The Hidden Struggles of Implementing Custom Domains and SSL in SaaS: A Solo Developer’s 6-Month Challenge

In the world of SaaS development, tailoring solutions to meet customer needs often involves complex technical hurdles. One common requirement is enabling clients to utilize their own branded domains—transforming a generic URL like theircompany.myplatform.com into a personalized app.theircompany.com. While seemingly straightforward, this task can quickly escalate into a significant technical challenge.

Recently, I embarked on building a custom platform for a client that demanded support for user-owned vanity domains with seamless SSL encryption. What I anticipated as a routine implementation snowballed into a six-month journey of troubleshooting and infrastructure management. The process involved intricate DNS validation, automating SSL certificate issuance via Let’s Encrypt, and ensuring smooth renewal workflows across dozens of customer domains. The complexity was far beyond initial expectations, diverting valuable time from core product features.

This experience prompted me to question whether many other SaaS providers face similar frustrations.

• How are you managing custom domain provisioning and SSL certification for your users?
• What hurdles have you encountered along the way?
• Have you attempted to develop an internal solution, and what barriers did you encounter that slowed progress?
• Would an integrated, self-service portal that automates domain verification and SSL provisioning streamline your operations?

I’m eager to learn about your experiences. Does handling custom domains and SSL certificates pose a headache for your team? If there are solutions or approaches that have made this easier, sharing them could be invaluable for peers facing similar challenges.

Let’s open a conversation about overcoming these infrastructure pains—there might be a way to simplify a process that currently eats up too much time and energy.

Thanks for reading and sharing your insights!