Best WordPress SSL Plugins (Free and Paid)
Do you want to secure your website by using the HTTPS protocol? You can add an SSL certificate to your website using a dedicated tool. If you want to learn more about the best WordPress SSL plugins, keep reading this article.
But before going further, let’s see what SSL is and why it is essential.
What Is SSL and Why Is It Important?
SSL stands for Secured Socket Layer and is a web security protocol that establishes a secure connection between web servers and web browsers. It is one of the essential things you must do after setting up a website to keep it safe.
The SSL certificate ensures the data transfer between the web server and the web browser is secure and no sensitive information such as passwords or credit card information can be accessed by someone else.
When you visit a website that’s configured with an SSL certificate, you see a padlock sign on the address bar.
If the address bar shows a padlock sign, the personal information you enter on the site is secure. On the other hand, if you enter personal information, such as credit card information, on a website that is not protected by SSL, your data may get compromised.
An SSL certificate is mandatory when you run a personal blog or WooCommerce site. Since you deal with payments and credit card information in WooCommerce, SSL can help your business and customers from scams and attacks. Also, since SSL increases trust and security, most customers will feel confident to purchase from your online store.
HTTPS is also considered one of Google’s ranking factors, so if you have an SSL certificate installed, you can rank better than your competitors. Plus, if you are not using an SSL certificate, Google can show the “This site is not secure” warning in the search engine result pages, which can affect your overall SEO.
Considering all this, you understand why SSL is vital for every website.
Why Use a WordPress SSL Plugin?
To simplify the process of setting up the SSL certificate, you can use a dedicated SSL plugin. This section will cover the main advantages of using an SSL plugin to implement the HTTPS protocol:
- Easy to use and modify: Installing and configuring SSL manually can be challenging. With the help of a WordPress SSL plugin, you can simplify the process. You can start installing and tweaking the SSL certificates without any technical knowledge.
- Better rankings: As mentioned earlier, SSL is a ranking factor search engines use. A dedicated SSL plugin ensures the HTTPS protocol is served evenly on every part of the website. This way, you can improve the overall ranking of the website.
- Unique features: Most WordPress plugins have special features you can explore, so besides installing and configuring SSL certificates, you can also get some advanced security features.
- Redirect HTTP requests: With the right SSL plugin, you can direct every insecure traffic (HTTP) to secured traffic (HTTPS). This is one of the best things an SSL plugin can do. This way, the website visitor will always be landing on the secured version of your web pages.
- Fix mixed content: When you install an SSL certificate manually, you will get the mixed content conflict. It is a common issue where search engines detect HTTP and HTTP contents inside a web page. A dedicated SSL plugin can help you solve problems.
Due to these advantages, you can rely on an SSL plugin instead of installing an SSL certificate manually.
Best WordPress SSL Plugins
We have gathered some of the best WordPress SSL plugins in the market:
- Really Simple SSL
- WP Force SSL
- WP Encryption
- SSL Zen
- One Click SSL
- Easy HTTPS Redirection
Below, we will explain what each plugin has to offer. Without any further ado, let’s jump right into the list.
1) Really Simple SSL
If you are looking for the best and most popular WordPress SSL plugin, check out Really Simple SSL. More than 5 million websites use Really Simple SSL to secure their website. The plugin offers minimal configuration, so anyone without technical knowledge can add SSL to their website.
Features like automatic HTTPS redirection, server health check, and server hardening are helpful when running an online store or website. Automatic HTTPS redirection will help you by redirecting all the HTTP traffic to HTTPS. Server health check and server hardening will allow you to check for possible security issues and tweak them.
Another notable feature of the Really Simple SSL plugin is mixed content detection and fixing. The plugin lets you find the files and content requested over the HTTP protocol. Also, with a single click, you can solve the issue. Apart from that, Really Simple SSL has an excellent support team.
Features
- One-click solution
- Lightweight
- Automatic HTTPS redirection
- Fixes mixed content
- Great support team
Pricing
Really Simple SSL is a freemium WordPress plugin. The free version can be downloaded from the plugins repository. On the other hand, the premium subscriptions start at $39/ year for a single domain license.
2) WP Force SSL
When you prioritize a WordPress SSL plugin that is easy to use, you must check out WP Force SSL. WP Force SSL makes the process simple. With a click of a button, you can add SSL to your website or WooCommerce store. If you are running a multisite configuration, WP Force SSL can help you there too. Since the plugin is compatible with a multisite setup, it would be the perfect combo.
You can get features like HTTP to HTTPS redirection, HSTS enabler, content scraper protection, etc. Another unique feature WP Force SSL offers the white labeling feature. If you are running an agency and need to hide the plugin you use for the tasks, feel free to use the white labeling feature. Apart from that, the plugin also has a rebranding feature that helps agencies rebrand it however they like.
Apart from that, with their in-built SSL testing tool, you can check if the SSL is correctly installed. The tool will also check the certificate’s validity to keep everything running smoothly. The main advantage is that you do not need to visit third-party websites to check these data, you can check all this right from your WordPress dashboard.
Features
- Easy to Use
- Multisite Compatible
- Automatic HTTPS redirection
- White labeling
- In-built SSL testing tool
Pricing
WP Force SSL s a freemium tool. You can download the free version from the WordPress plugins repository or get the premium version that starts at $59 for a lifetime license.
3) WP Encryption
If you want to use a free SSL certificate from Let’s Encrypt and need a dedicated WordPress SSL plugin, WP Encryption would be a perfect choice. The plugin automatically lets you generate a free SSL certificate from your WordPress dashboard. All you need to do is verify your domain name with a DNS modification. WP Encryption can also renew SSL certificates before 30 days of expiration. This way, you can keep the website away from attacks.
Another feature of WP Encryption worth mentioning is the wildcard certificate support. You can add a wildcard SSL to your primary domain using this feature. Then, every subdomain you have will get access to the benefits of SSL. Additionally, the mixed content scanner is another feature you will love. The tool will scan for mixed content errors and fix them automatically before causing HTTPS issues.
Regarding other security features, WP Encryption includes features like SQL injection detection and blocking, common web attack blocking, invalid user agent blocking, and so on. They also have email notifications if something comes up with your SSL certificates or the configuration. Overall, WP Encryption is an excellent WordPress SSL plugin you can use.
Features
- Automatic domain verification
- Renew SSL certificates automatically
- Install SSL automatically
- Block SQL injection
- Multisite support
Pricing
WP Encryption is a freemium plugin. You can get the free version from the plugin’s repository or check out the premium subscriptions. The yearly license, costs $29 a year, while the lifetime subscription starts at $49.
4) SSL Zen
If you want an all-in-one SSL plugin, check out SSL Zen. SSL Zen can generate an SSL certificate from the Let’s Encrypt network right after you verify your domain. Once you have installed an SSL certificate using SSL Zen, the plugin will send you email notifications before the certificate expiry. This is an excellent feature to keep an eye on the SSL certificate expiration and renewal.
Apart from the SSL configuration, this plugin can help you with similar security features such as brute force protection, SQL injection blocking, etc.
One drawback we found with SSL Zen lite is you need to renew the SSL certificate manually. To keep the website secure, you must re-verify and re-install the SSL certificate every 90 days. Since most free WordPress SSL plugins automate the task, it is considered one of the disadvantages of SSL Zen’s free version.
Features
- Easy domain validation
- Great support team
- Brute force protection
- Automatic HTTPS redirection
- Block external attacks
Pricing
SSL Zen is a freemium tool. You can download the free version from the WordPress plugins repository, or the premium version that starts at $29 a year.
5) One-Click SSL
One Click SSL is a minimalist plugin you can use in WordPress and WooCommerce websites to serve the URLs through the HTTPS protocol. The plugin is lightweight. so it won’t affect the speed and performance of your website. Another notable feature of One Click SSL is that it verifies whether the certificate is valid.
You can enable SSL and redirect all HTTP requests to HTTPS with a single mouse click. You can also enable SSL in the admin area, front end, or everywhere on the website.
We highly recommend enabling SSL sitewide so there won’t be any mixed content or potential problems related to it.
Features
- Lightweight
- SSL validation
- Easy to use
- Choose the area you need to enable SSL
Pricing
One Click SSL is a free WordPress SSL plugin that you can get from here.
6) Easy HTTPS Redirection
Easy HTTPS Redirection will be the perfect fit if you want a dedicated plugin to set up HTTP to HTTPS redirection. By default, manually setting up automatic HTTPS redirection can be challenging. You have to tweak your .htaccess file to configure the redirection to ensure everything works fine.
But with the help of Easy HTTPS Redirection, you can set up HTTP to HTTPS redirection in a single click. The plugin comes with very minimal configurations. You can redirect your entire domain to the HTTPS version or specific parts. Another notable feature you are going to love is the static file redirection.
By enabling this feature, you can serve HTTPS versions of your images, JavaScript, and CSS files. This ensures there won’t be any mixed content errors in the front end.
Features
- Easy to use
- Automatic process
- Enable HTTPS on the entire domain or parts of it
- Load static files over HTTPS
Pricing
Easy HTTPS Redirection is a free tool. You can download it from the repository.
Bonus: Best WordPress/WooCommerce Security Plugins
Next, let’s see some useful WordPress or WooCommerce security plugins you can use:
- Sucuri Security
- Wordfence
- Jetpack
- iThemes Security Pro
- Bulletproof Security
- All in One WP Security and Firewall
You can pick one according to your requirements. For more information, you can check this article, where we list the best WooCommerce security plugins.
Conclusion: Which WordPress Plugin is Best for you?
Regardless of whether you manage a personal blog or a WooCommerce store, nowadays SSL certificates are no longer optional. They can help you avoid data leaking and they also improve your search engine rankings and the overall security of your site.
Configuring an SSL certificate manually can be a challenging task. To simplify the process, you can use any of the WordPress SSL plugins mentioned in this article.
Now, which one is the best one for you? That depends on what you’re looking for and what your needs are.
Really Simple SSL is a great choice if your main priority is to have a popular allrounder with many features. On the other hand, if you prefer a simple plugin with decent features, WP Force SSL might be a better choice.
WP Encrypt will help you generate an SSL certificate from Let’s Encrypt and secure your website and SSL Zen is a good option when you need an all-in-one WordPress SSL and security plugin. Finally, One Click SSL and Easy HTTPS Redirection are interesting tools if you need a dedicated plugin for HTTPS redirection.
We hope you have found this article helpful and learned more about the best WordPress SSL plugins.
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