Connect Blesta

This page covers connecting your Blesta installation to BrandForge via Domain Connect. You'll need administrator access to your Blesta.

Blesta's API exposes its internal model methods (for example the Domains, Clients, and Currencies models), and authenticates with a user and key sent as request headers.

1. Create an API key

1. In Blesta, go to Settings → System → API Access.
2. Click Add API Key.
3. Give it a name (e.g. "BrandForge / Domain Connect").
4. Restrict it to the IP of the BrandForge server (shown in your BrandForge Domain Connect settings).
5. Save, then copy the API User and API Key into BrandForge.

Domain Connect authenticates using header-based auth:

BLESTA-API-USER: your_api_user
BLESTA-API-KEY:  your_api_key

Authentication on your server

Blesta reads these from request headers. If your server strips Authorization headers (common with PHP-FPM), set CGIPassAuth On in your .htaccess so the credentials reach Blesta. This is a Blesta-side requirement documented in their API guide.

2. Note your company ID

If you run more than one Blesta company, Domain Connect needs to know which one to use.

1. Go to Settings → System → Companies.
2. Click Edit on the company you're connecting and note the id in the URL.
3. Enter it into BrandForge (use 1 if you have a single company).

3. Configure TLDs and pricing

1. Go to Packages → Domain Options → TLDs.
2. Import or add the TLDs you want to sell, then Edit each to set your Register, Transfer, and Renew prices.
3. If you have more than one currency enabled, set a price per currency.
4. Set default nameservers per TLD if you want them auto-assigned.
5. Enable each TLD.

tip

Only enabled, priced TLDs are sellable. If an extension is "missing" in the BrandForge flow, it usually has no price in the selected currency.

4. Configure currencies

Go to Settings → Company → Currencies, add each currency, and set exchange rates. Ensure every TLD is priced in every currency you enable.

5. Activate a payment gateway

1. Go to Settings → Company → Payment Gateways.
2. Install and activate at least one gateway (e.g. Stripe, PayPal).
3. Note how it's identified so you can select it in BrandForge.

6. Enter your details into BrandForge

BrandForge field	Value
API URL	https://your-blesta.com/api/
API User	From step 1
API Key	From step 1
Company ID	From step 2
Payment Method	Your active gateway
Login URL	Your Blesta client area URL
Default Nameservers	e.g. ns1.your-blesta.com, ns2.your-blesta.com

Domain Connect calls model methods at …/api/{model}/{method}.json. For example, a read-only connection test calls …/api/companies/get.json.

Click Test connection, then place a test order and confirm it appears under your Blesta orders and invoices.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Cause	Fix
401 / authentication error	Wrong user/key, or headers stripped	Recheck step 1; set CGIPassAuth On
Connection refused from API	Server IP not authorised on the key	Add the BrandForge IP in step 1
Wrong company's data	Company ID mismatch	Step 2
No prices appear	TLDs unpriced/disabled in that currency	Steps 3–4
API keys with special characters fail to save	Known Blesta quirk	Use a key without special characters