Introduction
A custom domain, like yourcompany.com, plays a critical role in establishing your brand and building trust online. Rapyd Cloud manages all custom domains through its Cloudflare integration, giving your site enterprise-grade DNS, performance, and security powered by one of the world's leading infrastructure platforms.
There are three ways to connect your custom domain to Rapyd: Cloudflare API Managed by Rapyd Cloud, Cloudflare API Managed in your Cloudflare account, and Cloudflare Nameservers (NS). This guide explains each option and its benefits so you can choose the best fit for your needs.
Why You Need a Custom Domain
Professional Appearance: Using your own domain instead of a temporary site domain demonstrates legitimacy and professionalism to your visitors.
Branding: Custom domains showcase your brand in the URL, increasing recognition and trust.
SEO and AEO Benefits: Custom domains improve search engine optimization (SEO) and answer engine optimization (AEO), helping your site rank higher in search results and appear more in conversational queries compared to default domains.
How Rapyd Cloud Manages Domains with Cloudflare
Rapyd Cloud has partnered with Cloudflare, a globally trusted platform for DNS, CDN, and web security, to manage the DNS of every custom domain on the platform. This means that regardless of which connection method you choose, your domain's DNS is powered by Cloudflare's world-class infrastructure.
Key Benefits of Cloudflare-Powered DNS
Enterprise-Grade DNS Performance: Cloudflare operates one of the fastest and most reliable DNS networks globally, ensuring your domain resolves quickly for visitors anywhere in the world.
Boosted Performance with Rapyd's CDN: Improve speed and reliability with Rapyd Cloud's Content Delivery Network, which caches static content for faster delivery worldwide.
Enhanced Security with Rapyd Cloud's WAF: Protect your site with Rapyd Cloud's Web Application Firewall, which provides robust protection against malicious attacks.
Simplified Management: Rapyd Cloud handles the complexity of DNS configuration directly from your dashboard.
Faster Support for DNS Issues: With DNS records visible in the Rapyd Cloud dashboard, our support team can quickly resolve DNS-related problems, minimizing downtime.
Note: Rapyd's Enterprise Cloudflare features (CDN, WAF, Full Page Caching, and other edge-level optimizations) are available with the Cloudflare API Managed by Rapyd Cloud and Cloudflare Nameservers methods. They are not available with the Cloudflare API Managed in your Cloudflare account method. See the comparison below for details.
Connection Methods
There are multiple connection methods using Cloudflare. See below for a quick summary of each one. For detailed, step-by-step instructions, see: How to Connect Your Custom Domain to a Rapyd Cloud Website
Option 1: Cloudflare API Managed by Rapyd Cloud
With this method, you connect your existing Cloudflare account to Rapyd Cloud by sharing an API token, and Rapyd Cloud takes over management of your domain's Cloudflare configuration. This is the default and recommended option when connecting via API token.
Rapyd manages all of your Cloudflare settings on this domain, including DNS records, CDN, security (WAF), and Full Page Caching, all directly from the Rapyd Cloud dashboard.
When to Choose This Option
You already have a Cloudflare account (or are happy to create a free one).
You want Rapyd Cloud to manage your DNS and Cloudflare configuration while keeping your current nameservers.
You manage other services on your Cloudflare account alongside your Rapyd Cloud site.
You want access to Rapyd's full Enterprise-grade Cloudflare feature set.
How It Works
Create a free Cloudflare account at cloudflare.com (if you don't already have one).
Add your domain to Cloudflare.
Generate an API token with the permissions Rapyd Cloud needs to manage your domain.
Paste the token into the Rapyd Cloud dashboard when adding your domain, and select Managed by Rapyd Cloud.
This is the recommended method for most users. A free Cloudflare account takes just a few minutes to set up and gives Rapyd Cloud the access it needs to fully manage your domain.
Option 2: Cloudflare API Managed in your Cloudflare account
With this method, you still connect your Cloudflare account to Rapyd Cloud via an API token, but you choose to keep full control of your Cloudflare zone yourself.
Rapyd Cloud only manages the core DNS records needed to route your domain to the Rapyd hosting environment. Everything else, including proxying, caching, security rules, firewall, and edge-level redirects, stays under your control in your own Cloudflare dashboard.
Important: With this option, Rapyd's Enterprise Cloudflare features are not available for this domain. That means no Rapyd-managed CDN, no Rapyd WAF, and no Full Page Caching from Rapyd's side. Any performance, caching, or security configuration at the Cloudflare edge must be set up by you in your own Cloudflare account.
When to Choose This Option
You already run advanced Cloudflare configurations (custom Page Rules, Workers, WAF rules, etc.) that you don't want Rapyd to touch.
You prefer to manage your own Cloudflare zone and accept that Rapyd's Enterprise Cloudflare features won't apply to your setup.
Your organization requires that Cloudflare be managed independently of your hosting provider.
How It Works
Create a free Cloudflare account at cloudflare.com (if you don't already have one).
Add your domain to Cloudflare.
Generate an API token with the permissions Rapyd Cloud needs to route traffic to your site.
Paste the token into the Rapyd Cloud dashboard when adding your domain, and select Managed in my Cloudflare account.
Once connected, Rapyd only maintains the basic DNS records that point your domain to the web server. Redirects can still be configured at the web server level by Rapyd Cloud, but any Cloudflare-edge configuration (caching, security, performance tuning) will live entirely in your own Cloudflare account.
Option 3: Cloudflare Nameservers (NS)
With the Cloudflare Nameservers method, you update your domain's nameservers at your registrar to point to the Rapyd-provided Cloudflare nameservers. Once the nameservers propagate, Rapyd Cloud takes full control of your domain's DNS through Cloudflare, with no Cloudflare account required on your end.
When to Choose This Option
You prefer a set-it-and-forget-it approach with no external accounts to maintain.
You don't currently use Cloudflare and would rather not create an account.
You want Rapyd Cloud to have complete control over your domain's DNS from the start.
How It Works
Add your domain in the Rapyd Cloud dashboard.
The dashboard provides you with a pair of Cloudflare nameservers.
Log in to your domain registrar (e.g., GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains) and update the nameservers.
Wait for DNS propagation (typically a few minutes to 48 hours).
Choosing the Right Method
Feature | Cloudflare API Managed by Rapyd Cloud | Cloudflare API Managed in your Cloudflare account | Cloudflare NS |
Requires a Cloudflare account | Yes (free) | Yes (free) | No |
Nameserver change needed | No (yes if new Cloudflare account) | No (yes if new Cloudflare account) | Yes |
DNS managed in Rapyd Cloud dashboard | Yes | Partial (core routing records only) | Yes |
Rapyd-managed Enterprise-grade CDN | Yes | No | Yes |
Rapyd-managed Web Application Firewall (WAF) | Yes | No | Yes |
Rapyd-managed Full Page Caching | Yes | No | Yes |
Customer controls Cloudflare configuration | No | Yes | No |
Best for | Users who want Rapyd to handle everything while keeping their current nameservers | Users who want to manage their own Cloudflare zone or have complex setups | Users who prefer a hands-off approach with no external accounts |
Tip: Not sure which to pick? We recommend Cloudflare API Managed by Rapyd Cloud. Creating a free Cloudflare account is quick, and this option gives you Rapyd's full Enterprise-grade Cloudflare feature set without needing to change your nameservers. Ideal if your domain is also used with other services.
Domain Statuses
After adding a custom domain, its status will display in your dashboard:
Active: Your domain is fully connected and serving your Rapyd Cloud site.
Pending: DNS changes are still propagating or a configuration step is incomplete. Check your DNS settings or Cloudflare account.
Expired: The domain connection has timed out or is no longer valid. Re-initiate the setup from your dashboard.
Conclusion
Custom domains are a key element of a professional and trustworthy online presence. Thanks to Rapyd Cloud's Cloudflare integration, every custom domain on the platform benefits from world-class DNS performance, and, depending on the connection method you choose, from Rapyd's full suite of Enterprise-grade Cloudflare features. For detailed instructions on connecting your domain, visit our How to Connect Your Custom Domain to a Rapyd Cloud Website guide. If you have any questions, feel free to contact our support team for assistance.