Adding a Custom Domain to Your Payhip Store: A Step-by-Step Guide

Spoiler: it wasn’t as scary as it looked at first, but man, that DNS stuff can make your head spin if you’ve never dealt with it.

So when I first launched my little Payhip shop, I was super hyped. Had my digital products up, checkout tested, everything good to go. But then I shared the link and someone said, “Why does your store URL look like a Craigslist ad?” Oof. That hurt. Payhip’s default subdomain was fine, but it screamed “starter project,” and I wanted to look pro.

That’s when I decided to add my own domain. I already had one sitting in Namecheap (could’ve been GoDaddy, Google Domains, whatever—they all work similarly). And here’s how the process actually went down—warts and all.

Step 1: Prepping the Domain

I logged into my Namecheap account, found the domain I wanted to use—let’s say it was **www.myawesomestore.com**—and clicked on DNS settings. Now, this is the part where things get techy. I had to add a CNAME record, which I’d sorta heard of before but had never actually touched.

Payhip’s documentation said:

“Add a CNAME record that points ‘www’ to payhip.com.”

Okay, cool. Easy enough. I clicked Add New Record, selected CNAME, put www under “Host,” and payhip.com under “Value.” TTL? I left it on automatic. (Still don’t know what that means, and it worked anyway.)

Important: If your domain registrar has a root domain set (like just myawesomestore.com), you might need to set up a redirect from the root to the www version. I missed that part at first and kept wondering why the plain domain wasn’t working.

If you’re just getting started and want to make sure your store looks polished from the jump, check out how to customize your Payhip storefront to make it look professional and sell more. Your domain is just one part of that bigger visual puzzle.

Step 2: Connecting It on Payhip’s End

Now back in Payhip, I went to Store Settings > Domains, typed in www.myawesomestore.com, and clicked the connect button. Payhip started doing its thing in the background, checking if the DNS was set up right.

Heads up: it took a couple of hours for it to propagate. During that time, I refreshed the page about 83 times like a lunatic thinking I did something wrong. But nope, it just needed time.

Once Payhip verified it, boom—my store was live on my own branded domain. Clean, professional, and no more “.payhip.com” in the link. Felt like I leveled up instantly.

A Few Pro Tips I Wish I Knew Earlier

• Double-check for typos. Seriously. One wrong letter in the CNAME and you’ll be banging your head against the wall wondering why nothing’s working.

• Stick to the ‘www’ version. Payhip doesn’t currently support connecting the non-www (root/apex) domain directly. So make sure to forward your root domain to the www version through your registrar.

• Use incognito to test. Sometimes your browser cache can make it look like it’s not working even when it is. Incognito is your friend here.

• SSL is automatic. Payhip sets up HTTPS on your domain for free, which is awesome. No extra cost or setup for the secure padlock.

Want to build out more trust signals while you’re at it? Adding social proof is key—check out how to add testimonials and reviews to your store to give potential buyers that extra confidence boost.

Mistakes? Oh, I Made ‘Em

I once deleted my domain’s existing A records thinking I was “cleaning it up.” Don’t do that unless you know what those records are for. Some of them might be necessary for email or other services you use.

Also, I kept trying to use just my domain without the www at first, which Payhip doesn’t support. I wasted like an hour thinking something was broken. It wasn’t—it’s just how their system works for now.

And speaking of building a cohesive brand, once your domain is live, consider adding custom branding to your store. It helps tie everything together—from visuals to voice—and gives your storefront that legit, polished feel.

Conclusion

If you’re hesitating to hook up your domain because it feels “too technical,” trust me—I’ve been there. But once it’s done, it seriously levels up the professionalism of your store. You can share links confidently and it makes a great first impression.

Plus, if you ever want to migrate or scale, having your own domain gives you a ton more flexibility. You’re not locked into the platform’s branding forever.

Honestly, this one little change made me take my store way more seriously. It stopped feeling like a side hustle and started feeling like a real business.

If you’re stuck at any step, Payhip’s help docs are decent—but sometimes just Googling “[your registrar] + CNAME setup” is faster. Or hey, ask AI. It won’t judge your 3AM domain panic.