Connect your own domain

This guide is for people who have never bought a domain name. You will learn what a domain is, how to purchase one, how to set DNS, and how to connect it so clients open your Hacado site at an address like yourbusiness.com.

You do not need a custom domain to take bookings. Every workspace already has a free Hacado address.

What is a domain?

A domain (or domain name) is the easy-to-remember address of a website - the words people type into a browser instead of a long technical number.

Think of it like a street address for a shop. The street address is for humans; behind the scenes, the postal system knows which building that is. On the internet, the domain is for humans; DNS (explained below) knows which computer should answer.

Street address analogy next to a domain name

Examples of domains:

google.com
hacado.com
northlinestudio.com

The part after the last dot (.com, .me, .co.uk, …) is called a top-level domain. The words before it are the name you choose (when it is still available).

Words you will see

Word	Plain meaning
Domain / domain name	The website name you type (`yourbusiness.com`).
Registrar	The company that sells and renews domain names (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Porkbun, Cloudflare, and many others). Hacado does not sell domains. We recommend Porkbun as easieast and most trusted registar
DNS	The internet’s “phone book” that maps a domain to a server.
DNS record	One row in that phone book (A, CNAME, ALIAS, …).
Apex / root / `@`	The bare domain with no `www` - for example `yourbusiness.com`. Many panels use `@` as the host name for that.
Subdomain	A prefix such as `www` or `book` → `www.yourbusiness.com`, `book.yourbusiness.com`.
Propagation	Waiting time after you change DNS before the whole internet sees the new answer (minutes to a day).

What Hacado gives you already

When you create a workspace, Hacado assigns a public address based on your organization slug, for example:

https://yourname.hacado.me

That link works for booking without buying anything else. Connecting your own domain is optional branding.

Included Hacado address versus optional custom domain

Find your current link anytime under Settings → Brand → Brand tab → Your Hacado address.

Your Hacado address with website URL and Connect custom domain

Do you need your own domain?

Situation	Suggestion
You are testing or just starting	Use the free `*.hacado.me` link.
You want clients to remember your brand name	Buy a domain and connect it.
You already own `yourbusiness.com`	Skip buying; go to Find DNS settings.

Custom domains require a plan that includes them (Solo or higher). If Hacado asks you to upgrade, open billing from Settings → Brand → General.

Overview of the whole process

Five steps from searching a name to connecting in Hacado

Buy a domain at a registrar (or use one you already own).
Open that registrar’s DNS / Manage DNS screen.
In Hacado, open Connect custom domain and copy the values shown.
Create matching DNS records at the registrar.
Return to Hacado, type the domain, click Connect.

Buy a domain (if you do not have one)

Hacado does not sell domain names. Pick any reputable registrar. The screens look different at each company, but the idea is the same.

Step by step

Create an account at a registrar and open Domains / Get a new domain / Search.
Type the name you want (for example northlinestudio and ending .com).
If the result says available, add it to the cart. If it is taken, try another spelling or ending (.com, .studio, .co, …).
Complete checkout. Domains are usually billed per year. Turn on auto-renew if you want to keep the name without forgetting.
After purchase, open the domain and find DNS, DNS management, Manage DNS, or DNS zone. That is where you will add records later.

Tips for choosing a name

Prefer short, easy to spell, close to your business name.
Avoid hyphens and numbers if clients will hear the address out loud.
.com is familiar; other endings are fine if they fit your brand.
You do not need to buy “privacy protection” add-ons to use the domain with Hacado - follow the registrar’s defaults if you are unsure.

Keep the registrar login somewhere safe. You will need it whenever DNS or renewal changes.

Find your DNS settings

After you own the domain:

Sign in at the registrar.
Open the list of your domains and select the one you will use with Hacado.
Look for DNS, Manage DNS, DNS records, or Advanced DNS.

You should see a table of existing records (often with types like A, CNAME, MX for email, TXT). Leave email (MX) records alone unless a guide tells you to change them - this article only changes records for the website hostname you connect.

DNS maps a typed name to your Hacado site

Open Connect custom domain in Hacado

Do this before or while editing DNS so you can copy the exact values Hacado expects for your workspace.

Sign in to Hacado admin.
Go to Settings → Brand.
Open the Brand tab.
Scroll to Your Hacado address.
Click Connect custom domain.

Connect custom domain dialog with DNS instructions and Domain field

The dialog tells you to configure DNS first, then type the domain and click Connect.

What the dialog asks you to create

Hacado shows copy buttons next to the real values for your workspace. Typically you may use one of these approaches:

Record type	Typical use	Points to
A	Apex (`@`) or a subdomain	An IP address shown in the dialog (copy it)
CNAME	Often `www` or another subdomain	Your Hacado hostname (for example `yourname.hacado.me`)
ALIAS / ANAME	Apex when the registrar supports it	The same Hacado hostname - useful because many providers cannot put a CNAME on `@`

Always copy from your dialog. Do not reuse IP addresses or hostnames from someone else’s screenshot or an old email.

Domain field filled with www.example style hostname

In the Domain field, enter only the hostname clients will use - for example:

www.yourbusiness.com
yourbusiness.com
book.yourbusiness.com

Do not include https:// or a path.

Leave the dialog open (or copy the values to a note) while you switch to the registrar.

Add DNS records at your registrar

At the registrar DNS screen:

Decide which hostname you will connect (apex, www, or another subdomain).
Add or edit the record type Hacado described (A, CNAME, or ALIAS).
Paste the value you copied from Hacado.
Save.

Example DNS table with A, CNAME, and ALIAS rows

Important rules

One clear answer per name. Do not keep an old A record and a new CNAME for the same host - browsers get confused.
If the panel asks for TTL, the default is fine.
Some panels want the host as @ or blank for the apex, and www for the www subdomain - not the full www.yourbusiness.com in the host column.
If you use both yourbusiness.com and www.yourbusiness.com, you may need two records (or a redirect product from the registrar). Connect the hostname you actually type in Hacado.

Example: connect `www`

In Hacado, copy the CNAME target (your ….hacado.me hostname).
At the registrar, add CNAME, host www, value = that hostname.
In Hacado’s Domain field, enter www.yourbusiness.com.
Click Connect.

Example: connect the apex (`yourbusiness.com`)

Prefer an A record to the IP Hacado shows, or an ALIAS/ANAME to your Hacado hostname if the registrar offers it.
Host is usually @.
In Hacado, enter yourbusiness.com (no www).

Connect in Hacado

Confirm DNS is saved at the registrar.
In the Connect custom domain dialog, enter the same hostname.
Click Connect.

Hacado validates DNS when you connect. If records are wrong or not visible yet, you see an error such as DNS not configured - fix the records and try again.

DNS changes can take anywhere from a few minutes to about a day. Waiting and retrying is normal.

When it succeeds, clients can open your site at the custom name. Your old ….hacado.me address typically continues to work as well unless you stop sharing it.

Check that it works

Wait a short while after saving DNS.
Open a private/incognito browser window.
Visit https:// + the hostname you connected.
You should see your Hacado booking website.

If it fails, wait longer, re-check the record type/host/value against the Hacado dialog, and remove conflicting old records.

Disconnect or change the domain

Back under Settings → Brand → Your Hacado address:

Disconnect custom domain removes the mapping inside Hacado. It does not cancel or delete the domain at the registrar - you still own the name until you let it expire or transfer it.
To use a different hostname, disconnect (if needed), update DNS for the new name, and run Connect again.

Troubleshooting

Problem	What to try
Connect says DNS is not configured	Compare type, host, and value to the dialog character for character. Wait for propagation and retry.
Site shows the wrong page or an old site	Remove leftover A/CNAME records for that host at the registrar.
`www` works but bare domain does not (or the reverse)	Add the matching record for the other hostname, or set up a redirect at the registrar.
Registrar support chat	Ask them to “point this hostname to the A/CNAME target Hacado listed” and send a screenshot of the Hacado dialog.
Upgrade message in Hacado	Custom domains need Solo (or higher). Manage plan under Brand → General billing.

Brand settings - where Connect custom domain lives
Settings overview
Publish and share - sharing your booking link before you own a domain