Buying Your Shopify Domain? Do This Instead of GoDaddy

How to Buy a Domain on Shopify — Step-by-Step for Beginners

Buying a domain for your Shopify store can feel intimidating when you’re just getting started. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the exact steps to buy a domain directly from Shopify — so you can skip the confusion of DNS records, A records, and CNAME settings.

When you first launch your Shopify store, you’ll automatically be given a default domain that looks something like yourstorename.myshopify.com. But for branding and professionalism, you’ll want to connect your own custom domain — like yourbrand.com.

Inside your Shopify admin, head to Settings → Domains. Here, you’ll find two key options: Connect Existing Domain and Buy New Domain. The first is used if you’ve already purchased a domain elsewhere (like GoDaddy or IONOS). The second lets you purchase directly from Shopify — which I personally recommend for simplicity and reliability.

When you choose “Buy New Domain,” simply type in your preferred name — for example, hatshirtandjeans.com — and Shopify will automatically show you which domain extensions (.com, .ca, .net, etc.) are available, along with their prices. Each extension represents a different region or organization type — for instance, .com is often used for U.S.-based stores, while .ca is for Canada.

Shopify domains are typically around $15 USD for the first year, with an annual renewal fee after that. Renewal fees vary depending on the domain type, but Shopify conveniently consolidates all charges — including your apps, plan, and domain renewals — into one clean monthly invoice.

This is why buying directly on Shopify is often better than using a third-party provider. You avoid the headache of configuring DNS records and can handle everything from one dashboard. It also means that if something goes wrong with your domain — like your SSL certificate not provisioning — Shopify Support can handle it directly.

For new entrepreneurs, this saves hours of technical work and confusion. Focus on your brand and product instead of managing external providers. You can learn more about setting up your Shopify store properly in the 30-Day Beginner’s Shopify Program — a complete step-by-step guide to setting up your store the right way.

If you’re still building your store and want ongoing support and community exposure, consider joining our Professor Commerce Patreon. There, we feature Shopify brands, provide SEO backlinks, and help beginners get visibility.

And of course, you can always visit our homepage to access free tutorials, program links, and all the latest Shopify updates.

Buying your domain directly through Shopify is one of the easiest ways to simplify your setup, save time, and stay organized as your business grows. Keep learning, keep optimizing, and stay tuned for more Shopify tutorials.