How to Set Up Custom Domain on Carrd
To set up a custom domain on Carrd, enable the custom domain option in your site's Publish settings, copy the DNS records (typically two A records and one CNAME) provided by Carrd, add them to your domain provider's DNS management panel, and wait 5-60 minutes for propagation. Your site will then be accessible via your custom domain with automatic SSL.
Prerequisites
- Carrd Pro Standard or higher account
- Registered domain from Namecheap, GoDaddy, Porkbun, or Google Domains
- Access to your domain provider's DNS management panel
- A Carrd site ready to publish
- Basic familiarity with web dashboards
Step-by-Step Instructions
Verify Your Carrd Plan and Domain Registration
Confirm you have a Carrd Pro Standard or higher account, as free plans do not support custom domains. Purchase and register your domain from a provider like Namecheap, Porkbun, Google Domains, or GoDaddy if you haven't already. You'll need access to your domain provider's DNS management panel to complete the setup.
Log In to Carrd and Open Your Site
Visit carrd.co, log in to your account, and select the site you want to connect to a custom domain. If you haven't created a site yet, click New Site to create one. This opens the site editor where you can make final adjustments before publishing.
Access the Publish Settings
In the site editor, click the Publish button at the top. This opens the Publish panel where you'll configure your custom domain settings. Scroll down to locate the Action section.
Enable Custom Domain Publishing
In the Action section, select Publish to a custom domain. A text field will appear below where you enter your custom domain exactly as you want it to appear in the address bar. For example, enter example.com for a root domain or blog.example.com for a subdomain. Do not include www unless you want it as part of the domain name.
Copy Carrd's DNS Records
Scroll down further in the Publish panel to view the DNS records section. Carrd provides the following records you'll need to copy: two A records (typically pointing the root domain @ to IP addresses like 104.21.12.123 and 104.21.234.173) and one CNAME record (for www, pointing to a Carrd-specific target like cname.carrd.co). Use the copy buttons provided to avoid manual transcription errors. The TTL is typically set to Automatic (1 hour).
Log In to Your Domain Provider
Open a new browser tab and log in to your domain provider's dashboard (e.g., Namecheap, GoDaddy, Porkbun). Navigate to your domain management section. For Namecheap, go to Domain List > Manage > Advanced DNS. For Porkbun, go to Domain Management > Details and look for DNS Records or Advanced DNS settings.
Add the A Records to DNS
In your domain provider's DNS management panel, click Add New Record. Create the first A record by setting the Host/Name field to @ (representing the root domain) and the Value/Target field to the first IP address from Carrd (e.g., 104.21.12.123). Set TTL to Automatic if available. Click save or confirm. Repeat this process for the second A record using the second IP address provided by Carrd.
Add the CNAME Record for www
Click Add New Record again. This time, select CNAME as the record type. Set the Host/Name field to www and the Value/Target field to the CNAME target provided by Carrd (e.g., cname.carrd.co). Set TTL to Automatic and save. This ensures that both www and non-www versions of your domain work correctly.
Publish Changes in Carrd
Return to the Carrd Publish panel and click Publish Changes. Your domain status will display as (initializing), which is normal. Carrd automatically initializes the domain connection, a process that typically takes 5-10 minutes but can take up to 1 hour. During this time, DNS records propagate globally across the internet.
Verify Your Custom Domain Works
After initialization completes (status changes from (initializing) to active), open a new browser tab and navigate to your custom domain (e.g., example.com or blog.example.com). Your Carrd site should load, and the browser's address bar should show a padlock icon, indicating SSL is active. Test both the www and non-www versions to ensure both work correctly.
Common Issues & Troubleshooting
Domain shows (initializing) after 1 hour
Verify that all DNS records were entered exactly as shown in Carrd, including IP addresses and CNAME targets. Check for typos or extra spaces. Delete any conflicting DNS records from your provider's panel. If issues persist, consult Carrd's troubleshooting documentation or contact Carrd support.
Domain doesn't load or shows a blank page
Confirm that DNS propagation is complete by waiting 5-60 minutes. Clear your browser cache (Ctrl+Shift+R) and try again. Verify that the A records point to the correct IP addresses and the CNAME record is set to the Carrd target. Check that you selected Publish to a custom domain in Carrd's Action section.
www version works but non-www doesn't (or vice versa)
Ensure both A records are added to your DNS with the host set to @ (root domain). The CNAME record with host www handles the www subdomain. If only one works, you may be missing one of the A records or the CNAME record.
SSL certificate not showing (no padlock icon)
Carrd automatically provides SSL once the domain is fully initialized. Wait for the (initializing) status to clear and refresh your browser. If the padlock still doesn't appear after 1 hour, verify DNS records are correct and contact Carrd support.
DNS changes not taking effect after 1 hour
DNS propagation can take up to 60 minutes globally, though it's usually faster. Use an online DNS checker tool to verify your records are live. If records show as live but your site doesn't load, clear your browser cache and try a different browser or device. Contact your domain provider's support if DNS records aren't updating.