Adding a website to Hostney starts with verifying that you own the domain. You add the domain to your hosting account, prove ownership through a DNS TXT record, and once verified, the domain becomes active with full access to DNS management, subdomains, and all hosting features.
Go to Websites > Add website to get started.
Adding a domain#
- Enter your domain name in the form field (e.g.,
yourdomainname.com). Enter the root domain only, not a subdomain. - Click Add domain name.
The system generates a unique verification code and adds the domain to your pending queue.
You can have up to 5 domains pending verification at the same time.
Internationalized domain names
If your domain uses non-ASCII characters (like umlauts, accents, or non-Latin scripts), you can enter it in either its Unicode form (e.g.,
münchen.de
) or its punycode form (e.g.,
xn--mnchen-3ya.de
). The control panel displays the Unicode version for readability but stores both formats internally.
Verifying ownership#
After adding a domain, you need to prove you own it by creating a DNS TXT record. The pending domains section shows the record details you need:
- Name:
_hostney - Type: TXT
- Content: The verification code shown in your pending domain card (a random 20-character string)
Each field has a copy button for easy pasting.
Where to add the TXT record
Go to wherever your domain’s DNS is currently managed. This is usually your domain registrar (like Namecheap, GoDaddy, or Google Domains) or your current DNS provider. Find the DNS settings and add a new TXT record with the values shown.
DNS propagation can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours depending on your provider.
Automatic verification
Hostney periodically checks for the TXT record. Once found and matched, the domain is automatically verified and moved to your active websites. You’ll receive an email notification when verification completes.
Pending domains expire after 24 hours. If verification doesn’t complete in time, delete the pending entry and add the domain again to get a fresh verification code.
Canceling a pending domain
Click the dropdown menu on any pending domain card and select Delete. Type DELETE to confirm. This removes the domain from the verification queue.
After verification#
Once verified, your domain appears in the Active websites section. From there you can:
- Create subdomains to host your websites
- Manage DNS records through the DNS zone editor
- Set up databases, cron jobs, and other hosting features
The active websites page shows a summary card for each domain with:
- Subdomains – How many virtual hosts are configured
- Databases – How many MySQL databases exist
- PHP – The PHP version in use (color-coded: green for supported, orange for unsupported)
- Caching – Whether nginx caching is enabled, partially enabled, or disabled
- SSL – Whether SSL certificates are active
- Disk usage – How much storage the domain’s files consume
Click View details on any domain card for a full breakdown including subdomain lists, database lists, cron job counts, and links to manage each service.
Changing nameservers (optional)#
To use Hostney’s DNS hosting, update your domain’s nameservers at your registrar to:
- ns1.hostney.net
- ns2.hostney.net
This step is optional. You can keep your DNS with another provider and just point A records to your Hostney server. But using Hostney’s nameservers gives you full access to the DNS zone editor in the control panel.
If you’re migrating from another DNS provider, copy your existing DNS records to Hostney’s DNS zone editor before switching nameservers to avoid downtime.
Removing a domain#
On the domain details page, scroll to the Danger zone section and click Remove domain. Type REMOVE to confirm.
Removing a domain deletes all associated subdomains, DNS records (if hosted with Hostney), and configurations. This does not cancel your domain registration at your registrar – the domain itself still belongs to you.
Protected system domains cannot be removed. If you see a warning that the domain is protected, contact support.
Trial account restrictions#
Domains used in a trial account are tracked. Once a domain has been used in any trial account, it cannot be added to another trial account. It can still be used with a paid hosting plan. This prevents abuse of the 14-day trial period.