Custom domain and DNS
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When an app is created, Bubble uses the name you provide to generate a unique URL where you can run of your app. For example, if your app has the name my-bubble-application, Bubble generates the URLs below:
Setting up a custom web domain means configuring your app to be accessed through a specific domain name that you've chosen, rather than the default address provided by Bubble. This involves registering a unique domain name (like ) and then linking it to your website. In that sense, the domain makes up the "root" of all your app's URL's.
Connecting to a custom domain means to customize your site’s URL, making it more recognizable and often more professional-looking, reflecting your brand or the app's purpose more accurately.
Setting up a custom domain is done in three steps:
The is to buy the domain you want, and register it with a .
Example.com versus www.example.comMost apps and websites are expected to load regardless of whether the user types in example.com or www.example.com as the URL. For Bubble automatically redirects one to the other, depending on which one you entered as your app's custom domain.
For example:
example.com
https//www.example.com
https//example.com
www.example.com
https//example.com
https//www.example.com
Domains are purchased from a company known as a domain registrar. Once it has been purchased, it becomes your unique identifier on the web, and no one can register the same domain as you. Many domains are registered for the first time, but there's also a market for buying existing domains that ranges from a few US dollars to several million.
Users access your app by typing its domain into their browser's address bar. Think of it as the digital equivalent of your physical address - it's how people find you on the internet.
It doesn't matter which registrar you have used when you want to configure it in Bubble, as long as you have access to make changes to the .
To set up the domain with your app, do the following:
Navigate to the Settings tab and Domain/email sub-tab.
Enter the domain you purchased in step 1 in the Domain name input
Click Set up this domain
When you've completed these steps, Bubble will show you the DNS records that you need for step 3. Typically, they look something like this:
Do not use the IP addresses below – they are only meant as an illustration. Use the IP addresses that Bubble provides in the Domain subtab.
A
104.16.36.105
A
104.16.42.105
A
104.19.240.93
A
104.19.241.93
A
www
104.16.36.105
A
www
104.16.42.105
A
www
104.19.240.93
A
www
104.19.241.93
This table outlines the DNS A record configurations with their respective types, names, and values.
After obtaining the DNS details, there's no need to make any more adjustments within Bubble. Your next steps should be carried out in the domain registrar service where your domain is managed.
Look for the DNS settings or DNS Zone File within your registrar’s dashboard.
Replace them with the records provided earlier. Note that . Proceed by adding the records accordingly.
After setting up the DNS records, the new settings need to propagate across the internet. This can take up to 24 hours, but usually you should see some results after 2-4 hours, and sometimes faster.
Bubble lets you check the success of the operation below the records, and you can check the process by clicking on the Check my settings button. If you encounter an error, it could indicate that the records have not been configured correctly, or that the changes have not yet propagated through the system. See our FAQ below for possible solutions to common errors.
As soon as a domain is properly configured, all requests to yourapp.bubbleapps.io will automatically be redirected to yourdomain.com. This applies to both the Live and Development anvironment.
If you already are using a domain and would like to use a subdomain to point to your Bubble app (for instance, app.yourapp.com). The steps are mostly identical to the above, with just a few changes:
When you purchase a domain name, you gain the rights to create subdomains within it, and you don't need to buy these subdomains separately.
Subdomains, like blog.example.com or shop.example.com, are part of the main domain (example.com) and can be set up directly through your domain registrar's website.
If you need to change your domain, you first need to remove the current domain. Clicking on 'delete this domain name' will terminate the connection between the application and the domain.
Note that your domain will still point to Bubble's server until you remove the DNS records in the registrar service. A Bubble page will be displayed with a message indicating there is no app linked to this domain. Once you have removed the domain, you can add a new domain as described above.
Note that if you remove a domain and want to use an appname.bubbleapps.io domain as initially happens, you may have to clear the browser cache, as the redirection is usually cached at the browser level.
A domain change, once complete, should not effect or render invalid any dynamic URL expressions. Uploaded files are stored on S3/appforest rather than on the domain directly, so everything should redirect appropriately.
Once you have properly configured your domain and that Bubble has validated the A records, you can start the process. To have TLS activated on your site, enable the checkbox.
This change can take up to one hour to propagate. For customers using Cloudflare, SSL is mandatory.
Using a domain that incorporates the term bubble, such as , is not permitted for a custom domain in Bubble. This is because it violates our terms of service. Custom domains must avoid using 'bubble' to maintain compliance with our guidelines.
Page:
GoDaddy -
Namecheap -
Bluehost -
HostGator -
Google Domains -
DreamHost -
1&1 IONOS -
Network Solutions -
Dynadot -
Register.com -
They map a domain name to its corresponding IP address, which is a numerical label assigned to each device on a network. This mapping allows users to access websites using familiar domain names (like ) rather than numeric IP addresses. A records are essential for directing internet traffic and making the web user-friendly.
In this section, remove any existing that have an empty name ('') or www
Navigating this process can get somewhat technical, as the interface varies between registrars. If you need some guidance, it’s a good idea to contact your registrar’s customer support. Also, feel free to seek advice on the , as there’s a good chance another user has experience with the same registrar and can offer helpful insights.
After registering the subdomain in Bubble, we will provide you with DNS settings that you need to register with your registrar. Registering them is done in the same way as , but note that the DNS records will be different.
The first, to check to see if your domain records have propagated, is the .
You can also take advantage of a service like , which tests your custom domain from many locations all over the world. It's not uncommon to see a few blank entries on this page; what you're looking for is any records that return an error (red X) or different results than you are expecting.
Cloudflare serves a page on a certain route on every site hosted on their domain at /cdn-cgi/trace. You can see bubble's page at ; replace 'bubble.io' with your own custom domain (once it loads) to see if it's working.
Go to the Google DNS lookup tool's and check to see if your bare domain (e.g. example.com) has a CAA record. A CAA record restricts which certificate providers can issue certificates for your domain. (Only about 1% of Bubble apps have a CAA record.)
