website issue monitoring
SSL certificate monitoring that alerts before Chrome blocks your site.
Auto-renewal can fail silently. Visual Sentinel checks expiry dates, hostname and trust authorization, and the served leaf certificate, with default alerts 13, 3, and 1 day before expiry.
Your first check is free when you add your site. Then try a paid plan for 10 days (card required) or subscribe, from $15 USD a month.
Certificate Valid
TLS 1.3 connection secured
Domain
shopify.com
Issuer
Let's Encrypt
Algorithm
SHA-256 / RSA 2048
Certificate Chain
definition
What Is SSL Monitoring?
SSL certificate monitoring continuously checks the certificates installed on your web servers so they remain valid, trusted, and correctly matched to the requested hostname. Effective certificate management goes beyond installation because automatic renewal can fail after a DNS change, permissions issue, expired credential, or rate limit. Expired certificates, hostname mismatches, and incomplete trust chains can trigger browser warnings that block visitors from your site. Visual Sentinel validates the certificate with every uptime check and sends expiry warnings 13, 3, and 1 day before expiration by default, with optional 20-day and 6-day tiers. It records certificate identity and validity details so you can see when the presented certificate changes and investigate unexpected renewals or issuer changes.
what you get
What this monitor checks
Expiry Alerts in Advance
Get default alerts 13, 3, and 1 day before expiry, with optional 20-day and 6-day warning tiers.
Trust and Hostname Validation
A real TLS connection checks whether the certificate is trusted for the requested hostname. Broken or incomplete trust paths fail even though only leaf-certificate details are shown.
Configuration Issue Detection
Detect hostname mismatches, untrusted or incomplete chains, expired certificates, and not-yet-valid certificates.
Continuous Monitoring
SSL is checked alongside every uptime check. No separate tool or subscription needed.
Part of 6-Layer Monitoring
SSL and uptime are included on every plan. Higher plans add performance, DNS, visual, and content layers according to the selected tier.
SSL History & Reports
Review stored leaf-certificate fingerprints, issuers, subjects, validity dates, and alternate names across observed certificate rotations.
how it works
Set up in three steps
Add Your Domain
Enter your website URL. We automatically discover and monitor your SSL certificate.
Set Alert Thresholds
Keep the 13, 3, and 1 day defaults or add optional warnings at 20 and 6 days before expiry.
Stay Protected
We continuously validate your certificate and alert you to any issues or upcoming expirations.
Frequently asked questions
What SSL issues can you detect?
We detect expired certificates, hostname mismatches, and trust-authorization failures such as a self-signed or incomplete chain. Each successful certificate result records the leaf issuer, subject, validity dates, fingerprint, serial number, and alternate names when the server provides them.
Do I need a separate subscription for SSL monitoring?
No. SSL monitoring is included on every plan. When you add an HTTPS monitor, Visual Sentinel validates its certificate alongside the uptime check. Every paid plan also adds other layers such as visual monitoring, performance, and DNS history.
How often are SSL certificates checked?
SSL certificates are validated with each uptime check: every 5 minutes on Solo and Starter, and every minute on Business and Agency. Default expiry alerts are sent 13, 3, and 1 day before expiry, with optional 20-day and 6-day alerts.
How do I renew an SSL certificate?
Most modern SSL certificates are renewed automatically using tools like Let's Encrypt with Certbot or your hosting provider's built-in renewal system. However, auto-renewal can fail silently due to DNS changes, expired credentials, or rate limits. Visual Sentinel monitors your certificate's expiry date and alerts you if renewal has not occurred, so you can intervene before visitors see a warning.
What is an SSL certificate chain?
An SSL certificate chain links your server's leaf certificate to a trusted root certificate authority through one or more intermediate certificates. Visual Sentinel performs a real TLS connection with trust and hostname verification. A missing intermediate or untrusted path can therefore fail the check, while the dashboard records available details from the served leaf certificate rather than listing every certificate in the chain.
What are common SSL certificate errors?
Common SSL certificate errors include expiry, hostname mismatches, missing intermediate certificates, and self-signed or otherwise untrusted chains. Visual Sentinel reports the trust result and includes available leaf-certificate details in the monitor evidence.
start with a first check
Check Your Site Free on your own site.
Your first check is free when you add your site. Then try a paid plan for 10 days (card required) or subscribe, from $15 USD a month.
- free first check
- 10-day trial, card required
- 30-day money-back guarantee