Application targets
Use round-robin routing across enabled applications, with automatic failover when a target becomes unavailable.
All resources
Load balancers
Direct traffic across your applications from one control point
Route domains and subdomains to your applications with round-robin routing, automatic failover, configurable timeouts, custom error pages, and analytics.
Traffic control that stays connected to your applications
Round robin
traffic distribution
Automatic
target recovery
1–30s
configurable request timeout
No extra cost
additional load-balancer cost
Connected outcomes
Keep traffic configuration alongside the services it reaches.
A load balancer gives your domains and application targets a shared place to be configured, reviewed, and adjusted as your production architecture evolves.
Explore capabilitiesDistribute traffic across application targets
Requests move across enabled application targets with round-robin routing, and traffic automatically fails over when a target is unavailable.
Organize domains and targets with groups
Map each domain or subdomain to its application targets through groups. For example, send api.example.com to an API group and example.com to a frontend group from one load balancer.
Tune behavior without leaving the dashboard
Set the request timeout, enable analytics for connected applications, and configure a custom error page for requests where no application target responds successfully.
Built to operate
Traffic controls that stay close to the applications they serve.
Configure the public entry point, application targets, and runtime behavior in one dashboard.
Domain connection flow
Connect a domain from the load balancer using a Shard Cloud domain or DNS setup for an external domain.
Target and domain groups
Route a domain or subdomain to its matching application targets—for example, api.example.com to an API group and example.com to a frontend group—without adding another load balancer.
Timeout and error-page controls
Set a 1–30 second request timeout and an optional custom HTML error page that is served when no application target responds successfully.
Connected application analytics
Enable metrics analytics for applications attached to the load balancer from the same operational view.
Progressive setup
Set up the entry point, then keep it adaptable.
Start with the name and runtime settings, connect the domain and applications that belong together, then refine the setup as traffic and services change.
Get started01
Create the load balancer
Give it a recognizable name, select a request timeout between 1 and 30 seconds, and optionally enable a custom HTML error page for requests where no target responds successfully.
02
Connect domains and applications
Attach a Shard Cloud or external domain, then group each domain or subdomain with the application targets that should serve it. One balancer can route api.example.com to an API group and example.com to a frontend group.
03
Review and adjust traffic controls
Enable or disable targets, update group labels, turn on analytics, and change timeout or error-page settings as services evolve.
From connection to the first decision, in one flow.
Frequently asked questions
How this resource works in practice.
Load balancers are available on Pro and Enterprise plans and are included at no additional cost. Your plan determines how many load balancers you can create.
Ready to move forward
Give your application traffic a clear control point.
Create the applications you need, connect their domains, and use round-robin traffic distribution and automatic failover at no additional load-balancer cost on Pro and Enterprise.
Guided setup with no commitment
Round robin with automatic failover
Distribute requests across enabled targets and keep traffic moving when one becomes unavailable.
Domains and behavior in one view
Route domains and subdomains to separate frontend or API groups while keeping setup, timeouts, and an optional error page for requests where no target succeeds together.
Included on Pro and Enterprise
There is no additional charge for load balancers beyond your eligible plan.
Connected ecosystem
Connects to the workflow your team already uses
GitHub
Connect repositories and keep every release linked to its source code.
Docker
Ship your own images with a consistent process across environments.
PostgreSQL
Connect data and applications without losing operational service context.
Shard Edge
Bring caching, TLS, and global delivery closer to your users.
Shard AI
Investigate signals and execute actions with workspace context and approval.
OpenTelemetry
Connect standardized signals to expand visibility whenever needed.
Source, data, delivery, and automation stay connected so your team can operate without switching context.
Explore connected resourcesBuild on Core
Start with the plan built for your next production service.
Launch your first application with the Core plan, then keep deployment, operations, and connected resources in one place.
Start with Core