HTTP vs HTTPS: the difference in one comparison
HTTPS is HTTP carried inside a TLS tunnel. Plain HTTP sends the page and anything typed into it in clear text on port 80; HTTPS encrypts both on port 443 and proves the domain holds a valid certificate. Browsers mark HTTP pages Not secure, and Google treats HTTPS as a light ranking signal.
| HTTP | HTTPS | |
|---|---|---|
| Default port | 80 | 443 |
| What travels on the wire | Readable text, including form posts and cookies | Encrypted bytes inside TLS |
| Certificate | None required | A certificate from a trusted authority, checked on every connection |
| Browser display | "Not secure" beside the address in Chrome and Edge | A padlock, with no warning for a valid certificate |
| Search signal | Not a negative signal by itself | A light positive signal, confirmed by Google in 2014 |
| Setup | Nothing to install | Issue, install and renew a certificate, then redirect port 80 to 443 |
Everything else is identical. Same request, same headers, same status codes, same files arriving at the browser. The difference is whether anyone between the visitor and the server can read or change what passes.
What TLS actually protects, and what it does not
TLS encrypts the connection in both directions and verifies that the server holds a certificate for the name in the address bar. On a shared network, that stops the person on the same Wi-Fi from reading a password, a card number or a session cookie.
- It protects — the content of the request and the response, and the identity of the server you reached.
- It does not protect — what the server does with your data afterwards, or whether the company behind the site is honest.
- It does not hide — the domain you visited. Someone watching the network can still see that you connected to example.com, but not which page or what you typed.
- It does not clean a site — a phishing page can hold a valid certificate. The padlock means the connection is private, not that the site is safe.
That last point is the one worth repeating to staff. A padlock is a lock on the pipe, not a character certificate for the shop at the other end.
Why the browser says Not Secure, and when it appears
Chrome and Edge label every HTTP page "Not secure" in the address bar, whether or not the page has a form. Firefox shows an information icon and a warning when a login or card field sits on an HTTP page. Safari leaves the address plain rather than praising it.
The label is not a virus warning and it is not a penalty. It is a statement about the connection, and visitors read it as one: a page that asks for an email address while the bar says Not secure loses signups. The fix is a certificate plus a redirect, not a hidden notice.
If the padlock is missing on an HTTPS page, the cause is usually a mixed-content asset, an image or script still loaded over http://. The Not secure warning guide walks that case through.
Does HTTPS affect Google rankings?
Google named HTTPS as a ranking signal in August 2014 and described it then as very lightweight, a tiebreaker between otherwise equal pages. That is still the fair reading: HTTPS will not lift a thin page above a better one, and it will not rescue bad content.
The larger effect is indirect. A browser warning costs conversions, an insecure checkout loses trust, and referrals from secure sites to an HTTP page can be stripped of their referrer data. Treat the ranking signal as small and the trust effect as the reason to move.
Free certificate or paid: what the money buys
Both kinds encrypt the same way. The difference is validation and support, not the strength of the tunnel.
- Domain-validated, free — issued automatically by Let's Encrypt or by a panel's AutoSSL after a quick domain check, valid for about 90 days with automatic renewal.
- Domain-validated, paid — a brand name on the certificate and a support desk. A Sectigo Positive SSL here is ₹1,800 a year before 18% GST, and a wildcard covering every subdomain is ₹7,500.
- Organisation or extended validation — the certificate authority checks the business, which takes days. Browsers no longer show a green bar for it, so the value is in procurement, not the address bar.
A free certificate is enough for most Indian business sites. Buy a paid one when a client or a payment provider asks for a named certificate, or when you want someone to call about renewal.
Move a live site to HTTPS without breaking it
The certificate is the easy part. The breakage comes from old links, hardcoded http:// URLs and cached pages.
- Issue and install the certificate, then confirm https://yourdomain.com loads with a padlock before you redirect anything.
- Change the WordPress site URL under Settings, General to https://, then fix any image or script that still points at http://.
- Redirect port 80 to 443 with one rule in .htaccess; the 301 redirect guide has the exact block.
- Update the canonical tag, the sitemap and any hardcoded links in menus, ads and email signatures.
- Add the https:// property in Search Console and keep the old one, so you can watch both for a month.
You know the move worked when the old http:// URL returns 301, the new one returns 200, and the browser console shows no mixed-content warning on the home page or a product page.
When plain HTTP is still acceptable
Only where the traffic never leaves a network you control: a local development server, an intranet page on a closed LAN, or a device admin panel that is not exposed to the internet. In those cases a certificate adds a warning to dismiss, not security you lack.
Every public page with a form, a login, a payment, or even a contact box belongs on HTTPS. That includes brochure sites. A visitor cannot tell a harmless email field from a password field, and the browser does not label them differently.
Getting HTTPS on a WebJi® account
Every cPanel account here can issue a free AutoSSL certificate for the domain in a few minutes, and renewal happens on the server without a ticket. Paid SSL certificates are ₹1,800 a year for a single domain and ₹7,500 for a wildcard, before 18% GST.
If a certificate issues but the site still loads over http://, email support@webji.services with the domain and a screenshot of the error. Support is 24/7 by email in Hindi and English, with an average first reply under 60 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between HTTP and HTTPS?
HTTPS is HTTP inside a TLS tunnel. Plain HTTP sends the page and form data in readable text on port 80. HTTPS encrypts the same traffic on port 443 and proves the server holds a valid certificate for the domain.
Is plain HTTP unsafe for visitors?
Yes, on any page where something is typed or read privately. Anyone on the same network can read or alter HTTP traffic, including passwords, card numbers and session cookies. A static page with no form leaks less, but the browser warning still costs trust.
Does HTTPS improve Google rankings?
Only slightly. Google confirmed HTTPS as a ranking signal in 2014 and called it very lightweight, so it works as a tiebreaker rather than a boost. The bigger gains are fewer browser warnings and more completed forms.
Why does my browser say Not Secure?
The page is loading over http:// instead of https://. That happens when no certificate is installed, when the redirect from port 80 is missing, or when the address was typed without https. On an HTTPS page the warning usually means a mixed-content image or script.
Can I get HTTPS without buying an SSL certificate?
Yes. Let's Encrypt and cPanel AutoSSL issue free domain-validated certificates that encrypt exactly the same way as paid ones, and they renew automatically. A paid certificate adds a brand name and vendor support, not stronger encryption.
Which ports do HTTP and HTTPS use?
HTTP uses port 80 and HTTPS uses port 443 by default. Both can be moved to another port, which is why a URL sometimes carries :8080 or :8443, but the defaults are what browsers assume when the address has no port.