Base44 custom domain not working: verify DNS, SSL and the www version

Short answer: Your domain usually fails because the DNS records do not match what Base44 shows, or because AAAA or CAA records are blocking it. Add the exact records from your Base44 Domains page, remove AAAA and conflicting CAA records, then click Verify.

Why it happens

Base44 hosts your app, but your domain stays registered with your provider or DNS host, such as GoDaddy, Namecheap, or Cloudflare. Base44 issues and renews your SSL certificate automatically once your domain is verified and DNS is resolving correctly. Until then, the domain shows Pending verification.

A few things block that:

• Your records do not match exactly what is shown in your Base44 dashboard.
• AAAA (IPv6) records exist for hostnames used with Base44. They can block connections.
• CAA records could block the certificate authorities Base44 uses.
• Your domain is on hold at your registrar, for example with a status such as clientHold or serverHold.
• You use Cloudflare and your records are not set to DNS only.

The www version has its own rules. There is no setting in Base44 to stop or reverse the www → root redirect. Domains ending in uk.com, gb.com, eu.com, us.com, uk.net, gb.net and similar never get the www version set up automatically, and visiting www returns an SSL error. That is a permanent limitation of these domain types, not a temporary issue. Your root domain works normally.

For a subdomain, the www version also needs to be added to your app's Custom domains list, and only the support team can do that. The CNAME record on its own is not enough.

How to fix it

1. Click Dashboard in your app editor, then click Domains.
2. Open the (•••) menu next to your domain and click DNS instructions to get the record values.
3. Add the records at your provider, matching the dashboard exactly. For the root domain, use ANAME or ALIAS (recommended):
   • Type: ANAME or ALIAS, Name: @, Value: base44.onrender.com
   • Type: CNAME, Name: www, Value: base44.onrender.com
4. If your provider has no ANAME/ALIAS option, use an A record for the root instead:
   • Type: A, Name: @, Value: 216.24.57.1
   • Type: CNAME, Name: www, Value: base44.onrender.com
5. Make sure that A record is the only A record for your root domain. Remove any other A records added by your provider, such as parking or default records.
6. Remove any AAAA (IPv6) records for hostnames used with Base44.
7. Remove or update any CAA records that could block the certificate authorities Base44 uses.
8. If you use Cloudflare, set the Base44 related records to DNS only.
9. Back in Base44, click Verify next to your domain. Allow up to 48 hours for DNS propagation if you use an external registrar or DNS host.
10. If verification still does not complete after propagation, run a WHOIS lookup on your domain to check it is active and not on a status such as clientHold or serverHold. If it is on hold, contact your registrar before you continue.
11. For a subdomain, add the extra record so the www version resolves:
    • Type: CNAME, Name: www.subdomain, Value: base44.onrender.com
12. Then contact support with the subdomain so the www version is added to your app's Custom domains list.

If your domain was connected to an app in a different workspace, Base44 keeps it reserved for that workspace even after that app is deleted. When you click Add, the dialog shows a TXT record to publish. Its name looks like _b44-verify.yourdomain.com and its value starts with base44-domain-claim=. Add that TXT record at your provider, wait for it to propagate, then click Add again. Finish the claim from the same workspace. If the domain is still connected to a live app, you see an error saying the domain already exists instead.

If you are reusing an old domain from an app deleted before June 5, 2025, contact support so it can be cleared from the system.

How to check it worked on your live app

Open a private browser window and go to your root domain, such as mybusiness.com. If your app loads, your domain is connected. A domain that finished setup can still show Pending verification until the status is re-checked, so refresh your Domains page first.

Then open the www version, www.mybusiness.com. It should load your app and redirect to the root domain. If you connected a subdomain, open both subdomain.yourdomain.com and www.subdomain.yourdomain.com.

To watch DNS progress, go to whatsmydns.net, enter your domain, and select the record type (A, CNAME, etc.) to see which locations have updated.

Prompt to paste into your AI builder

Paste this into your AI builder: "My Base44 custom domain is not working. Show me the change first before applying it. List the exact DNS records my domain needs: for the root domain an ANAME or ALIAS to base44.onrender.com, or an A record to 216.24.57.1 if my provider has no ANAME/ALIAS, and a CNAME for www to base44.onrender.com. Tell me which AAAA and CAA records to remove, and remind me to set the records to DNS only if I use Cloudflare. Then tell me to click Verify on the Domains page in Base44."

FAQ

My domain still says Pending verification. What now? Refresh your Domains page first. A domain that finished setup can still show Pending verification until the status is re-checked. Open your domain in a browser, and if your app loads, your domain is connected. If it still shows Pending verification after a refresh, hover the badge and click Set up DNS for me, or open the (•••) menu and click DNS instructions to add the records manually, then click Verify.

Can I disable the redirect from www.domain.com to domain.com? No. There is no setting in Base44 to stop or reverse the www → root redirect. As a workaround, make sure you have a CNAME record for www pointing to base44.onrender.com so www.domain.com loads your app.

Why does the www version of my domain show an SSL error? If your root domain ends in uk.com, gb.com, eu.com, us.com, uk.net, gb.net or similar, the www version is not set up automatically. This is a permanent limitation of these domain types. Use and share your app's address without www. Ordinary domains such as example.com, example.co.uk, or example.com.au are not affected.

Can I connect more than one domain to one app? Yes. You can connect up to 150 domains and subdomains to a single app, and up to 350 domains in total across your account.

Do I need a paid plan for a custom domain? Yes. Custom domains are available on the Starter plan and above.

Related guides

• Lovable custom domain not working: read the status, then fix DNS and wait — the same status-first approach to a domain that will not connect.
• Google sign-in fails on your custom domain: redirect_uri_mismatch — what to fix once your domain is live and sign-in breaks on it.
• How to test your AI-built app like a real customer (the live app, not the preview) — how to check the live domain properly.

Sources

• Connecting an external domain - Base44 Support Documentation
• Connecting a domain to your app - Base44 Support Documentation

VibeFix's AI agent signs up to your live app like a new person and shows whether sign-up and your pages work. It may not show a Base44 custom domain that will not verify or load directly. VibeFix checks; it does not fix your app.

Last checked: 19 October 2026, against the sources listed above.

VibeFix is independent. Lovable, Bolt, Replit, Base44, v0 and Supabase are trademarks of their owners.