How To Add SSL Without Paying to Cloudflare? [Easiest Guide]

Utilizing SSL is a basic web search tool positioning variable. In the event that regardless of you have a working site without SSL, you are committing an enormous error, particularly when utilizing SSL for free. But people want to know How To Add SSL Without Paying to Cloudflare, well today in this guide, you will learn everything about it.

In fact, a ton of web-hosting organizations like Bluehost, SiteGround, Kinsta offers free SSL, which has now turned into another standard in the web hosting industry.

How To Add SSL Without Paying to Cloudflare?

How To Add SSL Without Paying to Cloudflare

In this guide, I will utilize Cloudflare to actualize free SSL on an HTTP site and move it to HTTPS.

This is a WordPress blog or site and this guide should chip away at some other facilitating organizations that you may utilize. Sounds great? Then, let’s begin.

Implementing Process of SSL on HostGator using Cloudflare: (Without Paying A Single Penny)

Step 1: Add your Website to Cloudflare

In order to utilize this trick, you should be working with Cloudflare which delivers both – free and paid versions. The free version also has much power to protect your website from hackers and also allows you to apply for free SSL.

In the event that you have not designed Cloudflare yet, basically read these two aides and complete this.

Step 2: Configure Cloudflare SSL feature

Now, visit the dashboard of your website on Cloudflare and choose the crypto tab. Change the SSL setting to flexible.

Stay on the same page, and scroll down to enable Automatic HTTPS Rewrites.

Also, enable the Always Use HTTPS option.

Step 3: Configure the Cloudflare page rules

Now, we have to divert all HTTP traffic to HTTPS and this could be effortlessly done with the help of plugin or Cloudflare page rules. As per my opinion, the Always Use HTTPS feature looks after it, yet I do add page rules just to be additionally sure. If still, it is not working without the page rules, then, in that case, utilize these page rules settings.

Tap on the page rules @top and provide your domain name including /* at the end and then configure it to go over HTTPS.

  • Do this for both http://domain.com/* and https://domain.com/*

Now, with the above settings, half of our work is over. Presently, it’s a good idea to replace all http://domain.com with https://domain.com as it would save one redirect and also make the implementation better.

Step 4: Use the Better Search and Replace Plugin

Currently, we wish to replace the old link with the new link (HTTPS), and in order to do this, now we will be updating the WordPress database table.

Advice: Before you conduct this activity, take a complete backup of the WordPress database. Here is a list of some of the Best WordPress backup plugins.

As you have taken the backup, now you need to download and install the Better search and replace plugin.

  • Go to tools > Better search and replace
  • In the search, enter your old domain name which is without HTTPS, and replaces it with HTTPS.

For example, in my case:

  • http://BloggingThrive.com/ (Old)
  • http://BloggingThrive.com/ (New)

In the first run, select “Run as dry run“. This will just demonstrate the changes this task will make. This won’t be an everlasting change.

When you are sure, uncheck “Run as dry run” and tap on Run Search/Replace. In a few seconds of running the thing plugin, your WordPress database tables will be refreshed.

Step 5: Verify the SSL configuration

Visit this page and then provide your domain name.

In a few seconds, this tool will scan your website an SSL certificate in order to deliver you a free report.

Step 6: Update the Site URL on Google Search Console and GA

  • Add the HTTPS version of your website to the Google search console.
  • Submit a new sitemap link to GSC.
  • Update your site URL in Google Analytics.
  • Update your site URL everywhere else.

Great, that’s how you can learn How To Add SSL Without Paying to Cloudflare on any WordPress or even a non-WordPress website. I hope this tutorial helped you to upgrade your website by implementing SSL. In case of any confusion or doubts, ask your questions in the comment section below.

Please share it with your friends who are into Digital Marketing or want to learn about new skills of SEO.

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