If you have looked into trust seals, you have run into TrustedSite. It is the name most people know, formerly McAfee SECURE before its 2021 rebrand. Familiar is not the same as best, though, and the market has moved on. There are stronger options in 2026, and the right one depends on what you actually want a badge to do.
We build one of them. We think it is the best alternative for most stores, and we will say why. Our pick comes first, then the rest by what they do well. If you want a direct head-to-head, see our full TrustedSite vs TrustedOrigin comparison.
Why people look past TrustedSite
There are a few honest reasons a store starts shopping around.
- →Cost as you grow. The free tier covers a set number of visits per month, then the paid plans climb with your traffic. Busy sites outgrow the free tier quickly.
- →You want a badge shoppers can verify for themselves, not just an image sitting on the page.
- →You want a different focus. Some stores care more about reviews or European buyer protection than a security scan.
- →You want proof over familiarity. A recognised logo reassures, but it does not prove the seal on a given site is real.
The strongest alternatives
Our pick is first, because we believe it is the best choice for most stores. The others are strong at specific jobs. Read them by what you need to prove.
The alternative we would point you to first, and the one we build. TrustedOrigin is verification-first. Every badge carries a cryptographic key that matches a tamper-proof public profile on our own domain, so a shopper can confirm in one click that the badge is genuine rather than a copied image. Behind it run continuous, real checks: malware and phishing, SSL, email authentication, security headers, domain age, and privacy. There is a real free tier and a free public safety check for any site. We are newer than TrustedSite, and we are fine with that, because a badge you can verify beats a badge you simply recognise. Best for a verifiable badge backed by honest, continuous checks.
Security-scan seals at a low cost. Trust Guard runs an external PCI scan, a malware scan, and SSL validation, and the seal clicks through to a live page. A solid, no-frills choice if you want scan-based seals without premium rates. Best for budget security-scan seals.
More than a seal. SiteLock is a full website security service with scanning, malware removal, and a firewall, and it is owned by Sectigo. Its SECURE seal is tied to that scanning. If you want active protection doing real work, with a seal as a by-product, this fits. Best for teams wanting active protection plus a seal.
A verified-reviews platform. The seal shows your real post-purchase star rating and clicks through to a live certificate. Be clear on one point: it verifies reviews, not your site security. Best for social proof.
A free review badge from Google, and the successor to Google Trusted Stores. It shows an aggregate rating from post-purchase surveys once you gather enough responses, roughly a hundred a year, and it needs a Merchant Center account. Note it is not Google Guaranteed or Google Verified, which are for local service ads. Best for a free review badge with a familiar name.
A European trustmark that bundles buyer protection and reviews. It guarantees purchases up to a set amount per order and is strongly recognised in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, though weaker in the US. If you sell into Europe, shoppers there will know the mark. Best for European stores.
The thing that actually matters
Here is the throughline. The most useful seal is one a shopper can verify. A live check beats a static image every time, because a static image proves nothing. Anyone can copy a picture. Almost no one can fake a live page on the provider's own domain, matched by a key that cannot be quietly changed. That is the standard we hold ourselves to, and the one we would judge any alternative by.
The second thing to remember is that different tools verify different things. Security scanning, verified reviews, and buyer protection are separate jobs. A review badge says nothing about malware. A security seal says nothing about your ratings. So pick by what you need to prove.
Not sure where your site stands today? Run it through our free safety check first. It reports the same signals a careful shopper would notice, and it costs nothing to try.
A quick way to choose
If you want a shortcut, match your main goal to the option that does it best.
- →Want a badge shoppers can verify for themselves? That is exactly what a verifiable badge is for, and it is where we would start.
- →Want low-cost security-scan seals? Trust Guard.
- →Want active protection doing real work? SiteLock.
- →Want social proof from real buyers? Shopper Approved or Google Customer Reviews.
- →Selling into Europe? Trusted Shops.
- →Want the most familiar name and do not mind the cost rising with traffic? TrustedSite remains the incumbent.
One last note to save you a headache. The old Norton Secured Seal is retired. It is now DigiCert, so do not go looking for "Norton Secured" as a current product. And whatever you choose, check the real price and terms yourself, because plans change.
When you are ready to compare, our pricing is public and starts free, and our guides walk through setup step by step.
Frequently asked questions
Is TrustedSite a bad choice?
No, it is a capable, well-known option. But well-known is not the same as best. If you want a badge a shopper can actually verify, backed by continuous checks and a free tier, we would back TrustedOrigin. People also move for cost as they grow, or for a different focus like reviews or European buyer protection.
What makes TrustedOrigin different?
Verification you can see. Our badge carries a cryptographic key that matches a public profile on our own domain, so a shopper can confirm it is genuine in one click. Behind it we run continuous checks for malware, SSL, email authentication and more, and there is a free tier. We think that combination is the strongest option in the category.
What is the difference between a security seal and a review badge?
They prove different things. A security seal reflects scans for malware, SSL and related checks. A review badge reflects real customer ratings. Neither covers the other, so choose based on what you most need to show a visitor.
Is there a free trust seal?
Yes. TrustedOrigin has a free tier plus a free public site-safety check, Google Customer Reviews is free through Merchant Center, and TrustedSite is free up to a set number of visits per month. Read each provider's current terms before you commit.
Should I use the Norton Secured Seal?
That product is retired. The old Norton Secured Seal is now DigiCert, so there is no current "Norton Secured" badge to add. Pick from the active options above instead.