Factors that Affect the Cost of Code Signing Certificates

Organization Validation (OV) Code Signing Certificate

An OV code signing certificate is issued after the CA confirms the applicant is a registered, legally operating business.

The CA checks business name, registration documents, and contact details, a process that typically takes one to three business days.

OV certificates cover the majority of use cases: desktop applications, software installers, browser extensions, and general-purpose code distribution.

Extended Validation (EV) Code Signing Certificate

An EV code signing certificate requires a deeper vetting process.

The CA verifies legal registration, physical address, phone number, and operational status before issuing.

EV certificates are not stored in a software keystore, they must be installed on a hardware security token, which is a physical USB device that holds the private key so it cannot be copied or remotely extracted.

EV certificates are the right choice for kernel-mode drivers, financial software, and any application likely to trigger Windows SmartScreen warnings under an OV certificate.

What Drives the Price Difference Between Code Sign Certificates?

Not all code signing certificates cost the same, and five factors account for most of the gap:

1. Validation type.

   EV certificates require more staff time from the CA to verify, that cost passes through to the buyer.

   Expect to pay 30–40% more for EV than OV from the same provider.

2. Provider.

   DigiCert charges significantly more than Comodo or Sectigo for certificates that carry equivalent platform trust on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

   The premium largely reflects DigiCert's enterprise support model.

3. Validity period.

   A two- or three-year certificate costs less per year than a one-year certificate.

   Multi-year pricing is the standard way to reduce annual spend without switching providers.

4. Purchase channel.

   Authorized resellers consistently sell below CA list prices. The table above reflects this, Comodo's $379/yr list price drops to $226.10/yr through resellers.

5. Hardware token. EV certificates require a hardware security token. Some CAs include one in the certificate price; others charge separately.

   Confirm what is included before comparing quotes.

How Much Does a Code Signing Certificate Cost Per Year?

OV certificates from Comodo and Sectigo start at $226.10/yr through resellers, rising to $385.67/yr for DigiCert's OV product.

EV certificates start at $296.65/yr for Comodo and Sectigo, and reach $507.33/yr for DigiCert, again at reseller pricing.

Purchasing at list price directly from the CA adds 40–68% to these figures depending on the product.

These price ranges are drawn from the pricing table above, which reflects current publicly listed figures from Comodo, Sectigo, and DigiCert.

The CA/Browser Forum () publishes the baseline validation requirements that govern how these certificates are issued.

Which Certificate Authority Should You Use?

Comodo (operated by Sectigo) and Sectigo issue certificates with identical platform trust at lower prices than DigiCert.

Both are recognized by Microsoft Authenticode, Windows SmartScreen, Java, and major browsers.

For most independent developers and small software companies, either is sufficient.

DigiCert is the dominant choice in enterprise environments, particularly where procurement or compliance teams require a specific CA by name.

The price premium buys dedicated account support and a reputation that carries weight in regulated industries, not meaningfully different certificate trust on the end user's machine.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Code Signing Certificate?

OV certificates are issued within 1–3 business days once the CA finishes verifying the organization's registration and contact details.

EV certificates take 3–5 business days because the CA must complete additional verification steps, physical address confirmation, phone verification, and cross-checking against government business registries.

Submitting accurate, consistent documentation at the start cuts waiting time significantly for both certificate types.

Do You Need a Hardware Token for Code Signing?

EV code signing certificates require one.

The private key must be stored on a hardware security token, a physical USB device, and cannot be used from a software keystore.

This requirement comes from CA/Browser Forum baseline standards, not an individual CA's policy.

OV certificates do not carry this requirement, though storing any code signing private key on dedicated hardware is a sound security practice regardless of certificate type.

Frequently Asked Questions