With the availability of numerous digital certificate providers, finding a cheap code signing certificate becomes complex. While finding the one, you have to perform a lot of research. And, still, sometimes you don’t get the best deal.
But, it would not happen anymore. Going through this in-detail piece of content, you will understand the cheap yet best code signing certificate. Moreover, you will learn about the objective approach to finding one with some additional tips.
So, let’s get started.
What does a Cheap Code Signing Certificate Mean?
Many people confuse cheap with low-quality Code Signing Certificates, but it’s not true. However, Cheap Code Signing certificates are digital solutions available at an affordable or discounted price.
You must have seen many certificate resellers providing deals on Code Signing Certificate, aiding you to get one at a lower price. Therefore, when you purchase a software publisher certificate at a reliable cost, you can consider it cheap. Additionally, all such certificates assure top-notch functionality, as they come from reputed Certificate Authorities.
Furthermore, below are the primary reasons behind getting a cheap code signing certificate:
- The vendor is an authorized partner of the CA and has permission to sell certificates at a lower rate.
- The distributor is offering discounts due to the festive season.
- The vendor is offering huge deals if you buy more than two certificates. It helps them to have a customer for an extended period.
- Discounts are getting offered as a part of the marketing campaign.
There can be various reasons behind getting the digital certificate at a low price. Hence, it gets cleared that cheap means affordable code signing certificate.
Comparing all three Code Signing Certificates to find the cheapest among them
Now, we will assess the price range of all three Code Signing Certificates. It will help you understand which one you have to select according to your budget.
IV Code Signing Certificate
As we all know, the Individual Validation Code Signing Certificate is for independent publishers only. Organizations can’t avail and utilize it at any condition. It is one of the cheapest code signing certificates, as CA only has to put in the minimum effort during its validation procedure.
Moreover, solo developers and freelancers mostly purchase. Hence, to make it affordable for them, Certificate Authorities sell them at a lower price. As it is only for non-organizational publishers, it’s impossible to compare its price with OV and EV certificate. Further, you can avail of it for as low as $49.99/year and sign unlimited software within a defined timeline.
Some distributors also sell it for between $64 to $110, but you should always purchase it from an authentic provider. And you can learn to find an appropriate vendor in the other section.
OV Code Signing Certificate
Organization Validation Code Signing Certificate is at a higher level, as we compare it to the IV certificate. It is for small-scale companies to large-scale enterprises present at some physical location. Such certificates are a little bit more costly than Individual certificates, as they ensure eliminating the Unknown Publisher Warning.
In addition, Certificate Authority has to perform a prominent validation procedure, requiring more effort. As a result, your software and brand legitimacy increase, which justifies its price.
You can get it for $60 at various reseller websites. Although, it is also available under $50 at some authorized CA partners, such as SignMyCode.
EV Code Signing Certificate
Likewise, OV, Extended Validation Code Signing Certificate, is only for organizations. But, it’s more expensive than the Organization Validation Level certificates. It helps the brands to achieve the highest level of trustworthiness. As a result, businesses get recognized as legitimate by the Windows Defender SmartScreen mechanism.
Additionally, it ensures instant system recognition, which is one of the reasons for its price increase. However, you can get it at a cheap price by purchasing it from a trusted CA partner. Currently, the lowest price for EV Code Signing Certificate ranges between $199.99/year to $249.99/per year. It’s a solution with best-in-class functionalities. Hence, buying it at such a price is a great deal.
How to find a reliable Code Signing Certificate Provider offering Cheap yet Best Code Signing Certificate
To obtain a cheap code signing certificate, selecting an authentic certificate provider is crucial. You can succeed in the provider discovery task by following the approach below.
Step 1: You must outline your needs and define yourself as an individual or an organization-based publisher.
Step 2: Once you know your user type, you must search for the particular Code Signing Certificate. If you are an independent publisher, you should search for an IV certificate; otherwise, OV and EV certificates.
Step 3: Analyze the prices getting offered by different vendors and shortlist.
Step 4: Further verify the vendor’s authorization from the CA and check certificate functionalities.
Step 5: Select the Code Signing Certificate, aligning with your requirements and budgets.
An Additional Tip: Free or Cheap, What’s better?
Most people think that code signing certificates are also free, just like SSL certificates. But it’s not true at all.
You can only get a Cheap Code Signing Certificate rather than for free. Regardless, you must have seen various websites offering free code signing certificates. However, only a few know the reality behind it. Below are the two primary reasons behind freely available software publisher certificates.
- Cyber-attackers provide free certificates to collect confidential data and spread malware.
- Some organizations display such headings to gain traffic.
Therefore, you should always prefer Code Signing Certificates at a lower price instead of for free.
Concluding Up
Code Signing Certificate is a necessity for every software publisher. And, each one wants to avail it within their cost constraint. However, it becomes possible with cheap code signing certificates. Many resellers provide discounts and offer bulk purchases of code signing certificates.
All of its aids the publisher to avail the solution at a lower price than its original one. In addition, you should always purchase cheap certificates from authorized vendors, as they sell authentic ones, ensuring cutting-edge functionalities.