How to Redirect a Cloudflare Domain to Another URL for Free

Cloudflare can redirect with its own rules once traffic is proxied through it. RedirHub is the simpler option when you want redirects for one or many domains in one place, with automatic HTTPS, path rules, analytics and CSV import, and no Cloudflare rules to maintain.

Before you start#

• The DNS for your domain is managed at Cloudflare. If your domain uses another provider's nameservers, make the changes there instead (how to check).
• A RedirHub account. The 14-day free trial is enough for this guide.
• Manager role in the RedirHub workspace, and access to the Cloudflare account that holds the domain.
• About 5 minutes.

Step 1: Create the redirect in RedirHub#

In the RedirHub dashboard, open Redirects, click New redirect and choose Single import. Enter your domain, for example example.com, and click Next. Then set the destination URL, the Method (301 for a permanent move) and the Forwarded Options, and create the redirect.

Need more detail on these options? See Setting Up URL Redirects and Redirect Methods Explained.

Step 2: Connect DNS automatically#

RedirHub adds your domain as soon as you create a redirect on it. Click Connect DNS in the notice that appears, or open Hostnames and click Connect DNS next to the domain.

Hostnames → Connect DNS

RedirHub detects that your DNS is at Cloudflare and opens the Automatic tab, marked Recommended. It lists the records Cloudflare will change:

Connect DNS → Automatic, for a root domain with www

1. Keep Also connect www ticked so www works too, then click Continue with Cloudflare.
2. Sign in to Cloudflare if asked, check the changes on Cloudflare's page and confirm.
3. Cloudflare sends you back to RedirHub, which starts checking the new records straight away.

Cloudflare shows the records once. Click Authorize.

Step 3: Wait for Connected and HTTPS#

RedirHub checks the records every few seconds while the dialog is open, and keeps checking in the background if you close it. Records added through Cloudflare usually show up within a minute or two. When the domain shows Connected, the redirect is live, and the SSL certificate follows shortly after. You get an email when the domain is active.

Back from Cloudflare, RedirHub checks DNS and then issues HTTPS

If nothing has changed after 10 minutes, RedirHub shows what it checked and suggests adding the records manually.

Step 4: Test the redirect#

Open your domain in a private browser window and check the homepage, a deeper page and the www version, over both http:// and https://. If something doesn't work yet, see Troubleshooting new redirects or how long DNS changes take.

Prefer to add the records manually?#

In the Connect DNS dialog, open the Manual tab. It lists the same records with a copy button for each value, plus any old record you need to delete. Then in Cloudflare:

1. Select your domain and open DNS → Records.
2. Delete existing A, AAAA and CNAME records for the root domain and www. Keep MX and other TXT records.
3. Add an A record: name @, IPv4 address from RedirHub, Proxy status DNS only (grey cloud).
4. Add a TXT record: name @, content from RedirHub. It starts with rehd-verify=. If the domain already has a rehd-verify= record, replace it instead of adding a second one.
5. Add a CNAME record: name www, target from RedirHub, proxy status DNS only.
6. Back in RedirHub, click I've made the changes. RedirHub tells you if a record is still missing.