Common questions: sending visitors to an external website (External App URL)

Quick answers about the External App URL setting. It is an all-or-nothing switch: while a URL is saved, visitors to your Renta storefront are sent to that address instead.

Where to find it

Settings → External App URL (the page is titled External App URL). It is only visible to Owners and Managers.

Questions and answers

What does the External App URL setting do?

It redirects visitors away from your Renta storefront to a separate website you host yourself, for example a custom-built site on Vercel. While it is set, people who open your storefront address on Renta, or your custom domain if it points at Renta, are sent to the URL you saved. Leave it blank to serve the Renta storefront as normal. See Redirecting customers to an external app.

Do I need this?

Most shops do not. If you are happy with the website you build in Renta, leave the box empty.

How do I turn on the redirect?

Paste the full web address into External app URL and press Save. You see "External app URL saved." and a green box titled Redirect is active that names the address visitors are sent to.

How do I turn the redirect off?

Press Clear, which appears once a redirect is saved. You see "External app URL cleared. Renta storefront will serve again." Saving with the box emptied does the same.

What kind of address will it accept?

It needs to be a secure https:// address. If you type one without https://, Renta adds it for you. A plain http:// address is refused with "URL must use https://". Anything that is not a real address gives "Invalid URL", and anything longer than 2048 characters is refused.

Why does it say "URL can't point back to this Renta app"?

You entered an address on Renta itself, which would send visitors round in a circle. Renta refuses it with "URL can't point back to this Renta app — that would cause a redirect loop."

Why does it say "URL can't point to your own Renta-managed custom domain"?

The address you typed is a domain you have already connected to Renta under Custom Domain, so the redirect would loop. Use the address of the other site instead.

What happens to my bookings while the redirect is on?

Visitors who go to your storefront are redirected before they reach it, so they cannot book on your Renta storefront while the redirect is active. Your admin dashboard is not affected, and the website builder's preview keeps working. Clear the redirect when you want customers to book on Renta again.

Will visitors land on the page they asked for?

No. Every visit to your storefront, whichever page it was for, is sent to the one address you saved. If you want a visitor to land on a particular page of the other site, put that page in the saved address (for example the page that ends in /your-slug/).

I have a Custom Domain. Should I use this?

Usually not. When you already have a Custom Domain pointed at your Renta storefront, the page warns you "If you're using it, don't set this — it will redirect visitors away from your storefront instead." See Connecting your own domain name.

How do I point my own domain straight at the external site?

At your domain registrar, add the DNS records the page shows: a CNAME for `book` (or a subdomain of your choice) pointing to `cname.vercel-dns.com`, or for a bare domain an A record on `@` pointing to `76.76.21.21`. Also add the domain in the external site's own hosting dashboard (for example Vercel → Domains). The page says this works for most external apps hosted on Vercel, so check your own host if it is elsewhere.

How long does the DNS change take?

The page says 5 to 30 minutes, occasionally up to 24 hours. The external site issues its own SSL certificate (the padlock) once the address starts resolving.

I already connected this domain to Renta. What do I remove first?

If you have a Custom Domain, a card called Unlinking your custom domain from Renta lists the steps: at your registrar delete any CNAME, A, or ALIAS record that points at Renta (typically `cname.vercel-dns.com`) and any leftover `_vercel` TXT record, then remove the hostname in Custom Domain settings, then add the external site's records.

Why can't I see External App URL in Settings?

It needs permission to edit website content, which Owners and Managers have and Staff do not. Ask an Owner or Manager.

Why is my storefront suddenly showing a different website?

Someone on your team has saved an External App URL. Open Settings → External App URL; the Redirect is active box names the address. Press Clear to switch back to your Renta storefront.