Comodo Review: Are Their SSL Certificates Right For You?

Digital.com’s Rating for Comodo

Our Editor’s rated Comodo 4.5 / 5 based on user ratings, pricing, and features offered.

Introduction to Comodo

Comodo is a well-respected name in the internet security industry. This company offers many options for those looking for a reliable SSL certificate provider, from EV to UC to Wildcard SSL certificates, Comodo’s SSL certificates cater to both small and large online stores.

Comodo SSL offers a range of features, such as fast certificate issuance and validation, 256-bit encryption, trusted by 99.9% of browsers, 30-day money-back guarantee, free “Trust Logo” that helps boost conversions and trust.

Their SSL certificates are priced competitively and Comodo’s cheapest SSL certificate is  7.27 per year.

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Comodo Features

Comodo Group Inc. is a tech services company that has been around since 1998. It’s based in New Jersey, USA, and deals mostly with the development of Internet and PC security software.

Since inception, Comodo has grown to become a leading global SSL provider. The company operates in more than 100 countries and according to a report published by W3Techs, Comodo boasts a market share of 33.6% (as of February 2015).

Inventing the First Extended Validation SSL Certificate

Comodo invented the first Extended Validation (EV) SSL certificate, which was officially ratified in 2007. As a result, Comodo has won several awards and received positive recognition from the media for their efforts to make the Internet more secure.

If you’re looking for a secure encryption service for your e-commerce website, here’s what Comodo has to offer.

Comodo SSL. Fast online automated validation. 30-day-money-back guarantee.

What is Secure Socket Layer (SSL)?

SSL is a security technology that establishes an encrypted link between a web server and a browser. This has a number of key advantages for small businesses including data security as it establishes an encrypted link between a web server and a browser.

It is important for websites and businesses who want to protect their data from internet nasties online. But how does a website without an SSL certificate fair against a website with one? Check out this simple comparison below:

Main Features of Comodo

There are several Comodo SSL certificates from which to choose. Each plan offers different features but certain common offerings cut across all plans.

For example, with every Comodo SSL certificate, you’ll get 256-bit digital signatures, an encryption services with 99.9% browser recognition, a secure https:// URL, and the secure padlock logo on the address bar.

Comodo issues the seal of SSL certificate that you can upload on your website. The seal logo uses what Comodo calls “point to verify technology”. So, whenever visitors hover their mouse pointers over the seal, a pop-up message will appear showing real time verification of your business credentials.

How Does an SSL Certificate Work?

While we know what it does in terms of benefits and functionality, not many people know how it works under the hood.

Take a look at our 9-step breakdown of how SSL certificates actually function:

1. A TCP connection is made
2. The client starts by sending information like cipher suites and SSL version
3. Next, the server scans and checks for the highest supported SSL version
4. The compression method and the cipher suite are chosen on the client’s side
5. Following this, the server sends a public key to the client
6. The client receives this in the form of a certificate
7. A pre-master secret is created, which encrypts the session. This is done with the server’s public key
8. The pre-master secret is decrypted with the private key by the server after it’s receipt
9. After a single cipher suite and generate the session keys (symmetric keys) are agreed on, the information can be encrypted and decrypted during an SSL cycle

You might’ve heard about public and private keys when reading about cryptocurrencies – or not.

A Fair 30-Day Free Trial

The 30-day free trial is worth signing up for if you’re considering whether to make Comodo your SSL provider of choice.

Once the free SSL certificate is installed on your website server, the golden padlock will appear alongside your domain name and visitors will not get security warnings when trying to access your website.

Paid SSL Options

As for the paid SSL certificates, Comodo offers a few extra features depending on the chosen plan. Subscription prices vary depending on the chosen digital certificate.

In addition, the billing cycles offered are quite flexible as subscribers have the freedom of choosing to renew SSL certificates annually, bi-annually or after 3 years.

Video above: Every day trojans generate approximately 1 million hostile software packages. Since malware can’t be blocked 100% of the time, what’s Comodo’s solution? Watch to find out.

What Types of SSL Certificates does Comodo Offer?

Comodo SSL certificates have three validation levels: Domain, Enhanced, and Organization.

1. The Domain validation assures that that you’re the lawful owner of your domain and certificate.
2. Enhanced Validation SSL certificates offer the highest level of trust by displaying the green address bar that lets visitors know your website is trustworthy.
3. Organization validation means that your SSL certificate will be issued after a background check is done on your business profile.

Generally, Comodo’s SSL certificates can be broken down into the following types:

Free SSL Certificate

The Comodo Free SSL Certificate is ideal if you wish to test out the Comodo SSL service for 90 days without paying a cent. The certificate is issued within minutes and comes with the highest strength 2048 bit signature and 256-bit encryption.

You can also use it to test your new site’s SSL Security Certificate before it goes live or your online business can stay secure if your current certificate is due to expire.

Comodo SSL Certificates

The Comodo SSL Certificate is the company’s standard SSL certificate. The company claims that this is the quickest and most cost-effective way for an online business to protect customer transactions. The certificate comes with 2048 bit industry standard encryption.

EV SSL

The Extended Validation (EV) SSL certificate was originally developed by Comodo. This 256-bit digital certificate thwarts phishing attacks and strengthens e-commerce security. It takes about 1 to 3 weeks to acquire because the Certificate Authority (CA) requires extensive verification of the requesting entity’s identity.

Once acquired, this digital certificate displays the green address bar that comes with the padlock logo and the “Trusted” wording label. This visual assurance lets web visitors know that they’re on a secure site.

The only downside with this security certificate is that it can only support 1 domain. However, it’s the highest level of encryption that Comodo offers.

UC SSL

Comodo issues the Unified Communications (UC) SSL certificate within an hour after application. This 128/256-bit UC SSL certificate is a great choice for organizations that use a Microsoft Exchange 2007 or higher Office Communications Server environment.

Unlike the EV SSL certificate, the UC SSL certificate facilitates secure communication between multiple domains. It also features the AutoDiscover service, which greatly reduces administrative complexity and cost.

You can only cover 3 fully qualified domain names (FQDN’s) with the basic UC Comodo SSL certificate. While it’s possible to add up to 100 FQDNs, an additional charge will be incurred per additional domain beyond the initial 3.

Wildcard SSL

Comodo also issues Enterprise, Instant, and SGC Wildcard SSL certificates. Wildcard SSL certificates secure 1 domain and unlimited sub-domains with a 256-bit encryption key. Therefore, you don’t have to incur additional fees to encrypt sub-domains on your website.

The Wild Card SSL certificates have all the standard security features that Comodo offers such as the secure https:// URL, free TrustLogo site seal, and lock in the address bar to improve confidence amongst web visitors.

Video above: Valkyrie is a real-time threat detection option. It’s described as a “cloud-based file analysis platform” that works in conjunction with Comodo’s 360 solutions.

Extras

• All Comodo SSL certificates are backed by a 30-day money back guarantee and Comodo’s warranty policy.
• You’ll also receive unlimited server licenses when subscribed to either the Wildcard or multi-domain certificates.
• Wildcard SSL certificates come with one year of free PCI scanning and a free daily vulnerability scan for your website.

Safety and Security: Exceeding Industry Standards for SSL

When it comes to safety and security, Comodo’s SSL certificates do not disappoint. Comodo exceeds the minimum industry standard of 128-bit encryption since it issues 256-bit SSL certificates, which provide the highest encryption strength for your website.

Do I Need an SSL Certificate for my E-Commerce Website?

SSL technology is vital for e-commerce websites.

Potential buyers are unlikely to trust your site if you don’t have one. An SSL certificate allows customers to know that they are dealing directly with your website and not a phishing scam.

SSL also allows for encrypted transactions and data security thanks to encryption. Here are some of the benefits of using SSL on your e-commerce site and how it can benefit you.

• Customer confidence
• Encrypted transactions
• Traceability
• Stand out from fake sites
• Secure data
• Brand strengthening
• Customer-facing trust
• A secure connection between client and server
• Open availability of secure payment options

Additional Features

Aside from selling SSL digital certificates, Comodo also has a number of other services available for your online business needs.

Personal Authentication Certificates

Personal authentication certificates are useful for a wide variety of online endeavors. Here’s how personal authentication certificates can be used to benefit you and your business:

• Encrypting digital emails
• Digitally signing emails
• Digitally signing office documents
• Two-factor authentication of users and employees

Help and Support

Whether you need technical support or want to learn more about SSL certificates, Comodo offers plenty of help and support to assist customers on every level.

• Their user forum is a great place to find answers to frequent problems that you might incur when using a Comodo SSL certificate.
• There’s also an online knowledgebase section with informative articles on a variety of common topics.
• For questions or technical assistance, you can get in touch with Comodo experts via live chat, phone, email, or a support ticket.

Although a few users have reported of having a bad experience when trying to get help from the support team, Comodo’s customer service ratings and reviews are mostly positive.

Summary

Comodo is a respected name in the internet security industry. This company offers many options for those looking for a reliable SSL certificate provider.

From EV to UC to Wildcard SSL certificates, Comodo’s Internet security products cater to both small and large online stores. Best of all, their SSL certificates are priced competitively and they provide the highest level of encryption.

Before subscribing to any encryption service, make sure to compare the various SSL certificates that Comodo offers. Generally, Comodo’s strengths and weaknesses as an SSL certificate provider can be summed up as follows:

In a rush? Here are the pros and cons at a glance.

Pros of Comodo

Comodo SSL. Industry-leading & trusted. Risk-free 30-Day refunds.

Frequently Asked Questions About Comodo

Since this topic is far from simple to understand for the non-technical readers, let’s cover some of the most frequently asked questions.

Comodo plans & prices

Comodo offers all wide range of SSL certificates and levels of security; EV SSL, Code Signing, Instant SSL, Wildcard SSL and much more at low and competitive prices. For latest and most up to date prices visit Comodo’s website.

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Best Comodo SSL Alternatives

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