Connect your own domain (CNAME or A record) with automatic HTTPS

Before you start

• Custom domains are included in the Basic and Professional (1 domain) and Institutional (1 domain per academy: an Institutional account can run up to 3 academies, so up to 3 domains) plans. On Basic, the site shows a small “Powered by Acatudy” footer; on Professional and Institutional your site shows only your brand. Your built-in address, e.g. brightpath.acatudy.com, doesn't count.
• You need access to your domain's DNS settings (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains/Squarespace, Cloudflare…).

Subdomain or root domain?

1. Add the domain in Acatudy

1. Open the Custom domain card

   Go to My academy → General → Academy details and find Your own domain.

2. Type the domain and click Add domain

   Enter exactly the address you'll use, e.g. learn.brightpathtutoring.com. It appears in the list as pending, together with the TXT record (Host and Value) you'll need if you use an A record on the root domain. If a domain isn't verified within 14 days, it's released: it disappears from the list and you have to add it again.

3. Open "How do I link my domain?"

   The panel shows the exact values for your academy: the CNAME target and, for root domains, the IP address for the A record.

   

2. Create the DNS records

Option A: subdomain with a CNAME

In your provider's DNS panel, add:

That's all: with a CNAME no TXT record is needed.

Option B: root domain with an A record

With an A record, the TXT record is required: the IP address is shared by all academies, so the TXT proves the domain is yours. Copy the Host and Value from the panel. The only exception: if www on the same domain already has the CNAME to your academy address, the root doesn't need the TXT. The same applies if your provider offers ALIAS, ANAME or CNAME flattening to the generic acatudy.com address: add the TXT too.

Root and www are one domain

You add one of the two forms, whichever you want as your main address, e.g. www.brightpathtutoring.com. The other one works on its own as long as its DNS also points to Acatudy (a CNAME from www to your academy address, or an A record from the root to the IP). It redirects (301) to the one you added, keeping the path, shares a single HTTPS certificate and counts as 1 domain of your plan. In practice: add www with the CNAME and also create the A record on the root, so anyone who types the root domain reaches your website (and the root then doesn't need the TXT). You no longer need your provider's domain forwarding: if it's active on the root, remove it so you can create the A record.

3. Verification and HTTPS happen automatically

1. Automatic verification

   We check pending domains every 10 minutes during the first 14 days. As soon as your DNS points to Acatudy (and the TXT is in place, if you use an A record), the domain switches to verified. You can also click Verify to check right away. If it isn't verified within 14 days, it's released and you have to add it again.

2. Automatic HTTPS

   Once verified, we request a free SSL certificate (Let's Encrypt) for your domain and renew it automatically. It's usually active within a few minutes; until then, emails and Google keep using your brightpath.acatudy.com address. There's nothing for you to install.

3. Your domain becomes the main address

   Your public website, login and student area work on the new domain, and search engines are pointed to it (see SEO and Google Search Console). If the domain later stops pointing to Acatudy, or its certificate fails for several days in a row, Acatudy stops using it as your main address (it goes back to brightpath.acatudy.com) and emails the academy administrator.

Troubleshooting

If a domain stays in verification failed, fix the DNS and click Verify. You can remove a domain any time with Delete.