Have you noticed that URLs can have different protocols: HTTP (http://example.com) and HTTPS (https://example.com)? Although it is rare to find a website that uses HTTP connections nowadays, they still exist. According to W3Tech, as of August 2025, 87.5% of websites use HTTPS consistently. These statistics show that most websites have already switched to a more secure connection.
Next, we will find out what HTTPS and HTTP are, how they transmit user data, and how this affects the level of security. We will also talk about why it is worth choosing a secure connection today.
What is HTTP?
HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) is a protocol for transferring data between a browser and a server. Thanks to it, we can interact with a website: navigate between pages, click on buttons, view images, submit forms, download files, and more.
HTTP has a client-server architecture, which means that the client program (usually a browser) sends a request to the server, which processes it and returns the result. For example, when you open a website, the browser sends an HTTP request to the server and receives an HTML document in response, which it then displays on the screen.
This model ensures fast data exchange between the user and the site, but each request is independent. This means that HTTP does not remember the user’s previous actions, and additional mechanisms such as cookies, which are transmitted via HTTP headers, are used to store session information.
HTTP allows you to transfer any type of file, but it is most often used to exchange public content, such as news articles or open information pages. This is because HTTP does not have built-in encryption mechanisms, and all data is transmitted in plain text. This means that information entered by the user can be intercepted by attackers during its transmission to the server.
What is HTTPS?
HTTPS (HTTP + Secure) is the same hypertext transfer protocol, only more secure. Data transmitted to the server is encrypted before it is sent, so it cannot be intercepted. This is especially important for websites that collect users’ personal data: phone number, email, bank card number, place of residence, etc.
Before transmitting a client request, the protocol encrypts it using a cryptographic mechanism provided by an SSL certificate. The certificate contains two keys:
Public – encrypts messages containing users’ private data. The browser adds it to the request, so anyone can see it. Information encrypted with this key can only be decrypted with a private key.
Private – decrypts information from a request received from the browser. It is controlled by the website owner, stored only on the server, and never transmitted with the message, unlike the public key.
Even if an attacker manages to intercept the transmitted packets, they will look like a random sequence of bytes. According to researcher Dionisie Gitlan’s calculations, it would take about 9.17 × 10⁵⁰ years to crack the SSL code, which is many times longer than the age of the universe.
HTTP versions: 1.1 to 3
After the first HTTP appeared, the protocol was constantly improved. With each new version, its performance increased, in particular, the speed of loading and stability of websites. Currently, the three most common versions are:
HTTP/1.1 – the basic version of the protocol, released back in 1999. It was the first standardized version that allowed connections to be reused for multiple requests instead of opening a new one each time. Among the drawbacks: requests are transmitted sequentially, which slows down website loading.
HTTP/2 – the next version was introduced in 2015. It introduced multiplexing—the ability to transmit multiple requests simultaneously within a single connection, which significantly sped up website performance. The main drawback is the use of TCP (Transmission Control Protocol), a transport protocol that slows down performance on unstable connections by resending lost packets.
HTTP/3 is a modern version based on the QUIC protocol. It provides lower latency, faster loading, and more stable website performance even when changing networks or losing signal. It is used by most modern websites and large corporations, such as Google.
Important! HTTP/2 and HTTP/3 can only be used with the HTTPS protocol. If you try to connect these versions to HTTP, they simply won’t activate. This once again confirms that encryption is mandatory for the entire web.
Thus, switching to HTTPS is not only about user safety, but also about the ability to use modern technologies that ensure better website performance.
Why is HTTPS so important?
First of all, this protocol guarantees greater security for users. You can safely enter your data on a website with HTTPS and not worry that it will fall into the hands of malicious individuals. With regular HTTP, packets are transmitted in plain text, and a malicious individual can easily read them.
HTTPS is not some kind of hidden technical setting. Anyone can check if their connection is secure, and you don’t even need to look at the URL to do so. Previously, browsers used a padlock icon to indicate that a user’s connection was secure, but now most browsers have abandoned this symbol. Nowadays, websites that do not use SSL certificates are marked as unsafe by browsers.
In addition, support for HTTPS connections is one of Google’s ranking criteria. This is because algorithms are increasingly focused on user safety, and the presence of SSL confirms that the site cares about protecting personal data and is trustworthy. Therefore, if a site does not have an SSL certificate, it is likely to end up at the bottom of search results.
How HTTP differs from HTTPS
HTTPS is the same as HTTP, but with additional SSL encryption. While HTTP transmits data in plain text, HTTPS transmits it in encrypted form, protected from third-party interference.
For example, imagine that you are taking a test: “Who am I from Game of Thrones?” on a website with the HTTP protocol. When you send your answers for verification, they can be intercepted by Lord Varys, a master of espionage and gossip. He can easily find out who you are and use this information for his sinister purposes.
This won’t happen on a secure HTTPS website — the data is reliably protected, so even Varys and his little birds won’t be able to catch anything. To him, all your answers will be a set of random characters with no meaning. Instead of the phrase, “I’m not afraid of the White Walkers!” he will see something like “xT92@b!mLz7#qA81v3KdP$zWn.”
That is why HTTPS has become a mandatory standard for all websites that work with users’ personal data. If a resource still uses HTTP, this may indicate non-compliance with technical standards and a negligent attitude towards security. In addition, some APIs, such as the Geolocation API, only work over HTTPS.
That is why we do not recommend that you enter your private data on such sites — no phone number, no login, no password.
| Parameter | HTTPS | HTTP |
| Security | High | Low |
| Port | 443 | 80 |
| Encryption | SSL encryption | None |
| Impact on SEO | Google ranks websites with HTTPS higher in search results | If two identical websites appear in the search results, the one with HTTPS will be ranked higher. A security warning when attempting to access a site with HTTP reduces clickability and, accordingly, negatively affects ranking. |
| Appearance | https:// + lock icon in some browsers | http:// + site is marked as unsafe by the browser |
| Certificate | SSL certificate required | Not required |
| Use | Used on all modern websites, especially those that need to process confidential information | Text resources, such as blogs or news sites |
How to switch your website to HTTPS
Every website initially runs on HTTP, but switching to HTTPS takes just a few minutes. To do this, you need to purchase an SSL certificate , which you can do at an official certification center or directly from your hosting provider.
There are three categories of certificates:
- DV – domain validation;
- OV – domain and company verification;
- EV – domain verification and extended company verification.
Each of these certificates can be installed in just a couple of clicks and takes from a few hours to a few days to connect, depending on the level of verification. And if you order a certificate from HostPro, you won’t have to worry about choosing or connecting at all — our technical support [email protected] will do everything for you.
You can also connect a free SSL certificate from Let’s Encrypt, Free SSL Space, or Cloudflare Universal SSL. But keep in mind: they do not guarantee complete connection security and confidentiality of customer data.
Free certificates need to be renewed every 3 months, and a certification authority such as Let’s Encrypt will not even remind you about it. So with such SSL, you risk waking up one morning and finding that instead of your website, a message about an unsecured connection is displayed on the entire screen.
Let’s summarize
HTTPS has become a mandatory standard and is used on all modern websites. This protocol encrypts user data, protects it from attackers, increases trust in the resource, and even improves SERP rankings. With HTTPS, you get access to new technologies, including HTTP/2 and HTTP/3, which significantly speed up website loading.
The transition from HTTP to HTTPS is very simple and takes a minimum of time, and with HostPro, you don’t have to configure anything at all. Our technical support will advise you on which certificate is right for your website and connect it for you. Just email us at [email protected] at any time convenient for you.