A custom domain is the difference between yourapp.replit.app and yourapp.com. For a SaaS product, the custom domain is non-negotiable — it builds trust, enables professional email, and makes your product look legitimate. Here's exactly how to connect one.

Prerequisites

  • A domain name (purchased from Namecheap, GoDaddy, Cloudflare, or any registrar)
  • A Replit project deployed with Autoscale or Reserved VM
  • Access to your domain's DNS settings

Step 1: Add the Domain in Replit

In your Replit deployment settings, navigate to the Custom Domain section. Enter your domain (e.g., yourapp.com or app.yourapp.com). Replit will provide you with the DNS records you need to add.

Step 2: Configure DNS Records

Log into your domain registrar's DNS settings. Add the records provided by Replit — typically a CNAME record pointing to Replit's infrastructure. If you're using Cloudflare, make sure to set the DNS record to "DNS only" (grey cloud) initially, not "Proxied."

Step 3: Wait for Propagation

DNS changes take 15 minutes to 24 hours to propagate worldwide. Most registrars update within 30–60 minutes. During this time, your domain may intermittently route to the new server.

SSL Certificate

Replit automatically provisions an SSL certificate via Let's Encrypt once your DNS is verified. You don't need to configure anything — HTTPS is automatic and free.

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Subdomain vs Root Domain

You can connect either yourapp.com (root domain) or app.yourapp.com (subdomain). For SaaS products, I recommend connecting the app to a subdomain (app.yourapp.com) and keeping the root domain for your marketing site. This gives you flexibility to host the marketing site elsewhere for better SEO performance.

Pro Tips for Custom Domain Setup

A few things I've learned from setting up custom domains on dozens of Replit projects: always use a subdomain for the app itself so your marketing site stays flexible. Test SSL before announcing your launch — certificate provisioning can occasionally take a few extra hours. If you plan to use Cloudflare for DDoS protection or caching, switch to "Proxied" mode only after confirming the DNS is correctly pointing to Replit and your SSL certificate is fully active.