Your galleries on your own domain

A custom domain puts your client surface on your branding — the gallery links you email, the booking page, and the client portal. Add it under Settings → Domains. Also see the embed guide for putting widgets on your website.

What you get

Every client link you send can live on your own hostname instead of the standard snap.webcules.com address:

Before → after

https://snap.webcules.com/g/abc123def456 https://gallery.brightlightstudio.com/g/abc123def456

Subdomains only. You point a hostname like gallery.yourstudio.com or photos.yourstudio.com — not yourstudio.com itself. The root of your domain can't be a CNAME (it's how DNS works — apex records must be IP addresses), and your website lives there anyway. gallery., photos., clients. or book. are the popular choices.

The 3 steps

  1. Add the domain in Settings → Domains. Snap immediately shows you the DNS records it needs — like these:

Record 1 — points the hostname at Snap

CNAME gallery.yourstudio.com → snap-fallback.webcules.com

Record 2 — proves the domain is yours

TXT _snap-verify.gallery.yourstudio.com = "snap-verify=your-token-here"

(A third TXT record for certificate validation appears too when Cloudflare requires one — copy whatever the settings page shows; it's always the exact set you need.)

  1. Add the records at your DNS provider — provider-specific steps below. Use the copy buttons in Settings so nothing gets mistyped.
  2. Come back and press “Check status”. DNS usually updates in minutes but can take up to 24–48 hours. The page also re-checks automatically every 10 seconds while a domain is pending, and we email you if a previously-working domain ever breaks.

Provider walkthroughs

The screens differ slightly per provider, but every one has the same three fields: type (CNAME or TXT), name, and value. Your Settings → Domains page shows the exact values — these guides are about finding the right screen.

Cloudflare — one critical step

  1. Dashboard → your domain → DNS → Records → Add record. Type CNAME, Name gallery (just the part before your domain), Target snap-fallback.webcules.com, TTL Auto.
  2. Turn the proxy OFF — grey cloud. The record must be "DNS only": an orange (proxied) cloud hides the CNAME from Snap's verification and breaks activation. This is the #1 Cloudflare gotcha.
  3. Add the TXT record the same way: Type TXT, Name _snap-verify.gallery, paste the token value.

GoDaddy

  1. My Products → your domain → DNS → Manage Zones (or "Manage DNS").
  2. Add record: Type CNAME, Name gallery, Value snap-fallback.webcules.com, TTL 1 Hour.
  3. Add again: Type TXT, Name _snap-verify.gallery, Value the token from Settings.
  4. Save both — GoDaddy applies them within minutes.

Namecheap

  1. Domain List → Manage → Advanced DNS → Add New Record.
  2. Type CNAME Record, Host gallery, Value snap-fallback.webcules.com, TTL Automatic.
  3. Add the TXT: Type TXT Record, Host _snap-verify.gallery, Value the token.

Squarespace

  1. Settings → Domains → your domain → DNS → Custom Records → Add Record. (Move the domain to Squarespace DNS first if it's only parked there.)
  2. Type CNAME, Host gallery, Data snap-fallback.webcules.com.
  3. Add the TXT record with Host _snap-verify.gallery and the token as Data.

Wix

  1. Domain Settings → DNS Records → Add Record (under "Manage DNS").
  2. Type CNAME, Host Name gallery, Value snap-fallback.webcules.com, TTL 1 Hour.
  3. Add the TXT with Host Name _snap-verify.gallery and the token as Value.

WordPress.com

  1. Domains → your domain → DNS Records → New DNS Record. Custom DNS requires a paid plan on the domain.
  2. Type CNAME, Name gallery, Alias To snap-fallback.webcules.com.
  3. Add the TXT with Name _snap-verify.gallery and the token as Text.

Any other provider

  1. Find the DNS / zone-file / records section of your domain's control panel.
  2. Create a CNAME with the full hostname gallery.yourstudio.com pointing at snap-fallback.webcules.com.
  3. Create a TXT record on _snap-verify.gallery.yourstudio.com with the token as its value.
  4. If your provider asks for "just the name", enter the part before your domain (gallery and _snap-verify.gallery).

What the statuses mean

Pending verification
We can't see your DNS records yet. They're usually live within minutes; press Check status after adding them.
Certificate issuing
Ownership proven — Cloudflare is issuing the HTTPS certificate for your hostname. Typically minutes.
Active
Live. Your gallery emails, booking page and client portal now use this hostname.
Action needed / Degraded
The DNS stopped pointing at Snap (or the certificate can't renew). The exact fix is shown in Settings and emailed to you.

FAQ

Can I use my root domain (yourstudio.com)?
No — subdomains only (gallery.yourstudio.com). Apex domains can't CNAME, and your website lives at the root anyway. Pick a prefix: gallery., photos., clients., book.
What happens to links I already sent?
They keep working forever — the standard snap.webcules.com links never go away. New links you send simply use your domain.
I'm moving from Pixieset — can I reuse the same subdomain?
Yes. Delete the old provider's CNAME, point yours at Snap, verify — usually done in minutes with zero client-visible downtime.
Is HTTPS included?
Yes — the certificate issues automatically as part of activation. Nothing to buy or renew.
I run multiple studios — one domain each?
Each studio in your family configures its own domains in its own Settings → Domains.
What does it cost?
Included with Pro (2 domains). On Studio, +$5/mo for one domain — billed on your existing subscription.

Troubleshooting

  • Verification won't pass: the TXT value must match exactly — including the snap-verify= prefix — with no extra quotes or spaces. Re-copy it from Settings.
  • On Cloudflare: the CNAME must be grey-cloud (DNS only). Orange clouds hide it from verification.
  • CAA records: if your domain has CAA records listing only certain certificate authorities, the HTTPS certificate can't issue. Allow Google Trust Services (and Let's Encrypt) in your CAA records, or remove them.
  • Certificate stuck for over 30 minutes: double-check the CNAME resolves (dig/nslookup), then press Check status again. Still stuck? hello@snap.webcules.com.