Progressive Web Application Development by Example

No longer cost-prohibitive

Since the beginning of SSL, certificates have come with a cost. Typically, this was an annual cost. In the past (around 15 years ago), certificates typically cost between $100 and $500 a year. You can think about it like an annual business license. In fact, to complete a certificate request, you often needed a proof of business or organization. The issuing process was also time-prohibitive. It often took 3–14 days to get a certificate. The issuing authority had a staff that evaluated every certificate request and the accompanying paperwork. A very archaic process for a digital platform.

While enterprises do not blink at a $100-a-year fee for their web site, the average small business does. There are thousands of ...