Where Can I Get a Free Code Signing Certificate?

Despite how promising the offer of a free code signing certificate (or a code signing certificate free trial) may seem, it is never as good as you think…

As a software developer, you want people to use and trust your software. One way to ensure that may happen is to digitally sign your code and executables. (This helps prevent your software from displaying those ugly “your software isn’t trusted” types of messages.) But if you’re looking to save some money by using a free code signing certificate, then you’re barking up the wrong tree.

Spoiler Alert: Free Code Signing Certificates Don’t Exist

If someone is telling you that they have a free code signing certificate available and you believe them… then can I speak with you about a lovely bridge that I’m selling?

Just kidding. Well, somewhat. Simply put, free code signing certificates don’t exist. And anyone telling you that they do is someone you should avoid.

The same goes with anyone offering a limited-time code signing certificate free trial. Even if you do somehow manage to get your hands on one, it’s just a matter of time before the rug gets pulled and they suddenly tell you that you have to pay $XX to keep using it. So, if you’re satisfied with “no,” let us bid you adieu. If you’d rather keep reading, we’ll dive into the more technical reasons as to why there are no free code signing certificates.

Why Can’t You Get a Free Code Signing Certificate? The Answer = $$

Let’s be real: the biggest factor for why there’s no such thing as a free code signing certificate is money. A code signing certificate is a valuable tool that allows you to attach your verified digital identity to your software.

(… Did you catch that? We said your verified digital identity. And as any employer or private eye can tell you, verifying someone’s identity takes time and money.)

And just as code signing certificates don’t grow on trees, validation isn’t something that occurs on its own — this means someone somewhere has to do the legwork. This entails a certification authority (CA):

• Having teams of employees in place to gather and review relevant identifying documentation
• Have the training and knowledge to be able to determine whether a business or an independent developer is who they say they are
• Have the secure public key infrastructure required to issue the certificates

All of these things require time, labor, training, and/or a lot of money, as well as other factors we’ll speak about momentarily. So, simply put, there are no free code signing certificates because the certificate authorities (CAs) that are trusted to issue certificates aren’t able to do so due to compliance and economic constraints.

So, Why Do Free SSL Certificates Exist But Code Signing Certificates?

This argument is like comparing apples to oranges. While it’s true that code signing certificates and SSL/TLS certificates are both X.509 certificates, they’re vastly different in terms of their uses and what’s involved in issuing them. 

Let’s quickly go over the reasons why free code signing certificates don’t exist but free SSL/TLS certificates for your website do:

3 Key Reasons for No Free Code Signing Certificates	Code Signing Certificates	Free SSL/TLS Certificates
1. Code Signing and SSL/TLS Certificates Serve Different Purposes	A standard code signing certificate is geared to help authenticate that a piece of software, code, or executable came from a legitimate publisher.	A basic website security certificate’s purpose is to verify that a website is served via an encrypted connection by binding the private keypair to the domain. Nothing more.
2. Code Signing Certificates Have More Stringent Validation Requirements	The identity verification process involves providing the CA with documentation that proves your identity (as an independent dev) or your organization is legitimate.	A free website certificate requires a basic (automated) check to see whether the certificate subject controls the domain. That’s it.
3. Code Signing Keys Have Higher Security Requirements	Code signing private keys must be securely generated and stored on FIPS 140-2 Level 2 compliant secure hardware (i.e., USB tokens or hardware security modules [HSMs])	SSL/TLS certificates’ private keys are often stored on the web server where the certificate signing request (CSR) was generated (although an HSM is recommended).

Code Signing Is About Trust — For Everyone Involved

The ability to sign software is very powerful for that very reason. If it’s signed by a trusted certificate, the browser trusts the software. You see this get abused all the time when valid code signing certificates are compromised and used to sign malware.

Because of that power, there needs to be some kind of mechanism to prevent its abuse. Obviously, certificate and key mismanagement will always be a threat, but one of the best ways to prevent bad actors from getting valid code signing certificates is to require a certain amount of vetting before one can be issued. This is the same idea behind business authentication SSL certificates.

By charging at least enough to cover their own costs, CAs are also creating an economic barrier to some negative actors, too. Since free SSL certificates have been around, we’ve seen a sharp increase in the number of phishing websites using HTTPS. Even a modest financial barrier (i.e., charging for certificates) can help decrease the number of criminals abusing the system. This is likely the case for code signing certificates as well.

Let’s Wrap This Up

The long and short of it is that your best bet is to purchase the most cost-effective code signing certificate from a trusted certificate authority. The good news is, Comodo CA offers you the best bang for your buck. Even better, you can save up to 42% when you purchase your Comodo code signing certificate through us.

So, the CAs have to charge at least enough to cover their own costs. Plus, it also can act as an economic barrier to some negative actors, too. Since free SSL certificates have been around, we’ve seen a decided increase in the number of phishing websites that now use HTTPS. Even a modest financial barrier can sharply decrease the number of criminals abusing the system.

Long story short, there are no free code signing certificates. None that are trusted, anyway. And, given that trust is kind of the whole point of code signing, that doesn’t seem all that useful.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published on July 3, 2019. The content was re-written and re-published on March 17, 2025 to provide updated information and resources.