This article covers domain expiration and renewals, billing and refund policies, and common problems you might run into.
Renewals and expiration
Automatic renewal is not currently enabled. Domains do not renew automatically when they expire.
Manual renewal is also not yet available through the Caffeine interface. Domain renewal support is being developed.
What happens when a domain expires
Domain expiration handling is still being finalized. If a domain expires before renewal support is available, it may become unavailable and could be lost. Contact support if your domain is approaching expiration and you want to discuss your options.
Billing and refunds
How domains are paid
Domains are purchased with Caffeine Credits. Credits are valued at 4 credits per $1 USD. The price you pay is shown at checkout before you confirm the purchase.
Taxes and VAT
Tax handling for domain purchases is still being finalized. Prices are shown at checkout before purchase.
Refunds
Domain purchases are non-refundable. Once a domain is successfully purchased, credits are not returned. There are no customer-initiated refunds for completed domain purchases.
Failed purchase — credits missing
If a purchase attempt fails, credits are refunded automatically. It can take a short time for the balance to update in your account. If credits do not reappear within a reasonable window, contact support.
Troubleshooting
My domain shows an error status after setup
If domain setup fails, the domain status changes to Error. From here you can retry the setup or remove the domain entirely. To retry, go to your domain settings and select the retry option. If repeated retries do not resolve the issue, contact support with your domain name and the error message shown.
My domain is stuck in "Verifying"
This can happen because of delays at the external registrar or DNS level. These delays are outside Caffeine's control. In most cases the domain activates within a few hours.
If registration cannot complete after an extended period of retrying, Caffeine will automatically move the domain to an Error status. This gives you a clear signal that something went wrong rather than leaving the domain in a permanent "Verifying" state. You can unassign a domain in an error state and contact support for next steps.
If the status has not changed after 24 hours, or if the domain has moved to an error state, contact support with your domain name and project name.
I don't have enough credits to buy a domain
You must have the full credit amount available before purchasing — there is no partial payment or credit reserve option. Top up your credit balance and retry the purchase.
My domain shows a parking page even though it's assigned to a project
Two common causes:
- The project is not in Live mode. Assign the domain and publish your project — the parking page persists until the project is live.
- DNS propagation is still in progress. Wait up to 24 hours. If the parking page persists beyond that, contact support.
I can't unassign my domain
Unassignment is blocked while a domain is registering or updating. Check the domain's status and wait for it to reach a ready, parked, or error state before trying again. If you are on a Basic or Starter plan, reassigning and unassigning domains is restricted until you upgrade.
My app stopped sending emails after I connected my own domain
When you connect an external domain, emails are sent from that domain instead of the default Caffeine domain. For email to work, you must add the mail DNS records (DKIM, SPF, and DMARC) that Caffeine shows during domain setup, in addition to the web routing records. If these mail records are missing, emails will silently fail to deliver. See Connecting a Domain You Already Own for the full list of required records.
Frequently asked questions
Can I transfer my domain to another registrar?
Yes, after the 60-day ICANN lock period that applies to all newly registered domains. During the first 60 days, the domain cannot be transferred. After that window, contact support — the team will manually initiate the transfer. The process involves DNS updates on both sides and typically takes several days.
Will I lose my domain when it expires?
Possibly, until renewal support is available. Caffeine does not currently auto-renew or offer manual renewal through the interface. If your domain is approaching expiration, contact support to discuss what options exist.
Can I get a refund if I accidentally bought the wrong domain?
No. Domain purchases are final. Credits are not returned for completed purchases. Double-check the domain name before confirming.
My purchase failed but I still see credits missing. What do I do?
Credits are refunded automatically on failure, but the update may take a few minutes. If the credits have not returned after waiting, contact support with the time of the purchase attempt and your account email.
Are there any taxes added on top of the domain price shown?
Tax handling for domain purchases is still being finalized. Check the checkout screen for the final amount before confirming your purchase.
Can I access my app using www.mydomain.com with domains bought through Caffeine?
No. Custom domains are used as bare apex domains (mydomain.com). Caffeine does not support the www. subdomain.
Can I access my app using mydomain.com when I bring my own domain?
Yes. Your app lives at a subdomain like www.mydomain.com. To make the bare domain work too, log into your registrar and set up a permanent (301) redirect from mydomain.com to https://www.mydomain.com. Most registrars call this a URL redirect, domain forwarding, or a 301 redirect. The redirect must point the apex to the www version, not the other way around.