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WordPress and DNSimple

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You can use a domain at DNSimple with WordPress in two ways. For a site hosted at WordPress.com, add the domain to the site in WordPress.com, then add the DNS records WordPress.com shows you in DNSimple. For self-hosted WordPress from WordPress.org, point the domain to your web host. In both cases, the domain can stay registered at DNSimple.

Connect a domain to a WordPress.com site

Connecting your own domain requires a paid WordPress.com plan. WordPress.com offers two methods: changing the domain’s name servers to WordPress.com, or adding DNS records at your DNS provider.

Use DNS records if you want to keep DNS at DNSimple. If you change the name servers, WordPress.com answers DNS for the whole domain, and records in DNSimple, such as email records, stop working unless you add them again at WordPress.com.

To connect the domain with DNS records
  1. In WordPress.com, add the domain to your site and choose the DNS records method. WordPress.com shows the A records for the domain apex and the CNAME record for www that your site needs.
  2. In DNSimple, click the domain in the list, then click at the top-right.
  3. Add each record exactly as WordPress.com shows it: an A record with an empty for each IP address, and a CNAME record with set to www.
  4. Return to WordPress.com to finish the connection.

Connect a subdomain

To put a WordPress.com site on a subdomain, such as blog.example.com, add the subdomain in WordPress.com and add the record it shows. DNSimple’s one-click WordPress service creates a CNAME record from a subdomain (blog by default) to <site>.wordpress.com. Check that it matches the record WordPress.com shows for your site before you use it.

Use a domain with self-hosted WordPress

DNSimple does not offer web hosting. To run WordPress from WordPress.org, install it with a web host. Your web host tells you which records to add, usually an A record for the domain apex pointing to the server’s IP address and a CNAME record for www. See the differences between A and CNAME records. Add them in the DNSimple Record Editor.

Have more questions?

If you have additional questions or need any assistance setting up WordPress with DNSimple, contact support, and we will be happy to help. You can also read more about DNSimple integrations.