Best Cheap Code Signing Certificate Providers to Buy From in 2023

Code Signing Certificate boosts the download ratio and instills confidence in end users. Sign your Software, Driver, Document, and Application securely.

Code Signing Certificate help to enhance the credibility of software and assure downloaders that the software is legitimate that helps to prevent malicious software download.

Consumers and enterprises get easily attract free software downloads or any software application without confirming their dependability. As a result, they could face malicious software downloads. Cyber culprits can manipulate software with malicious codes and harm the user’s computer or mobile device.

This certificate helps software publishers/developers to increase the adoption of software downloads. Code Signing Certiifcate makes customers feel good and confident about software installation. When a customer downloads/buys software, the software package displays the publisher of the software name in the pop-up. This certificate digitally signs software code and helps to secure against code modification corruption.

In this article, we will talk about a few cheap code signing certificates that will establish your software reliability.

Types of Code Signing Certificate

#1. Regular Code Signing Certificate

Software developers sign software code with Code Signing certificate that prevents code tampering and provides code integrity with strong encryption. Code Signing certificate helps in authenticating software code before it is distributed over the web. Unsigned applications may contain malware and such untrusted application shows warning message.

Regular code signing comes with organization validation process in which the certificate authority checks publisher’s business related documents thoroughly before issuing a certificate. Code Signing certificate works on PKI (public key infrastructure) where the developer uses private key to sign the code while a user or downloader use public key of a developer to confirm developer’s identity. There is also a timestamp feature that keeps code valid even the certificate is expired. Regular Code Signing certificate is used to secure content integrity and content source. The private key is used to store on server instead of separate hardware token.

#2. EV Code Signing Certificate

EV Code Signing Certificate comes with Microsoft SmartScreen filter that establishes the reputation of an application on immediate base. The certificate ensures that the code is intact, and it is digitally signed with strong hashing and encryption. Due to higher validation, there will be increase in downloading of software, application, driver. The certificate offers two factor authentication feature enabled for USB hardware token.

A private key is stored on external USB hardware token to prevent misuse. The authority checks business’s legal and operational status even with third party resources. Cheap EV Code Signing certificate allows user trust, reputation build, and code safety. The certificate reduces download warnings and error message during software download.

Benefits of Code Signing Certificate

A business should first look at the security of customers and try to augment the confidence of the customers by bringing a product that they can trust upon it. When the certificate signs software or application it will provide  plenty of advantages which are listed below :

#1. User Protection

Users can check the publisher's name on the software. It ensures users that they are using legitimate software and saves them from downloading harmful software from the unknown source.

#2. Reduce Errors

If the software is not signed with code signing then it shows an “unknown publisher” warning while downloading it. But with code signing certificate, it helps software publishers to shows clearly that the publisher and software are reliable hence there is no harm in downloading software.

#3. Assured Warranty

A Code Signing certificate offers assured warranty against unauthorized use, compromise or erroneous issuance of the certificate.

#4. Code Integrity

Software developers can ensure that the code is not changed since it is signed with one of the code signing certificate. Users can observe the name of the software publisher.

Code Signing Certificates FAQs

Q1. Who should get a Code Signing Certificate?

Companies or individuals who develop and distribute applications or software must use a code signing cert. This helps them establish the authenticity of an application or software that they have developed. It also confirms the authenticity of the code, which indicates that the application or software code has not been tampered with. This is necessary to prevent cybercriminals from tampering with the application’s code.

Q2. How can I get a Code Signing Certificate?

You can get a certificate from a Certificate Authority, by applying for it. The application process involves the purchase of code signing cert from reputed third parties such as Symantec, Thawte or any other Certificate Authority.

Next, you need to pass through the validation or authentication requirements to prove that you are indeed the author and publisher of the software or application. This process may require you to furnish notarized identity proof. Also, you may be required to produce other documentation related to your financial transactions.

Finally, depending on the documents that you provide, the Certificate Authority may or may not approve the code signing cert.

Q3. How many types of Code Certificates exist?

There are two types of code signing that you can choose from - Regular code signing, and EV code signing.

Q4. What is the best code signing certificate?

Code Signing Certificate is an essential certificate that ensures code integrity and provides modern encryption. If you want a Code Sign cert at a reasonable price then, you should check resellers as they offer discounts on new purchases and renewals of a certificate.

Here, SSL2BUY, ClickSSL, and CheapSSLShop are a few well-known resellers that offer different code signing certificates like,

• Comodo Code Signing certificate.
• Sectigo Code Signing certificate
• DigiCert Code Signing certificate. 

A software developer or publisher can go with any of these certificates for software code security and integrity.

Q5. Which type of Code Signing certificate should I buy?

You must choose a certificate based on the status of the owner and publisher of the concerned application or software. If you have collaborated with others and wish to publish the concerned software under the name of an organization, then you can choose the Standard code signing. For larger organizations desirous of higher credibility and validation, an Extended Validation (EV) code signing is recommended.

Q6. Are Code Signing certificates linked to my domain name?

Unlike SSL Certificates, code signing certificates are not linked to your domain name. Instead, they are linked to an organization’s name.

Q7. How is the Standard code signing different from the EV code signing certificate?

The Standard and EV code signing are both suitable for organizations. However, the validation process for the EV code signing certificate is a lot more procedural and involves conforming with strict guidelines laid down by the CA. On the other hand, the Standard code signing certificate goes through a lesser comprehensive validation process compare to EV code signing. Standard code signing follows the organization's validation process.

Q8. Is there any difference between code signing certificate and document signing?

The two technologies serve very different purposes. While code signing applies a digital signature to executables and scrips, the document signing technology is used to digitally sign PDFs and other documents.

Q9. What are timestamps in code signing certificates?

The timestamp is like a notary stamp, it means the timestamp makes the digital signature valid and extends the life of digital signature, which could be more than the life of the Certificate. In case, the certificate expires, the timestamp will reveal that the software is valid when a user downloaded it. A user can access the software even the certificate is expired.

Q10. How many Applications can I sign with a single code signing certificate?

You may sign as many applications as you want, and that too with a single code signing cert. However, you need to ensure that the publisher of the Application and the code signing cert remain the same. So, if the certificate was issued in your name, then all other applications must be distributed under your name. Likewise, if your cert is issued to ‘XYZ Inc.’ then all your applications must be published and distributed under ‘XYZ Inc.’.

Q11. What are the consequences of expired Code Signing Certificates?

When your certificate nears expiry, most Certificate Authorities caution you about it. Despite that, if you fail to renew your code signing, then nothing happens to your previous code if you used a timestamp while signing it. If you did not use timestamp while signing the certificate, then a user cannot access software in the absence of timestamp.

Q12. Does eliminate the ‘Unknown Publisher’ warning?

Yes, it eliminates. The certificate confirms the identity of the publisher and indicates that the application or software comes from a reliable source. This is extremely useful for the one who owns the application or software because the owner has very little control over the code when it is listed for download on third-party sites. It is always possible that a third person injects malicious scrips within the code.

If the software is not signed by valid certificate authority means, an application does not have a digital signature that confirms the publisher’s identity then while downloading software, it shows a dialogue box of ‘unknown publisher’. Such software should not be downloaded until you know it is harmless.

Q13. Is it possible to use an SSL certificate for code signing?

SSL certificates and code signing are meant for two entirely different purposes. SSL certificates encrypt the client-server communication of a website through the HTTPS protocol. On the other hand, code signing certificates sign the code of software or application that helps the publisher to apply their digital signature on an Application or a Software. This confirms that the application or software comes from a reliable source and secure to use.

Q14. Do code signing certificate requirements differ from one platform to another?

Yes, depending on the platform, the code signing tools and other requirements for executables and scripts vary. For example, Microsoft Authenticode supports Windows Files and applications; Java Code Signing Certificates supports Java Applications, etc.… So, depending on the platform and the code signing technology that supports it, the code signing requirements may vary.

Q15. Are they support Microsoft Office, Silverlight, Adobe AIR, Flash, Java, Android, and iOS?

Yes, they support all the above-mentioned technologies. However, the code signing tools and requirements may vary.

Q16. Does Code Signing Certificate come with a free trial?

No, there is no free trial available for code signing certificates. However, you will have money-back guarantee support in the case, if you are not satisfied with the product.

Q17. Are Code Signing certificates expensive?

The prices of code signing certificates vary depending on the type of certificate that you choose. Typically, this depends on the Certificate. We recommend that you consider buying it from a reputed Certificate Authority or its resellers. Mostly these types of certificates charge will remain between $100 to $700 per year, depending on the type of code signing that you choose.

Q18. Can I buy code signing certificate at a cheap price?

Yes, you can buy cheap code signing certificates starting from $55 from trusted SSL resellers like SSL2BUY, CLICKSSL, CHEAPSSLSHOP, etc. at a cheap price.

Brand Review Of Certificate:

• Thawte
• GoDaddy
• DigiCert
• Symantec

Conclusion:

Code Signing certificates can sign Adobe Air, Java, Microsoft Authenticode, Mac, Microsoft Office, and VBA platforms. To step-up the download of software via the online channel, software publishers should protect their software from hackers that will maintain their business reputation, and form a trusted bonding with customers.