This article covers how to find and purchase a domain, how to connect a domain you already own at an external registrar, how domain activation works, and how to assign or unassign domains from your projects.
Purchasing a domain through Caffeine requires a Studio plan. Bringing your own domain requires a Host or Studio plan.
Buying a domain
Search for available domains directly inside Caffeine. If a domain is available and within the purchase limit, you can buy it using Caffeine Credits.
Pricing:
Domains are priced and paid in Caffeine Credits. Credits are valued at 4 credits per $1 USD, rounded up. The maximum price for any single domain is $100 USD — domains priced above that cap cannot be purchased.
Premium domains:
Some domains are priced higher because of their perceived value — short names, common words, or desirable extensions. These are called premium domains. They follow the same purchase process and are subject to the same $100 USD cap.
Why a domain might not be purchasable:
- The price exceeds $100 USD
- You are not on a Studio plan
- You do not have enough credits in your balance
- The domain is already registered by someone else
Credit requirement:
You must have the full credit amount available at the time of purchase. Partial balances are not accepted. Add credits first, then retry.
Auto-renew:
When purchasing a domain, you can choose whether to enable auto-renew. If auto-renew is on, the domain will automatically be renewed before it expires. You can change this setting after purchase from the domain detail page.
If your purchase fails:
Your balance may take a short time to update after a failed purchase. If credits still appear to be missing after waiting, contact support with the time of the purchase attempt and your account email.
Renewing a domain
Domains purchased through Caffeine have a registration period that expires. You can renew manually or enable automatic renewal so Caffeine renews the domain before it expires using your credit balance.
Manual renewal
Manual renewal is available when your domain is within the renewal window (approximately one year before expiration). Go to Settings → Domains, open the domain, and use the Renew button. Renewal is paid in Caffeine Credits at the price shown.
Renewal price cap
The maximum renewal price is 1,000 credits ($250 USD). If your domain's renewal price is higher than this limit, the renewal button is disabled and a warning icon appears. Contact support if you need to renew a domain that exceeds this cap.
Automatic renewal
You can enable auto-renew when you purchase a domain or anytime from the domain detail page in Settings → Domains. The auto-renewal toggle shows whether renewal is Enabled or Disabled — flip it to change the setting; the change takes effect immediately.
When auto-renew is on, Caffeine renews the domain before it expires. If the renewal price would exceed the $100 USD cap, the toggle is locked and you cannot turn auto-renew on. Auto-renew can only be enabled while the domain is still active — if it has already expired, the toggle is disabled.
Assigning a domain to a project
After purchase, you can assign a domain to any of your projects. You do not need to assign it immediately — unassigned domains show a standard parking page until connected to a project.
Each project can have one active custom domain at a time. You can own multiple domains and move them between projects, but only one can be active per project at any given moment. If a project already has a domain registered, the option to add another domain to that project is not available — Caffeine will redirect you back to project settings instead.
If your project is not live yet:
A domain purchased through Caffeine can be assigned to a project before that project is live. The domain will show a parking page until the project is published in Live mode.
Domain activation
After you assign a domain to a live project, activation usually completes within a few minutes. In some cases — due to external DNS and registration propagation — it can take up to 24 hours. If your domain is still showing a parking page after that window, contact support.
Why a domain might still show a parking page:
- The project it's assigned to is not yet live
- Domain activation is still processing (DNS propagation can take several hours)
Unassigning a domain
You can unassign a domain when it is in a Connected, Parked, or Error state. Once unassigned, the domain remains yours and shows a parking page until reassigned.
This means you can unassign a domain even if it is connected to a draft project that has never been published live — the domain will simply return to a parked state.
Why you might not be able to unassign right now:
Unassignment is blocked while a domain is registering or updating. Wait for the process to finish, then try again.
Note if you have downgraded your plan:
If you are on the Free plan, Caffeine-purchased domains are inaccessible inside the platform — you cannot reassign, unassign, or manage them. Your domains remain registered and continue routing traffic to your app, but purchasing and management of Caffeine-registered domains requires a Studio plan. Domains you brought from an external registrar remain connected as long as the DNS records at your registrar still point to Caffeine.
Managing TXT and MX DNS records
For domains purchased through Caffeine, you can add and manage TXT and MX DNS records directly from the platform — no support ticket required. This lets you connect third-party services that need DNS verification or mail routing on your domain.
Common uses include:
- Verifying domain ownership for Google Search Console, Google Workspace, Zoho Mail, Microsoft 365, Apple Business Connect, Square, and other business integrations
- Setting up a professional business inbox (for example,
hello@yourdomain.com) with Google Workspace, Zoho Mail, Microsoft 365, or another email provider - Adding email deliverability records required by your email provider
How to manage DNS records
- Go to Settings → Domains.
- Open the Caffeine-purchased domain you want to configure.
- Scroll to the DNS Records section on the domain detail page.
- Click Add DNS record to create a new record, or use Edit or Delete on an existing one.
When adding or editing a record, choose the record type (TXT or MX), enter the Host and Value exactly as your provider specifies, and for MX records set the Priority. Leave the Host field empty to apply the record to the root of your domain (@).
For MX records, the Value must be a valid mail server hostname — for example mail.example.com or aspmx.l.google.com. The field validates your entry as you type and highlights any problems before you submit. If the value field shows an error, check that you have entered a hostname (not an email address, a URL, or an IP address).
Changes usually take effect within a few minutes, but DNS propagation can take up to 24 hours worldwide.
What this does and does not cover
These controls are for custom TXT and MX records you add yourself. Caffeine still manages the website and app email records for your domain automatically — you do not need to add those manually.
This feature applies to domains purchased through Caffeine only. If you connected a domain from an external registrar, add TXT and MX records at that registrar instead. See Connecting a Domain You Already Own.
SPF and DMARC on Caffeine-purchased domains
DMARC is controlled by Caffeine — you cannot add or edit it. Reports from quarantined mail go to dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com; set up that address with your business email provider if you want to receive them.
SPF is only partially under your control. Caffeine always keeps include:amazonses.com and ~all. To authorise another sender on the same domain (for example, Google Workspace), add a root TXT record with your provider's include — e.g. v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all. Caffeine merges it into a combined record such as v=spf1 include:amazonses.com include:_spf.google.com ~all.
Bringing your own domain
If you already own a domain through another registrar, you can connect it to a Caffeine project without purchasing a new one.
Requirements
- A Host or Studio plan
- A project that is already live (not just in draft mode)
How to connect your domain
- Go to Settings → Domains and click Bring your own domain.
- Select the project you want to connect the domain to.
- Enter your domain name.
- Caffeine generates the DNS records you need to add — copy each record's Name and Value into your registrar's DNS settings.
Once the DNS records are in place, Caffeine will verify the setup and activate the domain. DNS propagation can take up to 24 hours worldwide, though it often completes sooner.
Domains connected this way appear in your Domains list alongside any domains you have purchased. Their detail page shows the configurations needed for the domain to work properly.
Disconnecting and removing a domain you brought yourself
If you connected a domain that you registered with an external provider (rather than purchasing it through Caffeine), you can fully remove it from Caffeine using the Remove option on the domain detail page.
This is different from a standard unassignment. Removing a user-owned domain does the following:
- Prompts you to remove the DNS records from your domain registrar first.
- Once you confirm, Caffeine begins removing the domain from its routing system. The domain status shows as Verifying while this is in progress.
- When the removal is confirmed, the domain is deleted from your Caffeine account entirely.
After removal, your domain is no longer connected to Caffeine in any way. You continue to own and manage it through your registrar.
Before you confirm removal:
Remove the DNS records shown in the dialog from your domain registrar. If you skip this step, your domain may point to a dead address until you manually clean up the records at your registrar.
How long does removal take:
The process usually completes within a few minutes. During that time the domain status shows as Verifying.
Frequently asked questions
How many domains can I own?
There is no stated limit on the number of domains you can purchase or connect. Each project can use one at a time, but you can hold multiple unassigned domains.
Can I use the same domain on multiple projects?
No. A domain can only be active on one project at a time. Unassign it from the current project before assigning it to another.
I bought a domain but don't have a project for it yet. Is that okay?
Yes. The domain shows a parking page until you assign it to a project. Keep in mind that if your domain expires and is not renewed within the 30-day grace period, it is automatically removed from your account.
How do I know when my domain is active?
Caffeine shows the domain status in your project settings. Once activation completes, the domain resolves to your live app. You can also test by navigating to the domain in a browser.
My domain has been activating for over 24 hours. What should I do?
Contact support with your domain name and project name. This usually indicates an issue at the DNS or registrar level that needs manual investigation.
Can I connect a domain I already own instead of buying one?
Yes. Use the Bring your own domain button in Settings > Domains. You will need to add DNS records at your existing registrar. Your project must be live before you can connect an external domain.
What DNS records do I need to configure with my domain registrar?
For domains purchased through Caffeine, Caffeine handles website and app email DNS automatically. In your domain settings, you can view the records that have been set up. Website records route traffic to your app. Email records are added automatically when your application sends email through Caffeine.
You can also add your own TXT and MX records on Caffeine-purchased domains — for example, to verify Google Workspace or route mail to an external email provider. See Managing TXT and MX DNS records above.
For domains you bring from an external registrar, you add the DNS records Caffeine provides at your registrar. See Connecting a Domain You Already Own.
Can I set up Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 email on my Caffeine-purchased domain?
Yes. Open the domain in Settings → Domains, go to the DNS Records section, and add the TXT and MX records your email provider gives you. For SPF, add only your provider's include mechanism as a root TXT record — Caffeine merges it with the required Amazon SES include automatically. See SPF and DMARC on Caffeine-purchased domains above. Once DNS propagates, you can use a professional inbox at your domain (for example, you@mydomain.com) with your chosen provider.
What is the difference between "Disconnect" and "Remove"?
The button label depends on how the domain was added. For domains purchased through Caffeine, the button says Disconnect — this unassigns the domain from the project but keeps it in your account. For domains you connected from your own registrar, the button says Remove — this fully removes the domain from Caffeine, not just from the project. You will need to remove the associated DNS records from your registrar as part of the process.
I removed a domain but it is still routing traffic. What should I do?
After using Remove, you must remove the DNS records from your registrar. Until those records are deleted, browsers may still be directed toward Caffeine's infrastructure. Check your registrar's DNS settings and remove the records that were listed in the removal dialog.
Do domains bought through Caffeine support www subdomain?
No. Currently domains bought through Caffeine work only on the apex (naked) domain (for example, mydomain.com).
Can I set my domain to renew automatically?
Yes. On the domain detail page in Settings → Domains, the Auto-renewal toggle lets you enable or disable automatic renewal. When enabled, Caffeine will renew the domain on your behalf using your credit balance before it expires. If the renewal price exceeds the $100 USD cap, you cannot turn auto-renewal on for that domain.