Domain Validation (DV)
Inexpensive, basic protection recommended for personal or hobby sites and small forums that need basic encryption for things like logins, forms or other non-transactional data.

Only the verified owner of the domain name can purchase an SSL certificate for the domain. Validation is done via email sent to the domain owner. Domain validated SSL certificates can be issued very quickly - often in minutes.

Organisation Validation (OV)
Affordable protection for small businesses. Recommended for small to mid-sized business sites where validation of the company is important. Highly recommended for sites with low-volume eCommerce transactions. Only verified representatives of the organisation may purchase these certificates and business licences or other proof is required. The Certificate Authority will verify through phone call to ensure that the certificate request is legitimate.

Extended Validation (EV)
Proven to boost customer confidence. Recommended for mid-sized to enterprise sites where visitor confidence is key. A must for websites with transactions for payments, online banking, and eCommerce. With Extended Validation, as well as displaying the certificate seal, the address bar is displayed in green, providing customers with an extra level of confidence.

In order to be approved for an Extended Validation certificate, the certificate authority will actively check the Organisation and the individual applying for the certificate. This is to verify that the Organisation is positively the Organisation they claim to be, and the individual requesting the certificate is someone who is authorized to request a digital certificate. Extended Validation may take as long as one week to complete.