Let us start with the truth: a free certificate encrypts data exactly as well as a paid one. The differences are in everything around the encryption.
| Free (Let's Encrypt, AutoSSL) | Paid (SSLWalay) | |
|---|---|---|
| Encryption | Same | Same |
| Validity | 90 days, must auto renew | 1 to 3 year plans |
| Validation | DV only | DV, OV, EV |
| Company name in certificate | No | Yes with OV or EV |
| Warranty | None | $10,000 to $2,000,000 |
| Site seal | No | Yes |
| Support | Community forums | WhatsApp and phone in Pakistan |
| Wildcard | Yes, DNS validation only | Yes |
When free is enough
- A personal blog or portfolio.
- A test or staging site.
- Your host renews it automatically and you never have to think about it.
When to pay
- You take payments or collect customer data and want a warranty behind the certificate.
- You want your company name verified and shown (OV or EV).
- Auto renewal has failed before and your site went down for a weekend.
- You need a certificate on a device or server where automation is not possible: load balancers, mail servers, IIS, IoT devices.
- Your client or auditor asks for a certificate from a named commercial CA.
Paid DV certificates start at Rs 2,687 per year. For most business sites that is less than one day of ad spend.
Written by the SSLWalay team, Karachi. Last reviewed October 2026. Prices quoted are SSLWalay PKR prices at the time of review and can change; the product pages always show the live price.