Maximum identity assurance for businesses and organizations
An EV SSL (Extended Validation SSL) certificate provides strong HTTPS encryption together with the highest level of identity validation available for publicly trusted SSL certificates. Before issuing an EV certificate, the Certificate Authority performs an extensive verification process to confirm the legal identity, operational existence and authority of the organization requesting the certificate.
EV SSL certificates are designed for businesses and organizations where verified identity and trust are particularly important. They are commonly used by financial institutions, e-commerce businesses, large companies and organizations providing online services or handling sensitive information.
While DV, OV and EV certificates all provide strong encryption, they differ in the level of identity verification performed before issuance. Extended Validation involves the most comprehensive verification process.
| Name | Yearly | Order Now | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comodo EV SSL | €193.35 | ||
| Sectigo EV SSL | €193.35 | ||
| Enterprise SSL Pro with EV | €1528.71 | ||
| PositiveSSL EV | €107.11 | ||
| DigiCert Extended Validation SSL | €356.04 | ||
| DigiCert Secure Site EV SSL | €805.23 | ||
| Thawte SSL Web Server with EV | €185.07 | ||
| GeoTrust True BusinessID with EV | €179.56 |
What is an EV SSL Certificate?
An EV (Extended Validation) SSL Certificate is an SSL certificate issued after an extensive verification of the organization requesting it. In addition to confirming control of the domain name, the Certificate Authority verifies information such as the organization’s legal identity, existence and authorization to request the certificate.
Once issued and installed, an EV certificate enables HTTPS and encrypts information transmitted between the website and its visitors.
The encryption provided by an EV certificate is not inherently stronger than that provided by modern DV or OV certificates. The key difference is the level of identity verification performed by the Certificate Authority before the certificate is issued.
Extended Validation therefore provides the highest level of identity assurance among DV, OV and EV SSL certificates, making it particularly suitable for organizations where establishing a verified online identity is important.
Who Should Use an EV SSL Certificate?
An Extended Validation SSL certificate is particularly suitable for established businesses and organizations that want their identity to undergo the most comprehensive verification available before an SSL certificate is issued.
EV SSL certificates can be a suitable choice for:
- financial institutions and financial services;
- e-commerce businesses;
- large companies and corporate websites;
- organizations handling sensitive information;
- customer portals and online services;
- businesses where verified organizational identity is particularly important.
For websites that only require HTTPS encryption, a Domain Validated (DV) SSL certificate may be sufficient. Businesses that want their organization to be verified but do not require the more extensive Extended Validation process can consider an Organization Validated (OV) SSL certificate.
EV SSL is therefore best suited to organizations where identity assurance is an important part of their online security strategy.
EV vs OV SSL Certificates: What’s the Difference?
Both OV (Organization Validated) and EV (Extended Validation) SSL certificates verify the identity of the organization behind a website, in addition to providing secure HTTPS encryption.
The main difference is the depth and rigor of the validation process.
With an OV certificate, the Certificate Authority verifies the organization and its right to use the requested domain. Extended Validation follows stricter validation requirements and involves additional checks to establish the organization’s legal identity and authority to request the certificate.
Both certificate types provide strong encryption. Choosing between them therefore depends primarily on the level of identity assurance your organization requires.
For many business websites, an OV SSL certificate provides an excellent balance between validation and convenience. Organizations that require the highest level of identity verification available for a publicly trusted SSL certificate can choose EV.