Custom domain guide
How to connect a Namecheap domain to Render
The exact records to add at Namecheap, written the way its form asks for them, for both www and the bare domain.
Checked 16 October 2026
In short
The records you'll add
- Type
- ALIAS Record
- Host
- Value
Replace the capitals with your own value from the host's dashboard.
- Type
- CNAME
- Host
- Value
Replace the capitals with your own value from the host's dashboard.
| Type | Host | Value |
|---|---|---|
| ALIAS Record | Replace the capitals with your own value from the host's dashboard. | |
| CNAME | Replace the capitals with your own value from the host's dashboard. |
Step by step
Set it up
- 1
Add the domain in Render first
In Render, go to Service→Settings→Custom Domains→Add Custom Domain and enter your domain (for example www.example.com). Adding the bare domain also adds www and redirects it to the bare domain.
Each workspace includes custom domains (2 on Hobby, more on paid plans).
- 2
Open the DNS records at Namecheap
Sign in, then go to Domain List→Manage→Advanced DNS
The domain has to use Namecheap's own DNS (BasicDNS, FreeDNS or PremiumDNS). If Advanced DNS shows no host records, the DNS is managed somewhere else.
- 3
Clear what's in the way
New domains often come with a parking page: a CNAME for www and a URL redirect for @. Delete those before adding yours.
- 4
Add the record for www
Click Add New Record and add:
- Type
- CNAME
- Host
- Value
Replace the capitals with your own value from the host's dashboard.
Type Host Value CNAME Replace the capitals with your own value from the host's dashboard.
- 5
Point the bare domain
Namecheap has an ALIAS Record record, which can point the bare domain at a hostname. It keeps working if Render changes its addresses.
- Type
- ALIAS Record
- Host
- Value
Replace the capitals with your own value from the host's dashboard.
Type Host Value ALIAS Record Replace the capitals with your own value from the host's dashboard.
- 6
Wait, then check
Changes at Namecheap take effect within 30 minutes, sometimes up to a day or two. Once Render sees the records, it issues the certificate for https by itself. Use the check below to see what the world sees.
Check your domain
Once the records are in, see whether the world can see them pointing at Render.
Changes can take from a few minutes to a day to show up everywhere.
Good to know
Common snags
- Remove any AAAA records for the domain while you set it up: Render uses IPv4 only.
- Enter just www in Host, not www.example.com.
Still not working?
Questions
Before you start
Should I use www or the bare domain with Render?
Adding the bare domain also adds www and redirects it to the bare domain. www always works with a single CNAME; the bare domain depends on what Namecheap offers, covered in step 5.
Why does my site show a certificate error?
The certificate is issued once Render sees your records, which can take a while after DNS changes. If it stays, check for old records on the same name (parking pages, AAAA records) and, at Cloudflare, that the record is set to DNS only.
Will this affect my email?
No. Email uses MX records, which these steps don't touch. Only change the records for @ and www.
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