SSL certificate strategy must be greatly considered when managing multiple subdomains for your website, as a business owner or a web deliver. Would it be better to buy an individual SSL certificate for single subdomain or simply procure a timesaving wildcard SSL certificate?
Let us discuss about that cost-benefit functionality and the actual practicalities.
What is a Wildcard SSL Certificate?
A wildcard SSL certificate uses an asterisk (*) as a placeholder to secure a primary domain and all its first-level subdomains with a single certificate. For example, a certificate for *.example.com would automatically secure:
- blog.example.com
- shop.example.com
- api.example.com
- admin.example.com
- And any future subdomains you create
Cost Analysis: Wildcard vs Individual Certificates
The financial argument for wildcard SSL becomes compelling when you examine the numbers. Wildcard SSL certificate prices range from $50/year to $750/year, depending on the provider and validation level. When choosing between different best Wildcard SSL Providers, it's essential to compare not just pricing but also features, support quality, and validation processes.
Key Benefits of Wildcard SSL
Simplified Management
- Single certificate to manage instead of multiple renewals
- No need to track different expiration dates
- Automated subdomain coverage for new additions
Cost Efficiency
- You can add any number of subdomains without requiring certificate reissuance, making it quite affordable as it secures unlimited subdomains without paying extra money
- Significant savings when securing 3+ subdomains
- Reduced administrative overhead
Scalability
- Perfect for growing applications with expanding subdomain needs
- No certificate procurement delays for new features
- Supports agile development practices
Security Consistency
- Same level of encryption and security as any other SSL type – 256-bit encryption and 2048-bit RSA keys
- Uniform security across all subdomains
- Eliminates mixed content warnings
When Wildcard SSL Makes Sense
Ideal Use Cases:
- SaaS Applications: Multi-tenant platforms with customer subdomains
- E-commerce Sites: Separate subdomains for blog, shop, support, and admin
- Development Teams: Multiple staging and testing environments
- Content Management: Regional or department-specific subdomains
- API Ecosystems: Various service endpoints under one domain
Statistics Supporting Wildcard Adoption
By 2024, over 85 percent of all websites worldwide use HTTPS, highlighting the universal need for SSL security. With businesses increasingly adopting microservices architectures and subdomain-based organizational structures, wildcard certificates have become essential infrastructure.
What are the Potential Drawbacks to Consider
Security Scope
- If one subdomain is compromised, the certificate covers all subdomains
- Shared private key across all secured subdomains
- May not meet compliance requirements for highly sensitive applications
Limited Coverage
- Only covers first-level subdomains (not admin.api.example.com)
- Doesn't secure the main domain without proper configuration
- Some validation types may have restrictions
Vendor Lock-in
- Switching certificate providers requires replacing the entire wildcard
- Migration complexity increases with subdomain count
Final Words
For most organizations managing multiple subdomains, wildcard SSL certificates offer compelling value through cost savings, simplified management, and enhanced scalability. Starting at just $50/year, wildcard certificates provide a wide range of security features, making them an economical choice for businesses of all sizes.
The break-even point typically occurs at just 2-3 subdomains, and the operational benefits of single-certificate management often justify the investment even for smaller deployments. As your digital infrastructure grows, wildcard SSL certificates provide the flexibility and cost-effectiveness needed to maintain robust security without breaking the budget.
Top comments (2)
You can have a free one with certbot, but a wildcard cert requires a manual DNS challenge. This means you must verify domain ownership with a TXT entry every three months, which can be automated if your NS hosting has an API.
Absolutely, and we’ve automated the DNS challenge via API for seamless wildcard certificate renewals.