We’re still trying to wrap our heads around the whole free SSL thing. SSL was something that was, and still is, a paid item, but not all hosting companies offer it yet.
Installing an SSL certificate provides a lock in the browser window that tells visitors their visit is encrypted and secure. You’ve probably seen it already. The beginning of the URL shows an “s” in https instead of just http. This is better for your SEO and eliminate the chance of people getting a security warning from their browsers.
Normally we have to install an SSL certificate and it costs the client $80-$300/year. An Auto SSL Certificate, is an SSL certificate which some hosting companies are including free of charge with a hosting plan.
Regular SSL or a Paid SSL Certificate provides the same encryption as Auto SSL but it comes with additional features like a warranty, unlimited reissues, wildcard support, and more. You can also get a regular SSL for 1 to 3 years of validity where an Auto SSL available for only one year, but it does renew.
After further research, we discovered that the Auto SSL Certificate is actually issued from cPanel through the Comodo certificate authority, so it’s legit.
Ask your developer if your hosting company offers AutoSSL. It’s only a few clicks to enable it and about five minutes to change the URLs in your WordPress install. Especially using a plugin like Update URLs by Velvet Blues. This is good news for a lot of people.