TLS Radar vs DigiCert
See how TLS Radar compares for SSL/TLS certificate monitoring.
DigiCert is one of the largest commercial certificate authorities in the world. They sell SSL/TLS certificates to enterprises, banks, and government organizations. Their monitoring product (CertCentral) exists, but it is built around managing the certificates you bought from them.
TLS Radar is built the other way around. It is a monitoring platform first. We do not sell certificates. We watch the certificates you already have - wherever you got them from - and alert you when something is wrong.
The comparison below is focused on monitoring. If you need to buy enterprise EV certificates with extended warranty and a dedicated account manager, DigiCert is the right place. If you need to know the moment any certificate, anywhere, is about to break - keep reading.
Feature comparison
| Feature | TLS Radar | DigiCert |
|---|---|---|
| SSL/TLS certificate issuance (DV, OV, EV) | No - monitoring-only | |
| Code signing & document signing certificates | ||
| Enterprise validation & compliance services | Audit logging only | |
| Dedicated enterprise account management | Enterprise plan | |
| Single vendor for issuance + monitoring | ||
| Multi-CA monitoring (certs from any issuer) | Limited | |
| Free SSL scanner - no signup required | ||
| Slack & webhook alert channels | Email only | |
| Transparent, public pricing for monitoring | Quote-based | |
| Free tier for monitoring |
Where DigiCert shines
- Enterprise CA with deep industry roots and global recognition
- Broad portfolio (DV, OV, EV, code signing, document signing)
- Large compliance and validation team for highly regulated industries
- Dedicated account management on enterprise plans
Where TLS Radar wins
- Monitoring is a side feature next to certificate sales
- Quote-based pricing for monitoring beyond their own certificates
- Heavy onboarding for organizations that only need monitoring
- Limited free tooling for quick ad-hoc checks
Which one fits you?
Choose DigiCert if…
- You need EV certificates with an enterprise warranty and SLA.
- Your organization requires a CA with deep compliance and validation services.
- You already have a multi-year CertCentral contract and your team is happy with the workflow.
- You need certificate signing and document signing features under one vendor.
Choose TLS Radar if…
- You want lightweight, focused certificate monitoring without enterprise overhead.
- You use certificates from more than one CA (or plan to mix DigiCert and Let’s Encrypt).
- You want transparent, public pricing and a free tier you can try today.
- You need modern alert channels - Slack, webhooks - not just email.
- You want a free SSL scanner to share with teammates or auditors.
How to switch from DigiCert
You do not have to leave DigiCert. Most teams keep buying certificates there and add TLS Radar on top, purely for monitoring.
-
1
Inventory what you have
Pull a list of your monitored domains from CertCentral. Most teams have a CSV export option. This is your starting list.
-
2
Sign up for TLS Radar
Create a free account and import the list. No certificate purchase is required to start monitoring.
-
3
Configure alerts to your team’s channels
Point alerts to email, Slack, or a webhook into your incident system. Set thresholds (30, 14, 7, 3, 1 day before expiry) that match your team’s renewal workflow.
-
4
Run side-by-side for one renewal cycle
Keep DigiCert monitoring on for one full renewal cycle. Compare the alerts you receive. Most teams confirm they no longer need DigiCert’s monitoring features after that.
-
5
Decide what to keep at DigiCert
If you bought EV or specialty certificates from DigiCert, keep buying those from DigiCert. Use TLS Radar purely for monitoring - the two systems work fine in parallel.
Why teams choose TLS Radar
Built for monitoring, not certificate sales
TLS Radar is a dedicated monitoring platform. Every feature is designed to help you track, alert, and report on your certificates - not upsell you on certificate purchases.
Transparent pricing from $0
Start with a free tier that includes real monitoring capabilities. Upgrade when you need more domains, faster scans, or team features. No sales calls required.
Modern alerting and integrations
Email, Slack, and webhook notifications with configurable thresholds. Integrate with your existing workflow instead of checking another dashboard.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I have to buy DigiCert certificates to use their monitoring?
- In practice, yes - DigiCert’s monitoring is tightly coupled to their CertCentral portal, which is built for certificates issued by DigiCert. Monitoring third-party certificates is possible but limited and not their primary use case.
- Can I use TLS Radar alongside DigiCert certificates?
- Yes. TLS Radar is certificate-authority-agnostic. We monitor any publicly accessible HTTPS endpoint, no matter which CA issued the certificate.
- Is DigiCert overkill if I am a small or mid-size company?
- For many teams, yes. DigiCert is built for enterprises with thousands of certificates and a dedicated PKI team. Smaller teams often pay for capacity they will never use and still lack lightweight monitoring features.
- Why is TLS Radar cheaper?
- We are a focused monitoring product. We do not maintain a global certificate-issuance business, a validation team, or enterprise sales overhead. That focus shows up in the price.
- Does TLS Radar issue certificates?
- No. We integrate with whichever CA you use today - DigiCert, Let’s Encrypt, internal CAs - and watch the certificates they issue.
Ready to switch?
Try TLS Radar free - no credit card required. Or scan any domain instantly with our free tool.