ZeroSSL vs GlobalSign
A detailed comparison to help you choose between ZeroSSL and GlobalSign.
Quick Verdict
3.5/5
ZeroSSL
0 reviews
3.5/5
GlobalSign
0 reviews
Both ZeroSSL and GlobalSign are equally rated at 3.5/5. OV/EV and full certificate lifecycle management are offered through parent company HID Global's Enterprise SSL product, not as standard ZeroSSL plans. GlobalSign provides SSL/TLS certificates and PKI solutions for securing websites, APIs, and IoT devices. Built for enterprises needing reliability, compliance, and dedicated support.
ZeroSSL Free SSL alternative to Let's Encrypt | GlobalSign Enterprise SSL/TLS certificates with global infrastructure and support | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Rating | 3.5 (0 reviews) | 3.5 (0 reviews) |
| Pricing model | freemium | paid |
| Starting price | Free tier available✓ | From $249/mo |
| Best for | Freelancers and agencies managing certificates across many client domains who want a browser console, email validation, a REST API and one invoice — or teams wanting a second CA for diversification | Enterprises and mid-market companies managing large certificate estates who need vetting, compliance certificates (eIDAS, PSD2), lifecycle automation, and an accountable CA behind them. |
| Features | ||
| IPv6 | ||
| DDoS protection | ||
| Automated backups | ||
| Snapshots | ||
| Managed option | ||
| Bare metal | ||
| GPU available | ||
| S3-compatible | ||
| Hourly billing | ||
| Free tier | ✓ | |
| Tags | ||
| Tags | free tierapi access | team features |
| Visit ZeroSSL → | Visit GlobalSign → | |
ZeroSSL
Pros
- + Genuine free tier with no credit card: 3 × 90-day certificates plus multi-domain, wildcard and ACME support
- + Strong automation story for a UI-first CA: REST API, ACME clients, monitoring and installation checks
- + Vienna-founded CA (2016) backed by HID Global since 2024, with a clear enterprise path for OV/EV and lifecycle management
- + Transparent published pricing including fixed Platinum tiers up to $6,719.90 per year
Cons
- - Paying for DV certificates is hard to justify when Let's Encrypt is free and equally trusted in browsers
- - Vendor's own pages disagree on free certificate count and on issuance/client volume
- - No published uptime SLA outside HID's enterprise offering; support priority scales with plan price
- - Credit-based annual certificate quotas and Basic/+ Protect variants make the plan matrix hard to compare
GlobalSign
Pros
- + 25+ years as a publicly trusted CA with ubiquitous roots and WebTrust accreditation since 2001
- + Full identity spectrum: DV, OV, EV, Wildcard, SAN (up to 100 names), plus code signing, S/MIME, and document signing
- + Enterprise PKI depth: Managed PKI portal, Atlas platform, ACME and lifecycle automation tools
- + Warranties scale with validation ($10k DV to $1.5M EV); unlimited server licensing and reissues
- + 24/7 phone, email, and chat support; eIDAS and PSD2 compliance certificates available
Cons
- - Expensive for commodity TLS — $249/yr list for DV against free Let's Encrypt automation
- - Storefront prices render client-side and ordering is region-locked, which complicates buying
- - EV's browser-visible value has eroded; the $599 tier buys vetting and warranty, not a green bar
- - GMO Internet Group ownership is a jurisdiction consideration for some procurement policies
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