Branding and Custom Domain
CTFFactory allows workspaces to apply custom branding — including logo, colors, and workspace name — to all CTFd instances deployed on their behalf. Workspaces on eligible plans can also configure a custom domain, so deployed CTFs are accessible under your own subdomain rather than the default ctffactory.io addresses.
Tenant Branding
Branding settings apply globally to every CTFd instance your workspace deploys. Participants who connect to your CTF event will see your workspace identity, not CTFFactory's default branding.
Configuring Branding
Navigate to Workspace Settings > Branding to access all branding controls.
Logo
- Accepted formats: PNG, SVG, WebP
- Recommended dimensions: at least 200 × 60 px, aspect ratio 3:1 or wider
- Maximum file size: 2 MB
- The logo appears in the CTFd navigation bar, on the registration/login page, and in participant email notifications
Colors
| Setting | Usage |
|---|---|
| Primary color | Buttons, active nav items, progress bars, and interactive elements |
| Background color | Page and panel backgrounds (light or dark theme base) |
| Text color | Body text and headings |
| Accent color | Highlighted challenge cards and alerts |
Colors are specified as hex values (e.g., #1A2B3C). A live preview panel in the Branding settings page shows how your palette will render in a deployed CTFd instance.
Workspace Display Name
The workspace display name is shown in the browser tab title and on the CTFd home page. It defaults to your workspace slug but can be set to any string up to 64 characters.
Note: Branding changes apply to new deployments immediately. Existing running CTFd instances are updated within 5 minutes via the platform's configuration sync.
Custom Domain
A custom domain lets your deployed CTFs be served from an address you control — for example, ctf.yourcompany.com — instead of the default {slug}.ctffactory.io addresses.
Prerequisites
- Custom domain requires a Starter plan or higher.
- You must have access to your domain's DNS management console.
Adding a Custom Domain
- Navigate to Workspace Settings > Custom Domain.
- Enter the subdomain you want to use (e.g.,
ctf.yourcompany.com). - Click Add Domain. CTFFactory will display a TXT record to add to your DNS.
DNS Verification
CTFFactory verifies ownership of the domain using a DNS TXT record.
| Record Type | Host | Value |
|---|---|---|
TXT |
_ctffactory.ctf.yourcompany.com |
ctff-verify=<token shown in UI> |
Add this record in your DNS provider's management console. DNS propagation can take up to 48 hours, though it typically resolves within minutes to a few hours.
Once verified, CTFFactory will also display the CNAME record required to route traffic:
| Record Type | Host | Value |
|---|---|---|
CNAME |
ctf.yourcompany.com |
custom.ctffactory.io |
Click Verify DNS in the settings page to trigger a verification check. The domain status changes from Pending to Active once both records are confirmed.
How the Custom Domain Appears in CTFd Instances
Once the custom domain is active, all new CTF deployments from your workspace are accessible at:
https://ctf.yourcompany.com/{event-slug}/
Existing deployments are migrated to the custom domain on their next configuration sync (within 5 minutes). TLS certificates are provisioned automatically by CTFFactory using Let's Encrypt; no manual certificate management is required.
Participant-facing emails (registration confirmations, password resets, score notifications) will use the custom domain in all links.
Removing a Custom Domain
To remove a custom domain, navigate to Workspace Settings > Custom Domain and click Remove Domain. Deployments will revert to the default {slug}.ctffactory.io addressing. The DNS records you created in your DNS provider are not automatically removed — you should clean them up manually to avoid dangling DNS entries.