SSL Certificates - Free and Paid Options
Understand the difference between free and paid SSL, and how to install certificates on your GoZen Host account.
Every GoZen Host plan includes free SSL via Let’s Encrypt. For business sites that need extended validation, paid options are also available.
Free SSL (Let’s Encrypt)
Let’s Encrypt provides Domain Validation (DV) certificates at no cost. They encrypt the connection between your visitors and your server - the padlock icon in the browser.
On GoZen Host shared hosting, Let’s Encrypt is installed automatically when your domain’s DNS points to our nameservers. You don’t need to do anything.
To verify it’s active:
- Log into cPanel
- Go to Security → SSL/TLS Status
- Your domain should show a green padlock with an expiry date
Let’s Encrypt certificates are valid for 90 days and renew automatically. If auto-renewal fails (usually because of a DNS issue), you’ll get an email notification.
When to Use a Paid SSL
Free SSL encrypts traffic just as well as paid SSL. The difference is identity verification:
| Type | Validates | Shows | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domain Validation (DV) | You control the domain | Padlock icon | Personal sites, blogs, most web apps |
| Organisation Validation (OV) | Your company exists | Padlock + company name in certificate details | Business sites, SaaS |
| Extended Validation (EV) | Company legally verified | Padlock + company name (visible in cert details) | Banks, healthcare, e-commerce with high trust needs |
GoZen Host offers paid SSL certificates:
| Certificate | Price | Validation |
|---|---|---|
| Standard DV (Sectigo) | Free (Let’s Encrypt) | Domain only |
| Organisation Validation | $49/year | Company verification |
| Extended Validation | $149/year | Full legal verification |
Installing a Paid SSL Certificate
If you purchase an OV or EV certificate:
- Go to Security → SSL/TLS in cPanel
- Click Generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR)
- Fill in your company details and domain name
- Copy the CSR - you’ll need it for the certificate provider
- Complete the validation process (email or DNS verification)
- Once issued, go back to SSL/TLS → Install and Manage SSL for your site (HTTPS)
- Paste the Certificate (CRT) and Private Key
- Click Install Certificate
For GoZen-purchased SSL certificates, our team handles the installation for you. Open a support ticket with your order number and we’ll set it up.
Forcing HTTPS
After SSL is installed, you want all traffic to use HTTPS. There are two ways:
Option 1: cPanel (Easiest)
- Go to Domains in cPanel
- Find your domain and toggle Force HTTPS Redirect to ON
Option 2: .htaccess
Add this to the top of your public_html/.htaccess file:
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]
Option 1 is simpler and less error-prone. Use .htaccess only if you need more control (e.g., excluding certain paths).
Don’t use both the cPanel toggle and the .htaccess rule at the same time. That creates a redirect loop.
Mixed Content Warnings
After switching to HTTPS, you might see a warning that your site is “not fully secure.” This means some resources (images, scripts, stylesheets) are still loading over HTTP.
Fix this by:
- Searching your database for
http://yourdomain.comand replacing withhttps://yourdomain.com(WordPress users: use the Better Search Replace plugin) - Checking your theme for hardcoded HTTP URLs in templates
- Checking external scripts - make sure third-party resources (fonts, analytics, CDN links) use HTTPS
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Let’s Encrypt not issuing | Make sure DNS points to GoZen nameservers and the domain resolves |
| Certificate expired | Check SSL/TLS Status in cPanel - click Run AutoSSL to trigger renewal |
| Mixed content warnings | Find and replace HTTP URLs in your content and templates |
| ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR | Check that port 443 isn’t blocked and the certificate is installed correctly |
| Too many redirects | Remove duplicate HTTPS redirect rules - pick either cPanel toggle or .htaccess, not both |
Use the GoZen SSL Auditor to scan your domain and verify that your certificate is valid, properly chained, and not expiring soon.
What to Do Next
- Setting Up Email Accounts in cPanel - SSL also secures your email connections
- Managing DNS Records - verify your CAA records if you use a specific certificate provider
- GoZen Security Overview - SSL is part of our broader security infrastructure
Last updated 05 Apr 2026, 00:00 +0200.