPress performance, you definitely want SSL configured.
How can I tell if my SSL certificate is working?
Just visit your WordPress site and look for the lock icon 🔒 in the browser‘s address bar. Clicking on it should show details about your SSL certificate, like the issuer and expiration date.
If you want to really dig into the nerdy details, you can use an SSL checker like SSL Labs to see information about your certificate, the cipher suites supported, and more.
Final Thoughts
Whew, that was a lot of information! I hope this guide has demystified SSL and shown you just how easy (and free!) it can be to secure your WordPress site.
Remember, SSL is not an option in 2023 – it‘s a necessity for security, SEO, trust, and a whole lot more. With tools like Let‘s Encrypt, Cloudflare, and WordPress plugins, there‘s no reason not to encrypt.
So go forth and HTTPS-ify, intrepid WordPress user! Your visitors (and your bottom line) will thank you. 🔒
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