Buying a Domain and Connecting It

What’s a Domain?

google.com, github.com — those are domains. Your address on the internet.

Vercel gives you myapp.vercel.app for free. It works perfectly, but it doesn’t feel like yours, does it? vercel.app is someone else’s brand.

A custom domain means myapp.com — clean, professional, and unmistakably yours.

Where to Buy One

Namecheap (namecheap.com) is a solid choice.

Why?

• Cheap (.com is around $10/year)
• Simple dashboard
• No hidden fees

Alternatives: Cloudflare, Google Domains (now Squarespace), GoDaddy. They all work fine.

Step by Step: Buy → Connect

Step 1: Buy the Domain

1. Go to namecheap.com, create an account
2. Search for the name you want (e.g., coolapp.com)
3. Add to cart, pay (card or PayPal)
4. Done. coolapp.com is now yours.

Step 2: Add Domain in Vercel

Vercel dashboard → your project → Settings → Domains
→ Type "coolapp.com" → Add

Vercel gives you DNS records to configure. Something like:

Type: A      | Value: 76.76.21.21
Type: CNAME  | Name: www | Value: cname.vercel-dns.com

Step 3: Configure DNS (The Key Part)

What’s DNS?

Think of it as a phone book. When someone types coolapp.com, DNS tells the internet which server to actually go to.

In Namecheap:

1. Dashboard → Domain List → coolapp.com → Manage
2. Click Advanced DNS tab
3. Delete existing records
4. Add exactly what Vercel told you:

Type	Host	Value
A	@	76.76.21.21
CNAME	www	cname.vercel-dns.com

Save and wait 10 minutes to 1 hour. (DNS propagates globally — takes time.)

Step 4: Verify

Type coolapp.com in your browser → your app appears → success!

HTTPS (the padlock icon) is set up automatically by Vercel. Zero config needed.

FAQ

“How long does DNS propagation take?” → Usually 5 min to 1 hour. Rarely up to 24 hours. If it’s not working, just wait.

“What’s the difference between www and no-www?” → coolapp.com and www.coolapp.com should both work. The config above handles both.

“Do I have to buy a domain?” → No. myapp.vercel.app works perfectly fine. A custom domain is nice to have, not required.

“What about extensions other than .com?” → .dev, .io, .app are all valid. This site is jasonmoon.dev. Prices vary.

Cost Breakdown

Item	Cost	Frequency
Vercel hosting	Free	—
.com domain	~$10	Yearly
HTTPS certificate	Free (Vercel auto)	—

$10/year for your own internet address. Two coffees.

Next: Why you should never put passwords in your code — and what to do instead.