How Custom Domains Work in Kutt

In Kutt, a custom domain changes the part of a short link that comes after the protocol — instead of kutt.to/abc123, your link can read go.yourbrand.com/abc123. The site lists custom domains as a core feature alongside link management and stats, and the link creation form includes a Domain field where the short-link domain is chosen. That means a custom domain is selected per link at creation time, not applied invisibly afterward. The practical benefit is branded, recognizable short links; the practical requirement is that the domain must be set up to point at Kutt before it can appear in that field.

What the Domain field actually controls

When you create a link, Kutt shows advanced options: Domain, Password, Expire in, and Description. The Domain field is pre-filled with kutt.to, the service's default domain. Changing it swaps the host portion of the generated short URL while the path (the short code) stays the same style.

So the domain is a property of each individual link. Two links in the same account can live on different domains if more than one is available to you. This is different from a setting that rewrites all your links at once.

Why people use a custom domain

• Brand recognition: go.yourbrand.com/x7Kp2 signals the destination belongs to you, which matters when links are shared in email, social posts, or print.
• Trust: recipients are more likely to click a domain they recognize than an unfamiliar shortener host.
• Consistency: a short, stable host can be reused across campaigns while the codes behind it change.

These are general reasons custom domains are used with shorteners; Kutt's page confirms the feature exists but does not spell out branding guidance itself.

What has to be true before a custom domain appears in the field

The Domain field only offers domains that are configured for the Kutt instance you are using. Two situations apply:

1. On the hosted service at kutt.to: the default kutt.to domain is available to everyone. Whether additional custom domains can be attached to your account is not described on the page, so treat that as something to confirm in your account settings or documentation rather than assume.
2. On a self-hosted Kutt instance: custom domains are part of the open-source feature set, and the instance administrator configures which domains are offered. You would need DNS records for your domain pointing to the instance and the domain registered in the instance's configuration before it shows up as a choice.

In both cases the order is the same: domain configured first, then selectable in the Domain field, then used in the generated link.

Step-by-step: creating a branded short link

1. Open the link creation form on your Kutt instance.
2. Paste the long URL into the URL field.
3. Expand Show advanced options.
4. In the Domain field, select your custom domain instead of kutt.to.
5. Optionally set a Password, an Expire in time, or a Description.
6. Submit the form and copy the resulting short link.

Expected result: the short link uses your chosen domain as its host. Verification: open the link in a private browser window and confirm it redirects to the original URL and that the address bar shows your domain.

Common sticking points

• Domain not in the list: the domain has not been configured for that instance, or DNS is not yet pointing correctly. Check configuration before retrying.
• Link resolves on one domain but not another: each link is tied to the domain chosen at creation; editing the domain later is not described on the page, so create a new link if you need a different host.
• Assuming custom domains are free or included: the site references a Premium page, but the page evidence does not state what Premium covers or what any plan costs. Confirm plan details directly rather than inferring that custom domains are included at no cost.

Choosing between the default and a custom domain

If links are mostly internal or one-off, the default domain is the fastest path. If links represent your brand publicly, set up the custom domain first so it is selectable when you create links.