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dnsmigrator

Cloudflare DNS NetBird

Migrate DNS from Cloudflare to NetBird.

3 record types move as they are. 5 things work differently at NetBird, and the preview shows exactly which of your records they affect.

Free preview. Read-only. Nothing changes until you apply.

What works differently

Generated from the same provider capability data the migration engine uses.

Moves as-is

  • A
  • AAAA
  • CNAME

Proxied records lose the CDN

NetBird has no equivalent of Cloudflare's proxy. Proxied records move as plain records pointing at your origin, which exposes the origin IP. Put a CDN in front before cutting over if that matters.

Apex CNAMEs need a different shape

NetBird doesn't allow a CNAME at the apex and has no alias record for external hostnames. These become static A/AAAA records, which don't follow the target if its IPs change.

"Auto" TTLs get a real value

Cloudflare's automatic TTL has no equivalent, so those records get NetBird's default of 300s.

Domains registered at Cloudflare must transfer out

Cloudflare Registrar only allows Cloudflare's nameservers. If the domain is registered there, transfer it to another registrar before switching.

A typical Cloudflare zone at NetBird

Example records for example.com. Open any flagged row to read why it changed.

Cloudflare NetBird

  • UnsupportedCNAME@

    Not migrated

    @ is a CNAME at the zone apex. NetBird doesn't allow that, and app.example-host.net isn't a target it can alias.

  • UnsupportedMX@

    Not migrated

    NetBird doesn't support MX records through its API.

  • UnsupportedTXT@

    Not migrated

    NetBird doesn't support TXT records through its API.

  • UnsupportedCAA@

    Not migrated

    NetBird doesn't support CAA records through its API.

  • UnsupportedTXT_dmarc

    Not migrated

    NetBird doesn't support TXT records through its API.

  • UnsupportedSRV_sip._tls

    Not migrated

    NetBird doesn't support SRV records through its API.

  • ExactAmail

    203.0.113.25

  • ReviewAshop

    203.0.113.10

    TTL was "auto". Set to 300s.

  • ExactCNAMEwww

    example.com.

How the move works

  1. 1

    Connect Cloudflare

    Connect Cloudflare with read-only access (Scoped API token).

  2. 2

    Connect NetBird

    Connect NetBird (Personal access token (Authorization: Token) + optional self-hosted management URL). Write access is only used when you apply.

  3. 3

    Review the preview

    Check every record marked Review or Unsupported. Each one explains what changes and why.

  4. 4

    Apply to NetBird

    We snapshot the NetBird zone, write in batches, and leave Cloudflare untouched.

  5. 5

    Verify

    We query NetBird's own nameservers for every record and compare the answers before you switch.

  6. 6

    Switch nameservers

    Lower TTLs a day or two ahead, remove any DS record if DNSSEC is on, then point the domain at the new nameservers at your registrar.

Good to know about Cloudflare

  • Proxied (orange-cloud) records hide the origin IP. Moving them to another provider sends traffic straight to the origin.
  • Apex CNAMEs are flattened by Cloudflare. Other providers need an ALIAS record or static A/AAAA records instead.
  • Cloudflare Registrar only allows Cloudflare nameservers, so domains registered there must be transferred out first.

Access we need: Zone → DNS → Read for the preview, Zone → DNS → Edit to apply.

Good to know about NetBird

  • NetBird custom zones are private DNS served only to peers in the zone's distribution groups; creating a zone needs at least one distribution group ID.
  • Only A, AAAA and CNAME records are supported.
  • Self-hosted management servers are often on private networks: we only connect if the API is exposed publicly over HTTPS, because private and internal addresses are refused by design.

Access we need: A service user whose role has DNS read permission for the preview and DNS create/update/delete to apply (Admin or Owner).

Questions

Will there be downtime moving from Cloudflare to NetBird?

Not if both providers serve the same answers during the switch. The records are copied to NetBird and verified before you change nameservers, so resolvers get the same answer from either side while caches expire.

Do I have to delete anything at Cloudflare?

No. We never write to Cloudflare. Keep the old zone for a week after cutover so you can switch back instantly if anything looks wrong.

What about DNSSEC?

If DNSSEC is on, remove the DS record at your registrar and wait for it to expire before switching nameservers. Then enable DNSSEC at NetBird and publish its new DS record. The cutover plan walks you through each step.

What happens to Cloudflare proxied records?

They move as ordinary records pointing at your origin server, because NetBird can't proxy traffic. The preview lists every proxied record and the IP it would expose.

Related migrations

Ready to see your own zone?

Start a free preview