HTTP vs. HTTPS: How to choose the secure option for your site

You see it every day, even if you don’t notice it. That little prefix at the start of every web address: http:// or https://. It might seem like a tiny detail, and maybe you’ve wondered what the difference is between HTTP and HTTPS. Does that extra “s” really matter?

The short answer is yes, it matters. A lot. It’s a fundamental part of your online security, privacy, and even how much you can trust a website. Whether you’re just browsing the web, running your own online store, or building a blog, understanding the HTTP vs. HTTPS distinction is one of the most important pieces of security knowledge you can have.

What is HTTP?

Let’s start with the original: HTTP, which stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol. It’s an application-layer protocol for transmitting hypermedia documents, e.g., HTML. It’s the way your browser talks to websites. When you type a web address into your browser, it’s HTTP that does the work of fetching the text, images, and other files that make up the webpage you see.

HTTP has been around since the beginning of the web. It’s simple, fast, and it works well for sending data. But there’s a catch. It sends everything in plaintext. That means if someone intercepts your connection, say, on public Wi-Fi, they can read everything being transferred. Passwords, credit card numbers, messages; they’re all exposed.

How does HTTP work?

The process behind HTTP is a straightforward dialogue known as the request-response cycle. It’s a bit like withdrawing money at an ATM. You (browser) walk up to the ATM and insert your card, then type in “withdraw $50.” The ATM sends the request to the bank (the server). The bank verifies the request and sends back “OK. Dispense cash.”

Here’s what that looks like with HTTP:

1. You make a request: When you type a URL like http://websiteyouwant.com into your browser and hit Enter, you’re telling your browser, “I’d like to see this page.” Your browser sends a DNS request to the DNS server. The DNS server returns the IP address of the server that hosts the website you want to visit in a process called DNS resolution.
2. Your browser forms an HTTP request and sends it to the server: This request includes the specific page you want, e.g., the homepage, and the method you want to use.
3. The server processes the request: The web server receives your request. The server finds the requested files, i.e., the HTML document for the page, its images, stylesheets, and scripts.
4. The server sends a response: Once the server has everything ready, it packages it up into an HTTP response and sends it back to your browser. This response includes a status code (you might have seen “404 Not Found”; that’s an HTTP status code) and the page content itself.
5. Your browser displays the result: Your browser receives the response, unpacks the files, and renders the webpage on your screen.

It all happens in milliseconds, but under the hood, it's powered by simple commands like GET (fetch a page), POST (submit data), or DELETE (remove content).

What are the main features of HTTP?

HTTP was designed for efficiency and simplicity in the early days of the web. Its features reflect that design philosophy, though some have become double-edged swords over time.

1. It’s stateless

Each interaction is independent. This is a core feature. It means each HTTP request is independent and has no memory of previous requests. The server doesn’t remember who you are from one click to the next. This makes the server’s job simpler and less resource-intensive.

But, because the server forgets you after each request, it needs a way to recognize you when you come back. It does this by giving your browser a small piece of data called a cookie, which acts like a digital name tag. On your next request, your browser shows the server this tag so it can remember who you are, keep you logged in, or maintain items in your shopping cart.

2. It’s connectionless

After the request-response cycle is complete, the connection between the client and server is dropped. This helped conserve server resources in the early web, but it also meant a new connection had to be established for every single request, which could slow things down. Newer versions of HTTP introduced “persistent connections” to allow multiple requests over a single connection, improving efficiency.

3. It’s flexible

HTTP isn’t just for HTML files. It can handle any type of data as long as the client and server can make sense of it. It can transmit images, videos, sound files, PDFs, and more. This flexibility is what allows for the rich, multimedia experience of the modern web.

4. It’s unencrypted

This is a massive security risk. It’s the single biggest reason why HTTP is now considered obsolete for general use.

What is an HTTP request and response?

An HTTP request, sent from your browser to the server, has three main parts:

1. Request line: This is the first and most important line. It contains the HTTP method (like GET to fetch data or POST to submit data), the path to the resource you want (like /blog/my-post), and the HTTP version being used (like HTTP/1.1).
2. Headers: Following the request line are a series of headers. These provide additional information. For example, the host header specifies the domain of the website, while the user-agent header tells the server what browser you’re using.
3. Body (optional): If you’re submitting information, like filling out a contact form or logging in, that data is sent in the body of the request. For a simple GET request to view a page, the body is usually empty.

An HTTP response, sent from the server back to your browser, is structured similarly:

1. Status line: This line confirms the HTTP version and, most importantly, provides a status code. 200 OK means everything worked perfectly. 404 Not Found means the requested resource doesn’t exist. 500 Internal Server Error means something went wrong on the server’s end.
2. Headers: Like the request, the response has headers that provide context. The content-type header tells the browser what kind of data is being sent (e.g., an HTML file or a JPEG image), and the content-length header specifies its size.
3. Body: This is the main event. The body contains the actual data you requested: the HTML code for the webpage, the image file, or whatever else you asked for.

This back-and-forth dance is the heartbeat of the web. But as you can see, without any security layer, it’s a dance happening in public for all to see.

What is HTTPS?

HTTPS is essentially the same HTTP protocol we just discussed, but with a crucial security layer wrapped around it. This layer is called Transport Layer Security (TLS).

When your browser and a server communicate using HTTPS, that security layer encrypts all the data. Instead of sending information as plain, readable text, it encodes it into a complex code that only your browser and the legitimate server have the key to decode.

You can spot an HTTPS site instantly. Your browser will show a small padlock icon in the address bar next to the URL, which will start with https://. These visual cues are proof that you’re on a secure connection. Since not using HTTPS is such a serious security risk, major browsers like Chrome and Firefox actively flag any site still using HTTP as “Not Secure,” a clear warning that you should be careful about what you share.

How HTTPS protects data

HTTPS doesn’t just provide one layer of protection; it provides three, which is what makes it so effective at keeping you safe online:

1. Encryption: This is the most well-known benefit. HTTPS uses TLS to encrypt the data exchanged between your browser and the website’s server. This process encodes the information so that it can’t be read by anyone else.
2. Authentication: For a website to use HTTPS, it must obtain a TLS certificate from a trusted third party known as a Certificate Authority (CA). Your browser and operating system have a built-in list of these trusted CAs. When you connect to an HTTPS site, your browser checks the site’s certificate to verify that it was issued by a CA on this trusted list, proving the website is who it claims to be.
3. Data integrity: HTTPS makes sure that the data you send and receive has not been tampered with during its journey across the internet. It does this by creating a cryptographic “message authentication code” (MAC) for the data. If an attacker tries to alter the data in transit, for example, by changing the amount on a bank transfer, the MAC will no longer match. Your browser will detect the discrepancy and alert you that the connection is not secure, preventing the corrupted data from being accepted. This guarantees that what you see on your screen is exactly what the server sent.

Limitations of HTTPS

While HTTPS is a massive leap forward in security, it’s not a silver bullet that solves all online threats. It’s important to understand its limitations so you can maintain a complete security posture.

First, HTTPS only protects data in transit. It encrypts the information as it travels between your browser and the server that hosts the website you want to visit. It does not, however, protect the data once it’s stored on the server itself. If the website’s server is hacked due to poor security practices, your data could still be compromised. HTTPS secures the journey, not the destination.

Second, the padlock icon doesn’t mean the website itself is trustworthy. Cybercriminals have gotten very good at setting up phishing websites that use HTTPS. In fact, according to cyber threat intelligence company PhishLabs by Fortra, 74% of phishing websites their experts examined in 2020 used HTTPS. So, the padlock only confirms a secure connection, not a safe or legitimate website. You should still be vigilant and learn how to recognize the signs of a fake website.

Finally, HTTPS simply doesn’t protect you from all types of online threats. For comprehensive protection, you should always use an antivirus and a trusted VPN. ExpressVPN encrypts all the internet traffic from your device, not just your browser, and masks your IP address, giving you an essential layer of privacy that HTTPS alone can’t provide. Additionally, ExpressVPN’s Threat Manager can block trackers and malicious sites, offering protection even from threats that HTTPS doesn’t address.

HTTP vs. HTTPS: Core differences

So, what do the differences between HTTP and HTTPS boil down to? Here’s a quick overview followed by a more detailed explanation:

When and why you should switch to HTTPS

If you're still running a website on HTTP in 2025, the time to switch isn’t “soon,” it’s now. Browsers warn users away from non-secure sites. Google ranks them lower. People are less likely to trust them. And many modern web features won't even work without HTTPS.

Even if you’re just running a blog, HTTPS shows visitors that you’re serious about their security.

How to migrate your website to HTTPS

Switching to HTTPS involves a few key steps. It’s not difficult, especially with modern tools, but it’s worth getting right so you don’t lose traffic or break your site. Steps to migrate:

1. Get a TLS certificate

Most hosting providers now offer a free certificate from Let’s Encrypt and can install it for you with a single click from your control panel.

2. Install the certificate

Once you have the certificate, it needs to be installed on your web server. Again, if your host provides it, this step is likely automated. If you’re doing it manually, you'll need to follow your web server’s specific instructions for installing certificates.

3. Update site configuration

Make sure your CMS or server is set to use HTTPS. Here’s how:

If you use a CMS (like WordPress)

This is often the easiest method. You just need to update your site’s main address within its settings.

1. Log into your WordPress dashboard.
   
2. Go to Settings > General.
   
3. Find the WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) fields. Change both URLs from http://yourdomain.com to https://yourdomain.com.
   
4. Save your changes.

At the server level (for all websites)

This method creates a rule that automatically forces all visitors to use the secure HTTPS version of your site. This is most commonly done by editing a file called .htaccess in your site’s main folder.

1. Connect to your site’s files using a file manager or FTP client.
2. Find and open the .htaccess file. (If it doesn’t exist, create a new file with that name).
3. Add the following lines of code to the file:

This code tells the server: if anyone tries to connect using an insecure HTTP connection, permanently redirect them (R=301) to the secure https:// address for the exact same page. This is the standard and most SEO-friendly way to enforce HTTPS across your entire site.

Then, enable HTTP/2 or HTTP/3 for better performance, as most modern browsers support these protocols to improve speed and efficiency.

3. Update internal links

You need to go through your website’s content and update every single internal link from http:// to https://. This includes links in your navigation, in your page content, in your footers, and in your template files. You must make sure that every single asset on your site is loaded using an HTTPS URL. Browser developer tools can help you spot and fix these issues.

5. Check your SEO tools

Update your settings in any external tools you use. Go to Google Search Console and Google Analytics and add your new HTTPS site as a property. Submit your new HTTPS sitemap to Google to help it crawl your secure site quickly. You should also update your site URL in any social media profiles or marketing campaign links.

6. Test thoroughly

Check every page, link, and form. Once you’ve switched, keep an eye on your certificates. Let’s Encrypt certificates renew every 90 days, but many tools automate that process.

7. (Recommended) Enable HSTS

After confirming everything works perfectly, consider enabling HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS). This is an advanced security feature that tells browsers to only ever connect to your site using HTTPS. This eliminates the small window of vulnerability where an attacker could try to intercept the initial HTTP request before it’s redirected. This is typically done by adding another header to your server configuration.

Whether you’re a casual blogger or a small business owner, making the switch to HTTPS is one of the simplest, smartest decisions you can make. It’s better for privacy, better for performance, and better for your reputation.