SSL Coverage Compared
Wildcard vs Single-Domain SSL: Comparing Subdomain Coverage and Cost
One certificate can cover every subdomain you'll ever create, or you can buy coverage one hostname at a time — the right call depends entirely on how many subdomains you actually run today, and how many you'll add.
1 hostname
What single-domain SSL actually covers
*.domain
Wildcard coverage, one level deep
$59.99/yr
Single-domain DV SSL starting price
$169.99/yr
Wildcard SSL starting price
In short
Wildcard vs single-domain SSL is a coverage-versus-cost decision: a single-domain certificate secures exactly one hostname (like yourdomain.com, but not mail.yourdomain.com separately), while a wildcard certificate secures the base domain plus every first-level subdomain (*.yourdomain.com) under one certificate and one renewal. Hosting Cheap sells single-domain DV SSL from $59.99/yr and wildcard SSL from $169.99/yr. The math flips in wildcard's favor once you're running roughly three or more subdomains that each need their own certificate.
Wildcard only covers one level of subdomain depth — it won't automatically secure a second-level subdomain like app.staging.yourdomain.com without a separate certificate or a multi-level wildcard.
A single-domain SSL certificate does exactly what its name says: it secures one specific hostname, issued against that exact name, and nothing else. If your site is just yourdomain.com with no subdomains in active use, that's the entire decision — one certificate, one hostname, done. The complexity only shows up once subdomains enter the picture: mail.yourdomain.com, shop.yourdomain.com, app.yourdomain.com, staging.yourdomain.com each technically need their own certificate under the single-domain model, even though they all sit under the same root domain.
A wildcard certificate solves that by covering the base domain plus any first-level subdomain under a single certificate — *.yourdomain.com matches shop, mail, app, staging and anything else you create at that one level, all issued and renewed together. The trade-off is price: a wildcard costs more upfront than any single certificate, so the decision genuinely comes down to counting how many subdomains you're actually securing today, and how many you're likely to add.
What Single-Domain SSL Actually Secures
A single-domain certificate is issued against one exact hostname and validates only that one name — www.yourdomain.com and yourdomain.com without the www are technically different hostnames unless the certificate explicitly covers both, which most modern single-domain certificates do for that specific pair. Add a third hostname, though — shop.yourdomain.com, say — and it needs its own separate certificate, its own separate renewal date, and its own separate installation.
For a site with no subdomains, or with exactly one that a single certificate's www-plus-root coverage already handles, single-domain SSL at $59.99/yr is the simpler and cheaper option outright. The cost only compounds once a third or fourth subdomain enters active use, each one needing its own certificate stacked on top of the others.
What Wildcard Actually Covers — and Its One Real Limit
A wildcard certificate, written as *.yourdomain.com, covers the base domain and any first-level subdomain under it in a single certificate: mail, shop, app, staging, blog — all of them, issued once, renewed once, installed once per server rather than once per hostname. That's a meaningful simplification for any site running more than a couple of active subdomains, both in cost and in the operational overhead of tracking multiple renewal dates.
The real limit worth understanding before buying is depth: a standard wildcard covers exactly one level of subdomain, so *.yourdomain.com matches shop.yourdomain.com but does not automatically match a second-level subdomain like api.shop.yourdomain.com. If your setup nests subdomains two levels deep, that structure needs to be accounted for separately rather than assumed to be covered.
The Cost-Per-Site Math That Actually Decides This
The comparison is simple arithmetic once you know your subdomain count: at $59.99/yr per single-domain certificate, two subdomains cost roughly $120/yr combined, three cost around $180/yr, and each additional one adds another $59.99/yr on top — plus a separate renewal date to track for every single one. A wildcard at $169.99/yr covers any number of first-level subdomains for that one flat price.
The break-even lands around three subdomains, where single-domain certificates' combined cost starts to exceed wildcard's flat price, and it only gets more lopsided from there — five active subdomains under single-domain certificates would run close to $300/yr against wildcard's fixed $169.99/yr. Below that break-even point, particularly for one or two subdomains, single-domain certificates remain the cheaper choice.
Renewal and Management Overhead Beyond Raw Cost
Cost isn't the only variable — every separate single-domain certificate has its own expiry date, its own renewal reminder, and its own installation step on whichever server hosts that subdomain. On a setup with several subdomains added over time by different people, tracking which certificate expires when becomes its own small maintenance job, and a missed renewal on any one subdomain means visitors to just that subdomain start seeing a browser security warning.
A wildcard collapses all of that into one expiry date and one renewal, covering every current and future first-level subdomain without a separate purchase each time a new one is created. For a site actively adding subdomains — a SaaS product spinning up per-customer subdomains, an agency standing up staging environments regularly — that operational simplicity is often worth more than the direct dollar savings.
Single-Domain From $59.99/yr, Wildcard From $169.99/yr
Hosting Cheap sells single-domain DV SSL from $59.99/yr for sites with one or two hostnames to secure, and wildcard SSL from $169.99/yr for sites running several subdomains under one root domain.
Every hosting plan also includes free, auto-renewing SSL as standard, so the wildcard-versus-single-domain decision is specifically about whether you need paid coverage across multiple subdomains beyond what's already included free.
- Single-domain DV SSL from $59.99/yr, issued same day
- Wildcard SSL from $169.99/yr covering every first-level subdomain
- One renewal date for a wildcard instead of one per subdomain
- Free auto-renewing SSL included as standard on every hosting plan
Why Hosting Cheap
What you get
Flat wildcard pricing
$169.99/yr covers every first-level subdomain instead of stacking per-hostname costs.
One renewal to track
A wildcard replaces several separate expiry dates with a single one to manage.
Cheaper for one or two hostnames
Single-domain SSL at $59.99/yr stays the more cost-effective choice below the break-even point.
$10,000 warranty either way
Both single-domain and wildcard DV certificates carry the same relying-party warranty.
Free SSL included regardless
Every hosting plan ships with free, auto-renewing SSL before a paid certificate is even needed.
Installation help included
Our support team helps install whichever certificate type actually fits your subdomain count.
How It Works
Get set up in a few steps
Count your active subdomains
List every current subdomain and any you're planning to add soon.
Run the break-even math
Compare single-domain cost stacked per subdomain against wildcard's flat $169.99/yr.
Order and install
Choose the certificate type that fits, then get help installing it across your subdomains.
Included
Everything you need, on every plan
- List every subdomain currently in active use, not just the ones you remember
- Check whether www and root domain need separate coverage or one certificate
- Confirm whether any subdomain is nested two levels deep, which standard wildcard won't cover
- Run the cost math at your actual subdomain count against wildcard's flat price
- Factor in renewal-tracking overhead, not just the upfront certificate price
- Consider subdomains you're likely to add in the next year, not only today's count
- Confirm the warranty amount attached to whichever certificate type you choose
- Check that the certificate installs correctly across every subdomain's hosting
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How many subdomains does a wildcard SSL certificate cover?
A standard wildcard covers the base domain plus any number of first-level subdomains under it — mail, shop, app, blog and so on — all under one certificate. It does not cover a second-level subdomain like api.shop.yourdomain.com without additional coverage.
At what point is wildcard SSL cheaper than single-domain certificates?
Roughly around three active subdomains, single-domain certificates' combined cost starts to exceed wildcard's flat $169.99/yr price, and the gap widens with each additional subdomain beyond that.
Does wildcard SSL cover www and the root domain?
Yes, *.yourdomain.com covers first-level subdomains including www, alongside the root domain, which most wildcard certificates include as standard coverage.
Can I use one wildcard certificate across multiple servers?
Yes, a wildcard certificate can be installed on any server hosting a covered subdomain, which is part of why it simplifies management for sites split across different hosting environments.
What happens if I add a new subdomain after buying a single-domain certificate?
That new subdomain needs its own separate single-domain certificate with its own renewal date, unless you switch to a wildcard, which would automatically cover it without an additional purchase.
Is free auto-renewing SSL the same as a paid single-domain certificate?
Free SSL included with hosting covers standard domain validation and auto-renews without action, similar in function to a paid single-domain certificate — paid options add things like a formal warranty and, for wildcard, coverage across multiple subdomains.
Related hosting
SSL Certificates
Single-domain, wildcard and EV certificates alongside free SSL on every plan.
Domains
The root domain any wildcard or single-domain certificate is issued against.
Reseller Hosting
Client subdomains under one root domain are a common wildcard use case.
Business Hosting
Multi-subdomain business sites where wildcard coverage often pays off.
Cover One Hostname or Every Subdomain, Priced Either Way
Single-domain DV SSL from $59.99/yr, wildcard SSL from $169.99/yr — free auto-renewing SSL included on every hosting plan.
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