An EV SSL certificate (Extended Validation) is a type of SSL certificate where a company’s identity is extensively verified before it is issued. In the past, this resulted in a green bar with the company name in the browser. That visual display no longer exists in modern browsers, which means EV SSL no longer offers a practical advantage over a regular DV certificate for most webshops. In this article, you’ll learn the difference and what really matters for your webshop.
What exactly is an EV SSL certificate
With an EV SSL certificate, the certificate authority not only checks whether you own the domain, but also whether the company behind it actually exists. This is done by checking the Chamber of Commerce registration, the address, and often a phone verification. This process takes time, sometimes several days to weeks, and is considerably more expensive than a standard SSL certificate.
The result is technically the same: an encrypted connection between visitor and server via HTTPS. The only difference lies in the extra fields in the certificate that contain the company name and location, which used to be visible in the address bar.
Difference between DV, OV and EV SSL
There are three validation levels for SSL certificates:
- DV (Domain Validation): only checks whether you own the domain. Quickly issued, often free via Let’s Encrypt, and sufficient for most websites and webshops.
- OV (Organization Validation): adds a check of the company data. Suitable for companies that want extra confirmation of their identity in the certificate itself.
- EV (Extended Validation): the most extensive check, including legal and operational verification of the company.
Does your webshop need EV SSL
For most webshops, an EV SSL certificate is not a must. The main reasons:
- Modern browsers no longer show a green bar or company name, so the extra trust signal for visitors has largely disappeared.
- Encryption of data (passwords, payment details) is exactly the same with DV, OV and EV.
- Payment providers and trust marks rarely require EV SSL; a valid SSL certificate is almost always sufficient.
- The extra costs and longer issuance time don’t outweigh the limited added value for most shops.
For some financial institutions or large brands, EV SSL may still be relevant due to internal policy requirements, but as a webshop owner you can generally manage perfectly well with a reliable DV or OV certificate, provided it is installed correctly and completely.
Setting up SSL correctly for your webshop
More important than the validation level is that SSL is technically set up properly: a valid certificate without warnings, automatic renewal, and a correct redirect from HTTP to HTTPS.
Check your current certificate
Check in the browser whether the certificate is valid, matches the correct domain, and isn’t expiring soon.
Activate a free SSL certificate
In Plesk, you can request and link a free SSL certificate to your domain in just a few clicks.
Set up automatic renewal
Make sure the certificate renews automatically, so you never accidentally end up without a valid SSL certificate.
Force HTTPS across the whole site
Set up a redirect so that all pages, including checkout pages, always load via HTTPS.
If you want to arrange this yourself with another provider, it’s wise to check how easily SSL management is handled there. With web hosting from Tandata, you’ll find free SSL certificates that are automatically managed via Plesk, including renewal. If you also use business email on the same domain, check via business email whether everything is properly secured there too. If you’re unsure about switching your webshop, check out the options via switching to Tandata.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a free SSL certificate secure enough for a webshop?
Yes, a free DV certificate provides the same encryption as a paid EV certificate. The difference lies only in the identity verification of the company, not in the security of the connection.
Why don’t I see a green bar anymore with EV SSL?
Browsers such as Chrome and Firefox removed this visual display several years ago, because visitors paid little attention to it and it proved not to be a reliable indicator of security.
Do I need a separate SSL certificate for each subdomain?
Not necessarily. You can use a wildcard certificate for multiple subdomains, or request separate certificates per subdomain, depending on your situation.
Does EV SSL improve my Google ranking?
No, the type of SSL certificate makes no difference for rankings. Google checks whether your site uses HTTPS, not the validation level of the certificate.
Can I check myself whether my SSL is set up correctly?
Yes, you can view certificate details via the browser. For technical help, you can also visit the knowledge base for step-by-step instructions.
Conclusion
An EV SSL certificate offers the same encryption as a DV or OV certificate, but with a more extensive and more expensive identity check that is no longer visible in modern browsers. For almost every webshop, a correctly configured and automatically renewed SSL certificate is sufficient. More important than the type of certificate is that SSL works properly throughout your entire webshop.