Your Podia account includes a free Podia subdomain that you can customize, such as yourstore.podia.com. If you’d rather use your own custom domain, you can connect it instead of using your Podia subdomain.
In this article, we'll show you how to connect a custom domain to Podia.
Overview
If you own a custom domain through an external domain registrar, you can easily connect it to Podia.
To connect a domain, you need to own one and be able to sign in to the provider you bought it from.
If you don’t already have a domain name, you’ll need to buy one. We recommend Namecheap, IONOS or GoDaddy, as both are affordable and easy to manage.
When you connect a domain, Entri signs you in to your domain provider securely and adds the DNS record Podia needs.
Your domain then goes through three statuses:
Status | What it means |
Connecting | Your domain provider is adding the DNS record. This usually takes a few minutes. |
Checking domain | The DNS record was added, and Podia is checking your domain. This can take up to 48 hours. |
Connected | Your website is live on your custom domain. |
You can leave the page during any status. Your domain will connect as soon as it’s confirmed.
Connecting a custom domain to Podia
Here's how to add your custom domain to Podia:
From your home feed, click on your site name and select Admin from the dropdown menu.
From the Admin dashboard, click Settings > Domain in the sidebar menu.
Click Edit next to the Custom domain option.
Click Connect domain.
Follow the steps in the Entri window to sign in to your domain provider and confirm the connection.
Start by entering the domain you own in the domain field and hit Continue.
Entri will analyze your domain and check where it's currently hosted.
Once it identifies it, click Connect with [domain registrar] to automatically connect to your domain registrar.
Select Connect a different way if you'd like to use other connection methods, such as manually entering the CNAME records or via a verification code.
Enter your domain registrar login details through Entri so it can connect to your registrar.
Not all platforms support social sign-ins. If your platform isn't supported, you'll need to manually enter the CNAME records to your registrar.
Once the connection process is complete, Entri will automatically add the required CNAME records to your domain registrar so your domain can connect to Podia.
Your domain may show as connecting while Entri and your domain registrar add these records.
What happens after my domain is connected?
Usually, your custom domain will be ready in 24-48 hours.
Note: Even if you’re using a custom domain, Podia provides a free SSL certificate for all creators, helping ensure your connection stays secure.
Once your custom domain is connected, all existing pages you had under your Podia subdomain will be automatically redirected to the custom domain you have set up.
Troubleshooting custom domain issues
Issue | Solution |
I’ve manually added the CNAME records and confirmed they're correct, but my domain still isn’t working | Remove your domain and connect it again to restart the domain check. |
My custom domain still isn’t connected after 48 hours | Check that your CNAME record uses the right values in the right fields. |
I’m getting an error when I add a CNAME record manually | This usually means a duplicate record already exists. |
My site doesn’t load without “www” in the address | If you connected your domain with www, the version without www won’t load your site on its own. |
FAQs
I’m having trouble signing in to my domain provider through Entri… HELP!
I’m having trouble signing in to my domain provider through Entri… HELP!
First, sign in on your domain provider’s own website to confirm your login details work, and make sure the domain is in that account.
Entri doesn’t support social sign-in for all providers, passkeys, hardware security keys, or device-based two-factor authentication. Codes sent by text message, an authenticator app, or email work.
If your account uses a sign-in method Entri doesn’t support, click "Trouble signing in?".
From there, select the Set up manually option.
Then, manually add the exact records Entri will suggest to your domain's provider DNS settings and click I've added these records when you're done.
Can I manually set up my custom domain without using Entri?
Can I manually set up my custom domain without using Entri?
If you don't want to log in through Entri to connect your custom domain to Podia, make sure you follow the manual Entri route during the authentication process.
Here's how to do it:
When asked to sign in to your domain registrar, click "Trouble signing in?".
Select the Set up manually option.
Manually add the exact records Entri will suggest to your domain's provider DNS settings.
Click I've added these records when you're done adding the DNS settings to your domain provider.
The domain will be added to Podia, and we'll verify the added records.
Will my existing Podia links that contain my subdomain redirect to my custom domain?
Will my existing Podia links that contain my subdomain redirect to my custom domain?
Yes, when you add a custom domain, your prior links that contained your Podia subdomain will redirect to your new custom domain.
What happens if I disconnect my custom domain?
What happens if I disconnect my custom domain?
If your custom domain is disconnected, your site won't be available anymore through the custom domain you previously had set up. This domain will no longer point to your Podia site.
Your site will become available only through its Podia subdomain.
What happens if I change my connected custom domain?
What happens if I change my connected custom domain?
If you disconnect your current custom domain and connect a new one, it's important to note that an automatic redirect won't be established. Consequently, your old custom domain will no longer work.
The positive aspect is that your page slugs, which determine the structure of your URLs, will remain unaffected. However, the actual domain name will switch to the new one you've linked.
To ensure a seamless transition, you have a few options:
Redirect the old domain to your newly connected one via your domain registrar
Employ a 301 redirect
Utilize a service like https://redirect.pizza/ to manage the redirection process.
These choices will help you maintain consistency when transitioning to your new custom domain.
Does Podia host my domain?
Does Podia host my domain?
Podia does not directly host your web domain. What we do to connect your custom domain to Podia is to set up a CNAME record pointing to your Podia site.
With that said, it would be imperative to keep up an active domain package with your domain registrar to be able to fully link it to your Podia site.
Do I need an IP address to connect a domain to Podia?
Do I need an IP address to connect a domain to Podia?
No. You don’t need an IP address to connect your domain to Podia.
Podia regularly rotates server IPs as part of ongoing security updates and infrastructure improvements. Because of this, relying on a fixed IP address could cause your site to go offline when those IPs change.
Using a CNAME record instead ensures your domain always points to the correct, up-to-date server automatically, keeping your sirte secure and running smoothly.
What happens to links in emails if I change my custom domain?
What happens to links in emails if I change my custom domain?
If you change your custom domain, any links in emails you’ve already sent will no longer work. That’s because those links are tied to the domain that was connected at the time the email was sent.
Changing your custom domain breaks the connection for those past links.
Can I set up multiple subdomains for different pages or products on my site?
Can I set up multiple subdomains for different pages or products on my site?
No. At this time, each Podia site is limited to a single domain/subdomain.
To use multiple domains, you would need to have a separate Podia account for each domain you want to connect.
Should I put my whole domain "www.mysite.com" or only "www" as the name for my CNAME record?
Should I put my whole domain "www.mysite.com" or only "www" as the name for my CNAME record?
Most registrars only require the prefix on the CNAME record (e.g. "www", "learn", etc.), but this can vary depending on the registrar you’re using.
When in doubt, enter the exact records Entri has generated.
If you run into issues, try switching to the alternative format to see if it resolves the problem.
Can I use a custom domain with special characters in it?
Can I use a custom domain with special characters in it?
We do not support domains with special characters or accented letters.