Premium SSL vs Let’s Encrypt: which should you choose?

At a glance

On GARMTECH hosting, you have two valid SSL options: Let’s Encrypt, available on all hosting plans, and Premium SSL, a paid certificate option.

Both options activate HTTPS and protect data in transit. The practical difference is what you want around the certificate: included automation with no extra certificate cost, or the added commercial benefits of a paid certificate.

What is already included on all hosting plans?

Every GARMTECH hosting plan can use a Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate in Plesk.

GARMTECH hosting also supports a free wildcard Let’s Encrypt certificate with DNS validation, so protecting multiple subdomains does not automatically require a paid certificate.

What Premium SSL adds

Premium SSL is the paid certificate option for clients who want more than the certificate already included with hosting.

• A paid certificate from a commercial public Certificate Authority.
• Commercial certificate extras such as warranty and trust seal / trust logo elements.
• A vendor-backed certificate support model in addition to the normal hosting-side setup flow.
• A stronger fit for client-facing sales, tenders, procurement, partner requirements, or internal policies where a paid certificate is preferred.
• A clear paid SSL line item for agencies, corporate projects, or businesses that standardize on Sectigo-based certificates.

For some projects, price and automation matter most. For others, these commercial advantages are the main reason to buy Premium SSL.

What both options already do

• Enable HTTPS for the website.
• Secure the connection between visitor and server.
• Provide a browser-trusted certificate when installed correctly.

This means the comparison is usually about certificate packaging, support model, business presentation, and validation requirements rather than the existence of HTTPS itself.

Main differences

Where clients commonly choose Premium SSL

• The project owner wants a paid certificate from a commercial CA, not only the certificate included with hosting.
• A client, partner, corporate security team, auditor, or procurement document explicitly asks for paid SSL.
• The website benefits from trust-seal style presentation, warranty, or formal certificate documentation as part of project delivery.
• The business wants to standardize certificates under Sectigo or another commercial CA portfolio.
• An agency wants a consistent paid SSL offer across multiple customer projects.

Where clients commonly keep Let’s Encrypt

• The goal is to secure the website quickly with the certificate already included in hosting.
• Automation and low ongoing certificate administration are the main priorities.
• The project does not require the commercial extras of a paid CA product.
• A free wildcard certificate via DNS validation already matches the subdomain setup.

Important: paid SSL and organization validation are not the same thing

Premium SSL is useful when you want a paid commercial certificate and the business extras that come with it.

However, paid SSL does not automatically mean organization validation. If your requirement is verified legal business identity in the certificate details, organization validation, or an EV-level certificate for higher-assurance public use, ask us about OV or EV SSL.

Questions to compare before ordering

• Do you want the certificate already included with hosting, or a separate paid certificate from a commercial CA?
• Is certificate warranty, trust seal / logo presentation, or vendor-backed certificate support important for this website?
• Does the project have a client, partner, auditor, or procurement requirement for paid SSL?
• Do you need domain validation only, or verified company identity in the certificate?
• Do you need a wildcard, and if yes, is Let’s Encrypt wildcard enough for your setup?

Both options are available to GARMTECH clients. The choice depends on the balance you want between included automation and the added commercial benefits of Premium SSL.