How SSL Is Included Free with Your Hosting

Free SSL Certificates on SillyHost

Every SillyHost hosting plan includes free SSL certificates that are automatically installed and renewed. You do not need to purchase or manually configure SSL for your domains.

How AutoSSL Works

Our servers use AutoSSL, which automatically provisions and installs SSL certificates for all domains and subdomains on your hosting account. Here is what happens behind the scenes:

1. When you add a domain or subdomain to your account, AutoSSL detects it within a few hours.
2. It verifies that the domain's DNS points to our servers.
3. A Domain Validation (DV) certificate is issued and installed automatically.
4. The certificate is renewed automatically before it expires, typically every 90 days.

Checking Your SSL Status

1. Log in to cPanel.
2. Go to Security > SSL/TLS Status.
3. You will see a list of all your domains and subdomains with their SSL certificate status.
4. A green padlock icon indicates the certificate is active. A red icon means SSL is pending or there is an issue.

When AutoSSL Might Not Work

AutoSSL requires that your domain's DNS is pointing to SillyHost's servers. If SSL is not installing automatically, check the following:

• DNS not propagated: If you recently added the domain, wait up to 24 hours for DNS to propagate and AutoSSL to run.
• Using external DNS: If your domain uses Cloudflare or another DNS provider, ensure the A record points to your SillyHost server IP.
• CAA records: If your domain has CAA DNS records, ensure they allow the certificate authority used by AutoSSL (typically letsencrypt.org or sectigo.com).
• .htaccess redirects: Certain redirect rules can interfere with the domain validation process. Temporarily remove redirects if AutoSSL fails.

Running AutoSSL Manually

If you need SSL installed immediately rather than waiting for the automatic check, contact SillyHost support and we can trigger an AutoSSL run for your account. Alternatively, on the SSL/TLS Status page, click Run AutoSSL if the button is available.

Do You Need a Paid SSL?

For the majority of websites, the free AutoSSL certificate is sufficient. Consider a paid SSL only if you need Organisation Validation (OV) or Extended Validation (EV) for business compliance or enhanced trust indicators.