SSL & Security
Wildcard SSL Certificate Explained: One Cert, Every Subdomain Covered
Add a new subdomain next month, and it's already covered — a wildcard certificate secures the whole *.yourdomain.com pattern in one go.
1
Certificate covers every subdomain
*.domain.com
The pattern a wildcard secures
Free
Auto-renewing SSL as standard
24/7
Human support for SSL setup
In short
A wildcard SSL certificate secures a domain and every subdomain that matches a specific pattern — written as *.yourdomain.com — under a single certificate, rather than issuing a separate one for each subdomain individually. That means blog.yourdomain.com, shop.yourdomain.com and any subdomain added later are all covered by that one certificate without requesting or installing anything new each time a subdomain is created.
Free auto-renewing SSL on standard domains and subdomains covers most sites already, but a wildcard certificate becomes useful once subdomains multiply beyond what's practical to secure one at a time.
A single domain rarely stays single for long. A blog subdomain here, a staging subdomain there, a client portal on its own subdomain, a regional site under a country subdomain — each one is technically a separate hostname, and each one needs HTTPS covering it. Securing them individually means requesting, installing and renewing a certificate every time a new subdomain goes live, which adds up fast for a site that adds subdomains regularly.
A wildcard certificate collapses that into one certificate covering the whole pattern. Hosting Cheap issues free auto-renewing SSL by default, and for setups with several subdomains, a wildcard certificate means every one of them — present and future — inherits HTTPS automatically, without a separate request each time.
How a Wildcard SSL Certificate Actually Works
A standard SSL certificate is issued for one exact hostname — www.yourdomain.com, for instance — and doesn't automatically extend to blog.yourdomain.com or shop.yourdomain.com even though they share the same root domain. A wildcard certificate is issued for the pattern *.yourdomain.com instead, where the asterisk stands in for any subdomain name at that level.
That single certificate then validates HTTPS for every current and future subdomain matching the pattern — add a new subdomain next year, and it's already secured under the same certificate, with no new request, validation or installation needed.
Wildcard vs Standard SSL: When Each One Makes Sense
For a site with just the main domain and maybe one or two subdomains, standard SSL certificates covering each hostname individually work fine, and free auto-renewing SSL already handles that without extra effort. The wildcard case becomes worthwhile once subdomains start multiplying — a client portal per customer, a staging environment alongside production, regional subdomains for different markets.
The practical difference shows up at renewal and expansion time. Standard certificates renew individually per hostname; a wildcard renews once and covers the whole set. Adding a new subdomain under a wildcard needs zero certificate work, where the standard approach means requesting a new one each time.
What a Wildcard Certificate Does — and Doesn't — Cover
A wildcard for *.yourdomain.com covers first-level subdomains like blog.yourdomain.com or shop.yourdomain.com, but it doesn't automatically extend to second-level patterns like app.staging.yourdomain.com — that would need its own wildcard for *.staging.yourdomain.com, or a separate certificate entirely.
It's also worth knowing a standard wildcard doesn't cover the bare root domain (yourdomain.com without any subdomain) unless the certificate is specifically issued to include both — something worth confirming rather than assuming when setting one up.
Setting Up a Wildcard Certificate on Your Hosting
Free auto-renewing SSL is included by default on hosting plans, which covers most sites' domain and subdomain needs without any manual certificate management. For accounts running several subdomains where a wildcard makes more sense, 24/7 human support can help confirm the right certificate type and pattern for the actual subdomain structure in use.
Once issued, a wildcard certificate renews the same way any other SSL does — automatically, in the background — so a growing set of subdomains doesn't turn into a recurring renewal task for whoever manages the site.
One Certificate, as Many Subdomains as the Business Needs
Every subdomain added to a growing site is another hostname that needs HTTPS, and requesting a fresh certificate each time doesn't scale well once client portals, staging environments and regional pages start adding up.
A wildcard certificate removes that friction entirely — secure the pattern once, and every subdomain matching it is covered automatically, including ones that don't exist yet.
- One certificate secures the main domain and every matching subdomain
- New subdomains inherit HTTPS automatically, no new certificate request needed
- Renews once as a whole, not per subdomain
- Free auto-renewing SSL still covers simpler single-subdomain setups
Why Hosting Cheap
What you get
One certificate, full coverage
Secure the main domain and every current or future subdomain under a single wildcard pattern.
No per-subdomain renewals
A wildcard renews once, instead of tracking a separate expiry date for each subdomain.
Scales with growth
Add client portals, staging environments or regional subdomains without new certificate work.
Free auto-renewing SSL as standard
Simpler sites are already covered by default, no wildcard required.
24/7 human support
Real people to help confirm the right certificate setup for your subdomain structure.
30-day money-back guarantee
Test a wildcard or standard SSL setup with room to change your mind.
How It Works
Get set up in a few steps
Map out your subdomain structure
List existing and planned subdomains to decide if a wildcard makes sense yet.
Choose wildcard or standard SSL
Pick a wildcard for several subdomains, or rely on default auto-renewing SSL for one or two.
Let it renew itself
Once issued, the certificate renews automatically in the background with no manual steps.
Included
Everything you need, on every plan
- Understand what a wildcard SSL certificate actually covers
- Count existing subdomains to judge whether a wildcard is worth it
- Confirm whether the wildcard also covers the bare root domain
- Check that a second-level wildcard is used for deeper subdomains if needed
- Confirm SSL renews automatically rather than requiring manual reissue
- Check free auto-renewing SSL is included as a baseline on every plan
- Ask support to confirm the right certificate type for your setup
- Look for a money-back guarantee while testing the configuration
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is a wildcard SSL certificate exactly?
It's a single SSL certificate issued for a pattern like *.yourdomain.com, which secures the main domain and every subdomain matching that pattern under one certificate.
Do I need a wildcard certificate for just one or two subdomains?
Usually not. Free auto-renewing SSL already covers a small number of subdomains individually. A wildcard becomes more useful once subdomains start multiplying.
Does a wildcard cover subdomains I haven't created yet?
Yes. Any subdomain matching the certificate's pattern is covered automatically the moment it's created, without requesting anything new.
Does a wildcard for *.yourdomain.com also secure yourdomain.com itself?
Not automatically — the bare root domain needs to be included specifically when the certificate is issued, so it's worth confirming rather than assuming.
What about subdomains of subdomains, like app.staging.yourdomain.com?
A standard wildcard for *.yourdomain.com doesn't reach that deep. A second-level wildcard or a separate certificate is needed for nested subdomains.
Does a wildcard certificate renew automatically?
Yes, it renews the same way standard SSL does — automatically, in the background, without manual reissuing.
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Secure Every Subdomain Under One Certificate
Get free auto-renewing SSL as standard, with wildcard coverage available as your subdomains grow.
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