Your free subdomain
Every project gets a free web address straight away, so your site is online before you buy anything.
Where to find it
Settings > Domains. Your web address is the field; the page shows where your site is currently live.
Changing it
Type a new one and press Update. Letters, numbers and hyphens only - no spaces, no accents, no underscores.
Pick it before you tell anyone your address. Changing it later breaks every link anyone has saved or shared, because the old address stops working immediately.
If your choice is refused
Two reasons:
- Someone already has it. They are first come, first served.
- It is reserved. Words the platform itself uses are not assignable -
www,app,api,admin,mail,blog,shop,store,help,support,docs,login,checkout,billingand similar. Add your business name to it:acme-shoprather thanshop.
HTTPS
Your free address is secured automatically. There is nothing to buy, install or renew.
When to move to your own domain
The free address is a perfectly good place to start. Buy your own when you are:
- printing it on anything,
- sending email from the business,
- or spending money on advertising.
Your own domain is worth having because it is yours - you keep it if you move anywhere else. See Connect a custom domain.
Good to know
- Both addresses can work at once. Connecting a custom domain does not switch off the free one.
Next steps
Frequently asked questions
Is the free address secure?
Yes. HTTPS is issued and renewed for it automatically, with nothing to buy or install.
Does a free subdomain hurt my Google ranking?
No. There is no ranking penalty for the address itself. What a domain of your own gives you is trust, email at your own name, and signals you keep if you ever move.
Can I change it after people have the link?
You can, but the old address stops working immediately and every saved or shared link to it breaks. Choose it before you print it.
Why was my choice refused?
Either somebody already has it, or it is a reserved word the platform uses itself, such as www, shop or admin. Adding your business name usually fixes it.
Do I lose the free address when I connect a domain?
No. Connecting a custom domain adds an address rather than replacing one, and both keep working.
Related reading
- Free subdomain or your own domain? - what changes when the address is yours, and when to switch.
- How to choose a domain name - picking one you will not regret.