Best SSL Plugins for WordPress: Compare Top Security Solutions

Looking to secure your WordPress website with SSL? An SSL certificate is essential for encrypting data, boosting SEO, and building visitor trust. Thankfully, SSL plugins for WordPress make setup easy. In this guide, I’ve compared the best WordPress SSL plugins, including Really Simple SSL, WP Force SSL, and SSL Zen, highlighting their features, ratings, and active installs. Whether you’re looking for a simple setup or advanced functionality, this comparison will help you find the ideal SSL plugin to safeguard your site and improve search rankings.

Security of your site and your visitor’s personal information is worrisome since network threats are increasing by every passing day. Moreover, WordPress is a popular platform and naturally attracts more threats. However, there are several ways to secure your WordPress website. Some of the security steps you can take are: Keeping your WordPress core up-to-date, setting up SSL on your WordPress site, having WordPress backup plugins, having WordPress data recovery software, checking for WordPress security updates regularly, and more. A secure website offers a better performance and is trusted by its visitors/users.

Here at TemplateToaster WordPress Website builder, I will help you gain an overall better understanding of WordPress security.

What is an SSL plugin?

SSL and Secure Sockets Layer is essential technology for creating encrypted connections between a server and an end-user. It is essential to ensure that no one can steal any kind of data users enter on the internet. For instance, when you are transmitting sensitive information over the network, SSL enforces a certain data coding that makes it difficult to intercept while transmission of the data. Basically, SSL makes the channel safe and secure for the data to travel over the internet. An SSL plugin helps you to secure your personal data from attackers. It will not only make your site secure but will also help you build a trustworthy relationship between your safe WordPress site and its users.

Why do you need SSL plugins?

Here are five reasons why using SSL plugins to implement SSL on your WordPress website is beneficial, even though SSL can be set up manually:

• Simplifies the Setup Process: SSL plugins automate the complex process of configuring SSL certificates. Without these plugins, manual SSL setup requires editing core files like .htaccess, adjusting HTTPS settings, and troubleshooting potential issues, which can be technically challenging for many users.
• Automatic HTTP to HTTPS Redirection: After installing an SSL certificate, you need to ensure all traffic is redirected to HTTPS. SSL plugins automatically handle this by updating all URLs and enforcing secure connections across your entire site.
• Mixed Content Fixing: SSL plugins help resolve mixed content issues where some elements on a page still load over HTTP after enabling SSL. This prevents security warnings in browsers and ensures your website is fully secure.
• Regular Updates and Security: SSL plugins often come with regular updates to stay compatible with new WordPress versions and provide new features, such as security enhancements and seamless integrations, without manual interventions.
• Monitoring and Alerts: Some SSL plugins provide ongoing monitoring of your SSL certificate’s status, notifying you when it’s about to expire or when there’s a configuration issue, ensuring your site remains secure without manual checks.

List of the Best SSL plugins for WordPress

1. Really Simple SSL

As the name suggests, Really Simple SSL makes it easy for website owners to enable SSL on their WordPress site. All you need to do is get an SSL certificate, activate the plugin, and then enable the SSL certificate with just one click. Moreover, the plugin can automatically detect all of your configurations and settings and redirects your website for HTTPS. Furthermore, the plugin is kept straightforward and easy-to-use to allow your site to run smoothly. On top of that, it fixes your insecure content by replacing http:// URLs with https://. However, you can always get the pro version to take things up a notch for priority support and strict transport security.

Features

1. This plugin works with all kinds of SSL certificates
2. Offers exceptional security improvement by enabling HTTP script transport security for the site.
3. You can also opt for premium email service.
4. Offers complete scan for mixed content issues.
5. Features a mixed content repairer for the backend
6. Incredibly simple, easy to use, and beginner friendly interface with limited features.
7. Premium version is available to take things up a notch.
8. Offers license renewal at 50% discount on yearly basis that is cancelable at any time.

Pros

• Easy to use
• Beginner-friendly
• Can avail advanced features on demand

Cons

• You need to pay for the advanced features

WP Force SSL & HTTPS SSL Redirect

WP Force SSL allows you to redirect HTTP traffic to HTTPs easily. The plugin eliminates the need for complex set up wizards and code to execute this redirection. However, users need to get an SSL certificate to embed their URLs with HTTPs. On the other hand, it is an open source plugin and is absolutely free of cost to use and is supported and updated by a team of experts on a regular basis.

Features

1. Open source plugin and is absolutely free of cost to use.
2. Supported and updated by a team of experts on a regular basis.
3. Automatically deviates all traffic from HTTP to HTTPs.
4. Enables HSTS (HTTP strict Transport Security) on your site to protect your site against protocol downgrade attacks and cookie hijacking.
5. Users have the option to use their preferred versions.
6. Comes with an SSL testing tool to test whether your SSL certificate is valid, up-to-date, properly installed, and generally good in shape.
7. Get an SSL certificate, install the plugin and it will do the rest for you.
8. Lightweight and developer-friendly plugin.

Pros

• SSL testing
• Force SSL
• Enables HTTP Strict Transport Security

Cons

• No advanced version available.

WP Encryption

WP Encryption is slightly different from other SSL plugins for WordPress. It generates an SSL certificate. Therefore, if you don’t have a SSL certificate already, you can get one using this plugin from Lets Encrypt. Moreover, it lets you generate certificate files and install on your server to your Apache or NGINX when you run WordPress on a specialized VPS/Dedicated server without cPanel. Furthermore, it verifies your HTTP domain instantly and offers an hassle-free installation and set up. It offers a free as well as a pro version. Most of the essential features are available with the free version. However, if you want advanced features like DNS verification and wildcard SSL support, upgrade to the SSL certificate.

Features

1. Generates an SSL certificate from Let’s Encrypt using this plugin.
2. Allows you to generate certificate files and install on your server to your Apache or NGINX when you run WordPress on a specialized VPS/Dedicated server without cPanel.
3. Offers annual domain verification with the free version.
4. Verifies your HTTP domain instantly and offers an hassle-free installation and set up.
5. Force HTTPS + Redirect loop fix for StackPath, CloudFlare, Reverse proxies, and load balancers.
6. Offers Mixed Content scanner to scan insecure contents that can cause browser padlock to not show.
7. Fixes insecure content on backend as well as frontend.
8. Upgrade to the SSL certificate for advanced features like DNS verification and wildcard SSL support.

Pros

• Forces SSL/HTTPs sitewide
• Offers mixed content scanner
• Fixes insecure content

Cons

• Premium version is expensive.

SSL Zen

SSL Zen allows you to generate your SSL certificate for free from Let’s Encrypt to secure your website. After installing and activating the plugin on your site, you can set this SSL ZEN to redirect HTTP into HTTPs web traffic. After that, it will automatically add HTTPs and padlock at the top of the URL bar. This plugin makes the complex SSL setup and installation process easier. Moreover, it offers a paid version that can automatically renew your expiring SSL certificate and prove the domain ownership.

Features

1. Strong bank-level security
2. Help you increase SEO ranking
3. Offers secure padlock in the browser
4. Displays ‘connection is secure’ message to your visitors to boost the reliability of your site.
5. Green padlock helps build trust amongst your customers.
6. Allows you to accept payments and other sensitive information online securely.
7. Great compliance with regulation standards.
8. Paid version can automatically renew your expiring SSL certificate and prove the domain ownership.

Pros

• Free version available
• Offers hassle-free SSL certificate installation process
• Automatically deviates HTTP traffic to HTTPs.

Cons

• Limited features with the free version

One Click SSL

As the name suggests, One Click SSL can set up an SSL certificate in a single click. It redirects all of your non-SSL pages into SSL by adding padlock and HTTPs to the UR bar to increase the credibility of your WordPress site. Moreover, it converts all your files including JavaScript, CSS, images, etc, into HTTPs web-traffic. Furthermore, you can select SSL areas such as website front page, admin panel, and everywhere.

Features

1. Adds credibility to your site by adding HTTPs and padlock to the URL bar.
2. This plugin automatically checks whether the SSL feature is supported on the host/server or not.
3. It allows you to select SSL areas such as website front page, admin panel, and everywhere.
4. It is open source and free to use.
5. Offers a user-friendly setup wizard with one-click setup.
6. Automatically redirects the URL to the non-SSL page when the SSL redirection is not enabled.
7. Converts all your files including JavaScript, CSS, images, etc, into HTTPs web-traffic.

Pros

• Absolutely free to use
• Allows you to select SSL areas
• Offers easy to use interface

Cons

• No advanced feature or version is available

Comparison Table of Best SSL plugins for WordPress

In case you are in a hurry then here is a brief, side-by-side comparison of the best SSL plugins for WordPress. Have a look and decide the right plugin for you.

How to choose the best SSL plugin for your WordPress site?

You should consider the following factors when choosing the best SSL plugin for your WordPress site-

• Ease of use

The entire reason for getting an SSL plugin is to make the SSL installation process easier and hassle free. Therefore, make sure the plugin you choose is easier to use with a straightforward and hassle-free interface. You don’t want to be overwhelmed by a lot of features you don’t even need.

• Pricing

Although most of the SSL plugins are open source and free of cost, yet some of them can have hidden costs. Make sure you don’t pick a plugin that comes with surprise costs. However, all of the given plugins in this article comes with a free version. Therefore, feel free to pick any of the given plugins.

• Automatic redirection

An SSL plugin can deviate non-SSL traffic to SSL URLs automatically after installing the plugin. Make sure that the plugin you pick serves the purpose. If your SSL plugin can’t even do this, then what is even the purpose of having that plugin?

• Advanced version

If you have an established website that needs corporate-level features and security, then you might want to consider getting an advanced version. It can help you with some advanced features like automatic DNS verification, wildcard SSL support, automatic renewal, domain ownership, or more.

Bonus SSL plugins for WordPress

Free SSL Certificate Plugin

Free SSL Certificate Plugin works in cPanel shared hosting and takes no more than 8 minutes. To use this plugin, you don’t require any coding experience or server admin experience. Moreover, it allows you to set up the cron job from this plugin with a single click. Furthermore, it offers auto-install of free SSL that works on your WordPress website’s domain as well as hosted websites on your cPanel/web hosting. On top of all, it offers one-click force SSL activation that will offer HTTPs redirect, mixed content warning, fix insecure content, display padlock, and more.

Key features

• Auto install free SSL
• One-click force SSL activation.
• Choose the interval to renew SSL certificates
• Option to set the directory name

SSL Insecure Content Fixer

SSL Insecure Content Fixer will help you fix the insecure content on your WordPress site and send SMS alerts when it locates mixed content on your site. Enable the basic settings to fix the simple level changes on your site, automatically. In literal terms, it fixes the content after you have already implemented your SSL. This powerful tool helps you clean your WordPress site straight away from the installation.

Key features

• Insecure content warnings and alerts
• Automatically performs basic fixes
• Allows you to select some comprehensive fix levels as needed by your website

Easy HTTPS Redirection (SSL)

Easy HTTPS Redirection (SSL) requires you to install a SSL certificate on your site and ensure that your HTTPS is working on your site first. However, this plugin will help you set up a way to redirect regular HTTP URLs to the HTTPS version of the URL. Therefore, your visitors will only see the HTTPS URL version even when they enter the HTTP version. Moreover, it allows you to start using SSL right away at the beginning of the use of the website by embedding all the static files with the HTTPS URL. However, if you have not been using SSL since the beginning then you will need to change the static files you were using prior to SSL.

Key features

• Forces load elements such as JavaScript, CSS, image files, and more.
• Allows you to choose the URLs you want to redirect to your sites.
• Embeds all the static files with HTTPs URL.
• Allows you to force the entire domain to open in HTTPS instead of HTTP.

Conclusion

A protected and trustworthy website is the key to success of your business/website. Most visitors abandon websites when they don’t see HTTPs URL or a green padlock on the URL representing that your website is secure. Moreover, if you run an online store that saves your visitors personal information and collects online payments, the SSL certificate becomes even more essential. An SSL plugin allows you to install an SSL certificate easily on your site. I hope this article helped you find the right plugin for your WordPress site. Share your experience with us by commenting below.