Comodo PositiveSSL vs GeoTrust RapidSSL

[Artashes]

Is there a difference between these two SSL certificates: Comodo PositiveSSL and GeoTrust RapidSSL?

I thought all SSL certificates were doing the same job. So why are they priced differently?

 

[Wanah]

For websites, none. For e-mail / FTP we've had issues with comodo positive ssl certs on some software / systems.

 

[Alex - A2 Hosting]

Could be wrong but I also don't think there are any noticeable differences. I think there used to be, primarily one didn't have the insurance along with it but that has not been the case for years.

I guess it just comes down to which company you want to work with. You might need to reach out to them in order to reissue the certificate or something alike.

Overall though, you can find resellers of both products offering them at very similar prices.

 

[easyhostmedia]

i know as a reseller Positive SSL is far cheaper than a Rapid SSL, so can easily be bundled with a hosting package without extra costs

 

[Localnode]

There is a difference, IIRC between these two:
RapidSSL certificates can secure both the bare domain and its www subdomain only *when* activated for www version. So if you wish domain.com and www.domain.com to be secured with the same RapidSSL, you will need to activate it for www.domain.com

As for PositiveSSL (and all Comodo certificates except multi-domain ones) -- it is always issued for both domain.com and www.domain.com, no matter which one is specified as the common name.

However, if you choose to secure a subdomain only:
For non-Comodo certificates, this feature works only when the certificate is activated for domain name -- not a subdomain.
PositiveSSL will secure both www.sub.domain.com and sub.domain.com

I'm describing only regular (not wildcard) SSL's above.

As for the pricing difference, it's probably the brand name.

 

[easyhostmedia]

However, if you choose to secure a subdomain only:
For non-Comodo certificates, this feature works only when the certificate is activated for domain name -- not a subdomain.
PositiveSSL will secure both www.sub.domain.com and sub.domain.com

Not 100% true.

a positive SSL will work on the main domain and anything you use as www.domain.com/sub or domain.com/sub

if you try www.sub.domain.com all you get is 'Your connection is not private -NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID'

if you want to use www.sub.domain.com under SSL then you need to use www.sub.domain.com as the common name

 

[Localnode]

Not 100% true.

a positive SSL will work on the main domain and anything you use as www.domain.com/sub or domain.com/sub

if you try www.sub.domain.com all you get is 'Your connection is not private -NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID'

if you want to use www.sub.domain.com under SSL then you need to use www.sub.domain.com as the common name

That's basically what I was explaining.
PositiveSSL is the choice if you want to secure a subdomain with and without www. RapidSSL for subdomains is different (and will secure one or the other, but not both in terms of sub domains).

Naturally, an SSL for domain.com will not work for sub.domain.com, but will for domain.com/* as well as www.domain.com/* assuming you did the right things.

 

[serverbundle]

PositiveSSL is cheap and also supports with and without www support with a single Cert.

 

[Optimidia]

Hopefully I am not de-railing here but, have you considered using Let's Encrypt? Free SSL and great new open technology.

 

[Alex - A2 Hosting]

i know as a reseller Positive SSL is far cheaper than a Rapid SSL, so can easily be bundled with a hosting package without extra costs

But that isn't really the point of this thread . The point is to discuss why the prices are different, what is different between them that makes 1 more expensive than the other.

 

[Localnode]

But that isn't really the point of this thread . The point is to discuss why the prices are different, what is different between them that makes 1 more expensive than the other.

Brand name. RapidSSL is Geotrust. PositiveSSL is Comodo.
Symantec SSL's are extremely more expensive than other SSL's. Look at GlobalSign, their SSL's are also fairly expensive.