Does web hosting include SSL, or is it something you have to buy separately on top of your hosting bill?

It’s one of the first questions that comes up once you start comparing plans, and the good news is that free SSL has become the norm rather than the exception.

SSL certificates encrypt the connection between a website and its visitors, which is what enables HTTPS and the secure padlock shown in a browser’s address bar. 

Free SSL doesn’t mean an inferior version of HTTPS either. 

That said, free SSL on its own doesn’t tell you everything worth knowing. 

It’s worth checking whether installation is automatic, how renewal works, whether coverage extends to subdomains as well as the main domain, and whether SSL is included for every website hosted on the account rather than just the primary one.

SSL is now commonly bundled with web hosting rather than sold as a separate add-on, but it isn’t enough on its own when comparing providers. 

This guide compares eight web hosting providers that currently offer free SSL, looking at starting price, storage, websites allowed, bandwidth, free domain offers, backups and control panel.

So you can weigh SSL alongside everything else that actually shapes the hosting experience. 

Prices and features shift fairly often across the industry, so it’s worth checking each provider’s current plan page directly before buying.

Whatever kind of website you’re running, finding web hosting with free SSL included is really just the starting point of the comparison rather than the whole decision.

8 Web Hosting Providers With Free SSL

Provider	Starting Price	Storage	Websites	Free SSL	Free Domain	Backups
Truehost	From around $2.06/mo, billed triennially	30 GB SSD	Up to 10	Yes	On qualifying plans	Daily
Hostinger	From $2.99/mo, 48-month term	50 GB SSD	100	Yes	First year free	Weekly
Namecheap	From around $1.88 to $2.28/mo	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Yes	Check current offer	Varies by plan
Bluehost	From around $3.99/mo on promotion	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Yes	First year free	Varies by plan
DreamHost	From around $1.99 to $2.89/mo, 48-month term	SSD, varies by plan	Varies by plan	Yes	First year free	Daily
SiteGround	From $2.99/mo, 12-month term	Varies by plan	1 on StartUp	Yes	First year free	Daily
HostGator	From around $2.75/mo on promotion	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Yes	Check current offer	Varies by plan
A2 Hosting (now Hosting.com)	From around $2.99/mo intro	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Yes	Check current offer	Varies by plan

Current provider information supports free SSL across all eight of these providers. 

Exact storage, website limits and renewal pricing vary by plan tier though, so the table above is meant as a starting point for comparison rather than the full picture for any single plan.

1) Truehost

Truehost’s entry level hosting currently starts at around $2.06 per month when billed triennially.

Including 30 GB of SSD storage, support for up to 10 websites, unlimited bandwidth, and daily backups bundled in alongside free automated SSL.

Email accounts are included, and Softaculous handles one click WordPress and other CMS installations without needing to configure anything manually. 

A free domain is available on qualifying plans, and cPanel comes as standard for managing the whole account from one dashboard. 

These plans suit beginners, small businesses and anyone hosting a handful of websites who wants solid resources at a genuinely low entry price.

What stands out about Truehost’s approach to SSL specifically is that it isn’t treated as a premium add-on reserved for higher tiers. 

The free automated Let’s Encrypt certificate applies across the hosting lineup.

Covering both the main domain and any addon domains or subdomains hosted on the same account, which isn’t always a given with every provider on this list.

2) Hostinger

Hostinger’s shared hosting currently starts around $2.99 per month on a 48 month term, renewing at a noticeably higher rate once that initial period ends. 

Storage sits around 50 GB of SSD on its entry tier, with higher plans stepping up to NVMe storage and more generous allowances.

Hostinger says its hosting includes automatically installed free SSL certificates with automatic renewal, so there’s no manual reissuing involved. 

A free domain comes bundled for the first year, weekly backups are included on entry tiers with daily backups on higher ones, and email hosting comes as standard. 

Hostinger uses its own hPanel rather than cPanel, which covers similar ground through a different interface.

The jump from introductory to renewal pricing here is worth factoring into any real comparison, since the first term’s low rate only applies once, with renewal pricing stepping up noticeably afterward. 

For anyone planning to stick with a provider long term rather than hopping between promotional rates, running the renewal math ahead of time avoids an unpleasant surprise down the line.

3) Namecheap

Namecheap’s shared hosting starts from around $1.88 to $2.28 per month depending on the current promotion, with storage, website limits and bandwidth varying by specific plan tier.

Namecheap currently advertises free SSL on its shared hosting plans, with its own page listing 50 free Standard SSL certificates for one year, set up automatically. 

This is actually a useful distinction worth keeping in mind generally when comparing hosting. 

Free SSL doesn’t always mean free forever, so checking a certificate’s duration and renewal terms counts for just as much as confirming it’s included in the first place. 

Namecheap’s plans include cPanel, email hosting, and backup options that vary by tier.

4) Bluehost

Bluehost’s shared hosting currently starts around $3.99 per month on promotion, with storage, website allowances and bandwidth scaling up across its plan tiers.

Bluehost lists free SSL among its standard hosting features, alongside a free domain for the first year and backup options that depend on the specific plan chosen. 

Its strong integration with WordPress specifically makes it a common recommendation for anyone building a WordPress site from scratch.

And its support options cover the basics well for beginners who might need a hand getting started.

Bluehost’s long standing official recommendation from WordPress.org has historically been part of its appeal.

Since it signals a level of integration testing that newer or more generic hosting brands can’t always claim in quite the same way.

5) DreamHost

DreamHost’s shared hosting starts from around $1.99 to $2.89 per month on its longest, 48 month billing term, with storage and website allowances varying between its Launch, Growth and Scale tiers.

Current 2026 comparison data lists DreamHost with free SSL and daily backups included, though exact plan details vary by tier. 

DreamHost uses its own custom control panel rather than cPanel, and includes a notably long money back guarantee on eligible shared hosting purchases paid by credit card. 

Unlimited SSL coverage and solid WordPress support round out what’s generally seen as a straightforward, no frills hosting option.

DreamHost’s renewal pricing also tends to be more moderate compared to some other providers on this list.

Which makes its total cost over several years genuinely competitive even though the very lowest introductory rate isn’t always the cheapest on the page.

6) SiteGround

SiteGround’s shared hosting starts at $2.99 per month on a 12 month introductory term.

With its StartUp plan limited to a single website and higher tiers like GrowBig and GoGeek opening up more websites and resources.

Current 2026 hosting comparisons list free SSL and daily backups for SiteGround.

With SSL coverage extending to both standard and wildcard certificates, useful for anyone running a subdomain based setup. 

SiteGround runs its own Site Tools interface rather than cPanel, and includes WordPress specific tools like staging and a developer toolkit on higher plans. 

Renewal pricing jumps considerably after the first term, so it’s worth factoring that into any long term cost comparison.

SiteGround’s support quality is frequently singled out as a genuine strength in independent reviews.

Which can justify the higher renewal cost for anyone who values responsive, knowledgeable support over squeezing out the absolute lowest possible price.

7) HostGator

HostGator’s shared hosting currently starts around $2.75 per month on promotion, with website allowances, storage and bandwidth varying between its Hatchling, Baby and Business tiers.

Current 2026 comparisons list free SSL as standard across HostGator’s hosting plans, alongside cPanel access, email hosting, and backup options that depend on plan tier. 

HostGator also offers free WordPress and cPanel website transfer for anyone migrating from another host.

Along with a money back guarantee for anyone wanting to test the service before fully committing.

The Hatchling plan specifically tends to limit you to a single website.

So anyone planning multiple sites from the start should look toward Baby or Business instead, where website allowances open up considerably alongside slightly higher pricing.

8) A2 Hosting

A2 Hosting is worth a quick note before anything else. 

The brand has been operating under the Hosting.com name since its acquisition by World Host Group in 2025.

So current plans and pricing are best checked directly on Hosting.com rather than assuming older A2 Hosting specific details still apply exactly as they did before.

Under either name, shared hosting has historically included free SSL as standard, with introductory pricing generally starting somewhere around $2.99 per month. 

Current comparison data lists free SSL with A2 Hosting specifically, alongside cPanel access and solid WordPress support.

Though it’s worth confirming current plan details directly given the rebrand.

This kind of ownership change is a good reminder for comparing hosting generally. 

Brand names in this industry shift more often than most buyers expect.

So a provider’s current official site is always a more reliable source than an older review or comparison that might be describing a company under a name it no longer uses.

Web Hosting With Free SSL

Free SSL is genuinely common among major hosting providers at this point, to the point where finding a plan without it has become the exception rather than the rule. 

It’s no longer a meaningful differentiator on its own.

That’s exactly why it’s worth not choosing based on SSL alone. 

The eight providers covered here all include free SSL, yet they differ considerably in starting price, storage, website limits, backups, email allowances and support quality. 

Working through the comparison table above against your own website’s actual needs gives a much clearer picture than simply picking whichever provider mentions SSL most prominently on its homepage.

Truehost is one of these eight providers offering free SSL as a standard part of its hosting plans, alongside daily backups, generous storage and support for multiple websites on its entry tier. 

If you’re comparing web hosting with free SSL and want a provider that bundles strong resources in alongside it, Truehost’s hosting plans are worth exploring directly.