Do you have a custom domain you'd like to use for your Substack publication? Get started by linking your domain to Substack by following these steps.
Note: Substack charges a one-time $50 USD fee to use a custom domain for your publication. You'll need to be the publication's owner or group administrator to connect the custom domain. Sales tax or VAT is not charged for the Substack custom domain fee.
1. Navigate to your publication's Settings page and click on Domain in the left navigation bar. Select the "Add custom domain" button.
Tip: You must complete this step and set up your domain on Substack before adding the CNAME alias in your DNS provider.
2. Enter your domain, and you'll be provided with the correct CNAME alias to add to your DNS provider.
Below are links to popular provider support pages on CNAME records.
- Google domains: Create a CNAME record
- GoDaddy: Add a CNAME record
- Namecheap: How to create a CNAME record
- Domain.com: How to update a CNAME
- DreamHost: Adding a CNAME
- Bluehost: What is a CNAME?
- Hover: Managing DNS records
- Dynadot: How do I create a CNAME?
- Cloudflare: If you have registered your domain through Cloudflare, ensure the “Proxy status” on your CNAME record is set to “DNS only”. The orange cloud icon in the CNAME record row should be grey, not orange.
Tip: What Substack calls "Name" and "Target" may have different labels on your registrar's setup page. What we call "Name" can be called "Host" or "Subdomain," and sometimes "Target" is labeled "Points to."
Here's a quick video on how to add a CNAME on GoDaddy:
3. To manually check whether or not the configuration is ready, use the “check status” button in the Custom Domain section on your Settings page.
How long does it take for the configuration to work?
Once your custom domain is linked to Substack, it can take up to 36 hours to fully configure. If it's been over 36 hours, there may be an issue in the configuration.
First, check in your configuration settings that you've started off your host name with a subdomain such as "www."
You may need to delete the configuration and start over (you won't be charged again).
What should I enter in the TTL section?
Your provider may ask you to configure a TTL, which you can leave alone.
Can I use my root domain without "www" or another subdomain?
We require that your Substack publication be hosted by a subdomain such as "www." You can use a 301 redirect to forward the root domain version of your custom domain to your newsletter. You can read more about custom domains here.