Tenant URLs and routing modes

What is a tenant URL?

In Booknetic SaaS, each tenant needs a public booking link they can share with their own customers.

For example, if your SaaS platform is for clinics, each clinic may have its own booking page:

• Aurora Wellness Studio → https://your-platform.com/aurora-wellness/
• Metro Dental Group → https://your-platform.com/metro-dental/

When a customer opens one of these links, Booknetic loads the shared booking page for the correct tenant. The customer sees that tenant's services, staff, locations, and booking options.

The two tenant URL styles

Booknetic SaaS tenant URLs are usually discussed in two styles:

1. Directory mode — the tenant name comes after your domain, for example example.com/tenant1/.
2. Subdomain mode — the tenant name comes before your domain, for example tenant1.example.com.

Directory mode is the simpler setup currently verified for the standard SaaS flow. Subdomain mode depends on your hosting and DNS setup, so it should only be used when your installation is specifically configured and tested for it.

Side-by-side comparison

Item	Directory mode	Subdomain mode
Example URL	example.com/tenant1/	tenant1.example.com
How customers see it	Tenant appears after the main website address	Tenant appears before the main website address
Setup difficulty	Easier	More advanced
DNS requirement	Usually no special wildcard DNS setup	Requires wildcard DNS, such as *.example.com
Hosting requirement	Works on many standard WordPress hosting setups	Hosting must accept all tenant subdomains and send them to the same WordPress site
Best for	Most new SaaS platforms, faster launch, simpler support	Platforms that specifically want tenant-branded subdomains and can manage DNS correctly
Most common failure	WordPress permalinks are set to Plain, or the tenant slug is wrong	Wildcard DNS is missing or not pointing to the SaaS site

Which mode should I choose?

Use this simple decision flow:

1. Do you need tenant URLs like tenant1.example.com for branding?

   • If no, choose Directory mode.
   • If yes, continue to step 2.

2. Can you manage DNS records for your domain?

   • If no, choose Directory mode.
   • If yes, continue to step 3.

3. Can your hosting route all tenant subdomains to the same WordPress installation?

   • If no or you are unsure, choose Directory mode first.
   • If yes, subdomain mode may be possible, but test it before inviting tenants.

4. Are tenants already live and sharing booking links?

   • If yes, do not switch URL style casually. Existing links, QR codes, emails, iframes, and bookmarks may need to be updated.

For most platform owners, Directory mode is the safest starting point because it is easier to configure and easier to troubleshoot.

Directory mode: example.com/tenant1/

In directory mode, every tenant has a URL under your main domain.

Example:

https://example.com/aurora-wellness/
https://example.com/metro-dental/

The last part of the URL is the tenant slug. A tenant slug is the short name used in the link, such as aurora-wellness.

When to use directory mode

Choose directory mode if:

• You want the simplest setup.
• You do not want to configure wildcard DNS.
• Your hosting does not support wildcard subdomains.
• You are launching quickly and want fewer technical setup steps.
• You are not sure which mode your hosting can support.

Directory mode setup steps

1. In WordPress, open Settings → Permalinks.
2. Make sure Permalinks are not set to Plain. Choose a readable option such as Post name.
3. In Booknetic SaaS, open SaaS Settings → Pages.
4. Select the WordPress page that contains the Booknetic booking form as your Booking page.

5. Create or edit a tenant and set the tenant slug, for example aurora-wellness.
6. Open the tenant URL in a browser, for example:

https://example.com/aurora-wellness/

7. Confirm that the tenant's booking page loads correctly.

Important permalink note

Directory mode needs WordPress permalinks to work correctly. If WordPress Permalinks are set to Plain, tenant links like example.com/tenant1/ may not load as expected.

If directory tenant URLs do not work, check Settings → Permalinks first.

Subdomain mode: tenant1.example.com

In subdomain mode, each tenant has a subdomain under your main domain.

Example:

aurora-wellness.example.com
metro-dental.example.com

This looks more separate from the main platform domain, which some SaaS owners prefer for branding. However, it is also more technical to set up.

When to use subdomain mode

Choose subdomain mode only if:

• You specifically want tenant URLs in the format tenant.example.com.
• You control the DNS settings for your domain.
• Your hosting can send all tenant subdomains to the same WordPress installation.
• Your Booknetic SaaS installation has been configured and tested for subdomain routing.

If any of these are unclear, use directory mode first.

Subdomain mode setup steps

Subdomain mode requires DNS and hosting support. The exact screens depend on your domain provider and hosting company, but the general setup is:

1. Open your domain's DNS settings.
2. Add a wildcard DNS record for your domain.

Example:

*.example.com

3. Point that wildcard record to the same server or hosting destination as your main SaaS site.
4. Make sure your hosting accepts wildcard subdomains and routes them to the same WordPress installation.
5. Confirm your SSL certificate covers tenant subdomains. Many platforms need a wildcard SSL certificate for this.
6. Create or edit a tenant in Booknetic SaaS and set the tenant slug.
7. Test the tenant subdomain in a browser, for example:

aurora-wellness.example.com

8. If the page does not load, check DNS and hosting routing before changing Booknetic settings.

The most important subdomain requirement: wildcard DNS

Subdomain mode will not work just because the tenant exists in Booknetic.

Your domain must have a wildcard DNS record. In plain words, wildcard DNS means:

"Send any tenant subdomain under my domain to this same SaaS website."

Without wildcard DNS, links like tenant1.example.com usually fail with a 404 page, browser error, or hosting default page.

Common error: tenant page shows 404 in subdomain mode

If a tenant subdomain shows a 404 page or does not open, check these items first:

1. Wildcard DNS exists — confirm *.example.com is created in your DNS provider.
2. Wildcard DNS points to the correct server — it must point to the same destination as your SaaS WordPress site.
3. Hosting accepts wildcard subdomains — some hosts require you to enable wildcard subdomains separately.
4. SSL covers subdomains — without SSL coverage, the browser may show a security warning instead of the booking page.
5. The tenant slug matches the URL — if the tenant slug is aurora-wellness, test aurora-wellness.example.com, not a different spelling.

If you are not comfortable checking DNS records, ask your hosting provider to confirm that wildcard subdomains are routed to your WordPress installation.

Common error: directory tenant links do not work

If example.com/tenant1/ does not load correctly, check these items:

1. In WordPress, go to Settings → Permalinks.
2. Make sure the setting is not Plain.
3. Save the Permalinks screen once to refresh WordPress rewrite rules.
4. Confirm the tenant slug is correct.
5. Confirm the Booknetic SaaS Booking page is selected in SaaS Settings → Pages.
6. Test the tenant link again in a private/incognito browser window.

The most common cause is a permalink configuration issue.

Where tenants find their booking URL

Tenants can usually find their booking link in their own panel under Billing → Share Page.

From that screen, a tenant can:

• Copy the booking page URL.
• Send the page link by email.
• Download or share a QR code.
• Copy an iframe embed code for their own website.

If the tenant URL changes later, tenants should update any copied links, QR codes, email templates, and iframe embeds they already shared.

Can I change the routing mode later?

Plan your routing mode before launch whenever possible.

Changing from directory-style URLs to subdomain-style URLs, or the other way around, can affect links that tenants and customers already use. This may include:

• Booking links shared on websites and social media.
• QR codes printed or posted online.
• Email templates and workflow messages.
• Iframe embeds on tenant websites.
• Bookmarks saved by customers.

If your platform is already live, treat a routing-mode change like a small migration project. Test it on a staging site first, prepare redirects if needed, and tell tenants which links they should update.

Because subdomain routing depends on DNS and hosting, confirm the supported switching process with your Booknetic SaaS support contact before changing a live platform.

Can I change a tenant's slug later?

You may need to update a tenant slug if a business changes name or if the original slug has a typo.

Before changing it, remember that the tenant's public booking URL changes too.

Example:

Old: https://example.com/aurora-wellness/
New: https://example.com/aurora-studio/

After changing a slug, ask the tenant to update:

• Website buttons.
• Social media profile links.
• QR codes.
• Email signatures.
• Iframe embeds.
• Any saved links in customer messages.

Best practices before you invite tenants

Before you launch your SaaS platform publicly:

1. Choose your tenant URL style.
2. Configure the booking page in SaaS Settings.
3. If using directory mode, confirm WordPress Permalinks are not set to Plain.
4. If using subdomain mode, confirm wildcard DNS, hosting routing, and SSL are working.
5. Create one test tenant.
6. Open the tenant URL in a browser.
7. Complete a test booking from the public page.
8. Copy the tenant URL from Billing → Share Page and confirm it matches the URL style you plan to publish.

Do this before tenants start sharing links with real customers.

Quick troubleshooting checklist

Problem	Most likely cause	What to check
example.com/tenant1/ shows 404	WordPress permalinks or wrong tenant slug	Settings → Permalinks; tenant slug; SaaS Booking page
tenant1.example.com does not open	Wildcard DNS missing	DNS record for *.example.com
Subdomain opens hosting default page	Hosting is not routing wildcard subdomains to WordPress	Hosting control panel / hosting support
Browser shows SSL warning on tenant subdomain	SSL certificate does not cover wildcard subdomains	SSL certificate / hosting SSL settings
Tenant sees an old link after slug change	Link was copied before the change	Update shared links, QR codes, emails, and iframes

Short recommendation

If you are not sure which option to choose, start with Directory mode.

It is easier to set up, easier to support, and works well for most SaaS platforms. Choose subdomain mode only when you have a clear branding need and your DNS/hosting setup is ready for it.