Get Started with Domains for Square Online
Note: Use a custom domain name by upgrading your Square Online subscription.
A domain, often known as a URL or site address, is what helps users find your website while browsing online. If you think of your website as a house, then a domain is like the house’s address.
There are numerous ways you can use a domain for your website. If you already have a Square account and have Square Online set up, learn more details below.
With a domain, you can also set up an email address based on that domain. Learn more about set up your email address with Google Workspace and Square Online for more information on setting up your own custom email address. For details on setting up a website with Square, learn about getting started with Square Online.
Pricing
With a custom domain, Square offers the ability to brand your website with a simple and memorable address of your choosing. A “.com” domain starts as low as $25.95/year.
To get started fast and earn a one-year domain credit, upgrade your Square Online subscription by purchasing an annual plan (one-year domain credits aren’t available with monthly plans). You’ll also be able to hide your personal contact information when registering a domain at no additional cost.
Note: Domains can only be registered and purchased on a yearly basis. Unlike Square Online subscription plans, monthly options aren’t available for domains.
Choose a Great Domain Name
If you’re just getting started with the world of domains and websites, your first step might be to choose a great domain name for your site. Consider the following tips when beginning your search.
Aim for 20 characters or less to keep your domain easy to remember. If anyone mentions your site to another person, you want that person to recall the address when they get a chance to look you up later.
Make sure your domain is easy to remember and spell. If possible, it’s best to ensure the domain name is simply the name of your business (or includes the name of your business).
Adding numbers and non-alphabetic characters can cause confusion and potential loss of traffic to your site.
For example, if you have a business called My Business Inc., domains like “mybusiness.com” or “mybiz.com” are much better choices than “my-business.com”. This is because many people may not think to add a hyphen when entering your address into a web browser.
If your top domain choice isn’t available, consider including a keyword as part of it.
Let’s say you run My Business Inc. in a specific city, but you discover that “mybusiness.com” is already taken. In that case, “mybusinesscityname.com” is an excellent alternative, as are “visitmybusiness.com,” “mybusinessincityname.com,” “workwithmybusiness.com” and other variations.
While not necessary, purchasing multiple versions of a domain name ensures competitors can’t undercut you in the future.
Beyond concerns about competition, let’s say you own “mybusiness.com.” In this case, it could be helpful to also own “mybusiness.net” to ensure someone who enters either address ends up at your site. This is known as domain forwarding.
Set Up and Change Your Website’s Domain Name
Once you have a domain, there are several ways to get your domain associated with your website. We even offer a free option. Learn more below.
You can purchase and register a brand-new domain name here at Square. To register a new domain name:
- From your Square Online Overview page, go to Website > Domains.
- Select Connect domain.
- Select Find a custom domain and enter the domain name you want into the search box to start the purchase process.
Once you own a domain, you can then connect the domain to your Square Online site. You can also change it at any point.
To connect a custom domain you purchased from Square to your Square Online site:
- From your Square Online Overview page, go to Website > Domains.
- Under the domain you want to connect to your site, select Manage > Manage domain.
- Under Destination, select Edit site destination.
- Choose the Connect to one of my current sites option.
- Select Save when finished.
- Publish your site from the Square Online site editor to see the changes live.
To connect a custom domain you purchased elsewhere to your Square Online site:
- From your Square Online Overview page, go to Website > Domains.
- Select Connect domain.
- Under Use a domain I own elsewhere, type in your domain name and select Verify.
Learn more about how to connect your domain to Square Online.
Transferring your domain name to Square allows you to manage everything for your website from one simple-to-use interface. To transfer your domain:
- From your Square Online Overview page, go to Website > Domains.
- Select Connect domain.
- Under Use a domain I own elsewhere, type in the domain name you want to transfer and select Verify.
- Select Transfer your domain and follow the step-by-step instructions.
Learn more about how to transfer your domain to Square. You can also learn how to transfer your domain away from Square.
If you don’t already own a custom domain and aren’t ready to buy one, you can create a free subdomain for your Square Online site instead. To use or change a free subdomain:
- From your Square Online Overview page, go to Website > Domains.
- Select Connect domain.
- Under Use a Square subdomain, type in your preferred free subdomain name (e.g. “mybusiness.square.site”).
- Select Change.
- Publish your site from the Square Online site editor to see the changes live.
Learn more about free subdomains for Square Online. You can also learn more about using custom subdomains such as “store.mybusiness.com”.
You can direct multiple domain names to one website with domain forwarding. If you want to use more than one, simply publish your site to one of those domain names so it becomes your primary domain, and then forward any other domain(s) to your primary domain.
To forward a domain in Square Online:
- From your Square Online Overview page, go to Website > Domains.
- Under the domain you want to forward, select Manage > Manage domain.
- Under Destination, select Edit site destination.
- Choose the Forward to a URL option and type in your primary domain.
- Select Save when finished and repeat the process for any other domains you want to forward.
Learn more about forwarding multiple domains to your Square Online site.
Note: This is different from URL redirects, which help forward old page URLs to new ones (particularly when you move your website to a new host but keep the same domain connected to it). Learn more about URL redirects in Square Online.
ICANN and WHOIS
ICANN is the international, non-profit organization that oversees the registration of all domain names globally. According to ICANN, all domains registered on the web must have current contact information from the person or entity that registered that domain, which is added by default to the ICANN WHOIS database.
Learn more about Square Online domains and ICANN's WHOIS database.
Manage Records
Managing records for your domain is very important for keeping your website, as well as any email addresses based on your domain, working properly. Learn more about how to manage records for Square Online domains.
Top Level Domains (TLDs)
A Top Level Domain (TLD) is the last part of a domain name, which would be the “.com,” “.org,” “co,” “.store,” “.menu,” “.blog,” etc. part of the domain. TLDs are also often referred to as a “domain extensions.”
If you buy a domain from Square, be sure to complete the purchase process to confirm the final price of the domain, as different TLDs will have different prices. We currently offer a wide range of TLDs for sale, but if you’re unable to find a specific TLD you want, you can purchase a domain from another registrar and connect it to your site. Learn more about how to connect your domain to Square Online.
Note: Some ccTLDs, or country-specific domains (like “.com.au,” “.co.nz,” “.nl,” “.de,” “.fr,” etc.), can only be registered for a set amount of years at a time. Others may also require specific information as part of the registration process (like a tax ID number or billing address from that country).
Secure Socket Layer (SSL)
Secure Socket Layer (simply known as SSL) encrypts the data that goes from a user’s device to your Square Online site and back, making the data exchange secure. This is especially important for online stores, where users will expect their information to be secure while transacting with you.
If your domain is hosted at Square, SSL is enabled by default for you the first time you publish your website. Occasionally, it may take up to 24–48 hours before the SSL certificate is configured.
If you have a domain hosted by a third party, you can still have SSL on your website. Make sure your domain name is pointed to the correct IP address and that your website is published. Learn how to connect your domain to Square Online correctly to enable SSL.
Billing
The domain service always attempts renewal approximately 45 days early to ensure that it renews successfully (before actual expiration). If the payment doesn’t process successfully, then that would grant you plenty of buffer time to update the payment details so you avoid having your site suddenly go offline.
Note: The domain doesn’t actually expire until the anniversary date of the purchase.
If you need to process a refund for a registration, transfer or renewal, please contact Square Support as soon as possible. We can also help you confirm if a bill you received for your domain is legitimate or not.
Learn more about how to Manage Square Online services and subscriptions.
Troubleshooting
If you don’t see your Square Online site online for any reason, there are several troubleshooting measures you can take related to your domain. Learn more about how to troubleshoot your domain to bring your website back online.
Reasons to Contact Support
If you have concerns regarding your domain, here are some reasons you might need to contact Square Support:
You received a bill in the mail regarding your domain and it looks like a scam.
You just registered a domain within the last five days, but it has a typo in it and you want it corrected.
You need a refund for a renewal or transfer.
Your domain has entered the Redemption Grace Period (RGP) in its lifecycle after being expired for a long time, and you need to gain control of it again. Learn more about the domain lifecycle and RGP on the ICANN website.
You want to transfer a ccTLD away from Square. Some ccTLDs, or country-specific domains (like “.com.au,” “.co.nz,” “.nl,” “.de,” “.fr,” etc.), require a special process to transfer them away.