Free SSL certificates for your domain explained
Yes, you can get a trusted SSL certificate for your domain at no cost. Let's Encrypt, run by a nonprofit, issues free certificates, and many hosts install and renew them for you. Your domain registration does not include one, so check your hosting.
What the padlock actually means
When a website address starts with https, the connection between your visitor and your server is encrypted. The browser shows a padlock or a similar sign. This stops other people on the same Wi-Fi from reading what a customer types, such as a phone number or an order note.
The padlock does not prove that a business is honest. It only says the connection is private and that the certificate matches the domain name. Still, visitors expect it. If your shop, portfolio or booking page lacks it, some will leave before reading a word.
People still say SSL, but the modern technology is called TLS. The word certificate means the same thing in both cases.
Where Let's Encrypt fits in
Let's Encrypt is a certificate authority run by a nonprofit called the Internet Security Research Group. If you own a domain name, you can get a trusted certificate from it at zero cost.
It issues domain validation certificates only. That means it checks you control the domain, not who you are as a company. For most small sites, blogs and online shops, that is enough. Wildcard certificates, which cover every subdomain, are supported too, but they need a DNS-based check.
If a bank or large company wants a certificate that names the organisation, it must go elsewhere. Let's Encrypt says it has no plans to offer those.
- Free for domain owners
- Domain validation only
- Wildcards possible via DNS check
Hosts that set it up automatically
You rarely need to touch Let's Encrypt yourself. Many hosting companies, website builders and site platforms switch on HTTPS for a connected domain and handle the certificate in the background. Some may charge a small fee for managing it, which Let's Encrypt itself notes can happen.
Before you buy hosting, ask two things. Does it issue a certificate for my own domain? Does it renew it without my help? Look for a setting called SSL, HTTPS or Secure.
Your domain must point to the host first. That is done through DNS records. If you have not chosen a name yet, search at /domains/ or browse ideas at /ideas/.
Why browsers show warnings
A browser warning usually means one of a few things. The certificate has expired. It was issued for a different domain name. Or the page loads some images or scripts over plain http, which breaks the padlock.
Visitors see a full-page warning and often assume the site is unsafe or abandoned. That is bad news for a business that takes enquiries on WhatsApp or through a form.
Check the exact name first. A certificate for the bare domain may not cover the www version unless both were added. If you recently moved hosts, the old certificate may still be showing. Fix the cause, then reload in a private window to confirm.
Renewals: the part people forget
Let's Encrypt certificates last 90 days by default, and that length cannot be changed. The service advises renewing about every 60 days. An optional short-lived type lasts six days and should be renewed about every three days.
That sounds like a lot of work, but it is meant to be automatic. Good hosts renew without asking you. If you run your own server, set up a renewal tool and test it.
Do not confuse certificate renewal with domain renewal. Your domain registration is separate. For a .pk name, see /pk-domain/ and /pk-domain-price/ for how the two-year term works. Let the domain lapse and no certificate will help.
Getting your domain ready
A certificate needs a domain you control, so start there. We register new names in your own name through PKNIC or a registrar, and our marketplace at /#browse lists existing names, with payment held in escrow until the sale completes. We are not a registrar and are not affiliated with PKNIC.
For .pk and .com.pk, PKNIC charges Rs 2,100 per year for Pakistan-based registrants from 1 August 2026, with a two-year minimum. Overseas registrants pay USD 15.99 per year. Our own fee details are on /pricing/.
Once the name is yours, point it to your host, turn on HTTPS, and test the padlock. Our /guides/ section covers more setup steps.
Common questions
Is a free SSL certificate as safe as a paid one?
For encrypting the connection, a Let's Encrypt certificate does the same basic job. It is a domain validation certificate. Paid products may add extras such as company-name checks or warranties, depending on the provider.
Does buying a domain from SastiDomains include SSL?
No. We register or sell the domain, not hosting or certificates. Your host or platform normally provides the certificate once your domain points to it.
How often must I renew a Let's Encrypt certificate?
Certificates last 90 days and Let's Encrypt advises renewing around every 60 days. Most hosts do this automatically, so just confirm it is switched on.
Why does my site say Not secure even with a certificate?
Common causes are an expired certificate, a name mismatch such as www versus the bare domain, or images and scripts still loading over http. Fix the cause and recheck.