Free SSL, and when you still want a dedicated certificate
Every domain on Canvas gets a free certificate automatically. A paid one still makes sense in a few specific cases, and marketing is not one of them.
What the free certificate does
It is issued the moment DNS resolves to us, covers the domain and its subdomains, and renews sixty days before expiry with no prompt. Encryption strength is identical to any paid certificate: a browser cannot tell the difference and neither can an attacker.
When to pay for one
A dedicated certificate buys you a dedicated IP address and a validation level above domain control.
- Legacy clients that predate SNI and need their own IP
- Organisation validation, where the company name is verified
- Extended validation, still required by some financial partners
- A warranty figure that a compliance questionnaire demands
What none of them buy
A green padlock is not a trust signal any more; browsers stopped differentiating years ago. If someone is selling you a certificate on the strength of visitor confidence, they are selling you the 2014 web.
Turning it on
Order the dedicated SSL service from the panel, complete validation, and we install and renew it for you. The free certificate stays in place until the paid one is live, so there is no gap.
