WordPress Migration
How to Migrate a WordPress Site Without Breaking It
Compare the plugin route and the manual phpMyAdmin route, then decide which one actually fits your site's size and your patience for editing database tables.
Free
Managed migration included
NVMe
SSD on the destination host
24/7
Human support during cutover
30-day
Money-back guarantee
In short
To migrate a WordPress site, either use a plugin like Duplicator or All-in-One WP Migration to package the files and database into one importable archive, or do it manually by exporting the database via phpMyAdmin, uploading wp-content by FTP, and updating the wp-config.php connection details on the new host. Plugins are faster for most sites under a few gigabytes; manual migration gives more control on larger or customized installs.
Whichever method you choose, back up the live site first, and keep the old host active until you've confirmed every page, plugin and form works correctly on the new one.
Every WordPress migration is really two migrations happening at once: the files (themes, plugins, uploads, wp-content) and the database (posts, pages, settings, every option a plugin ever wrote to wp_options). Get one right and the other wrong, and you end up with a site that loads but shows the wrong theme, or logs you out on every click because URLs don't match. That's why the method you pick matters more than it seems — a plugin bundles both pieces into one file so nothing gets out of sync, while a manual migration means you're personally responsible for keeping database and files aligned.
Neither approach is objectively better; it depends on site size, hosting restrictions, and how comfortable you are opening a database table. This guide walks through both, plus the fastest option of all: letting Hosting Cheap's team do a free managed migration for you, with 24/7 human support if anything looks off afterward.
Method 1: Migrating With a Plugin (Duplicator or All-in-One WP Migration)
Plugin migration works by installing Duplicator or All-in-One WP Migration on the live site, running a build/export process that packages the entire wp-content folder plus a full database dump into a single archive, then installing that same plugin on the new host and importing the package. Duplicator additionally generates an installer.php file that handles the database import and search-and-replace of URLs automatically when you run it on the destination server. All-in-One WP Migration does something similar but wraps everything into one .wpress file and typically requires a free or paid extension to bypass its default upload size limit on larger sites.
The appeal is that a plugin removes most manual error: file paths, table prefixes, and serialized data in the database get handled by code that's been built specifically for this job, instead of you doing search-and-replace by hand. The tradeoff is upload size limits (many hosts cap uploads around a few hundred MB to a couple of GB by default) and the fact that a media-heavy site with years of uploads can produce an archive too large for a smooth single-file transfer without a paid add-on.
Method 2: Manual Migration via phpMyAdmin and FTP
Manual migration means exporting the database yourself: log into phpMyAdmin on the old host, select the WordPress database, and use Export with the Quick method and SQL format to download a .sql file. Separately, download the entire wp-content folder (themes, plugins, uploads) via FTP or your file manager, since that's not covered by the database export. On the new host, create a fresh database, import the .sql file through phpMyAdmin, upload wp-content into the new WordPress installation, and update wp-config.php with the new database name, username, password and host.
The catch with manual migration is that hardcoded URLs live inside the database itself — in post content, widget settings, and serialized plugin options — so a straight import still points at the old domain or path until you run a search-and-replace on the database (a plugin like Better Search Replace, or a direct SQL query, handles this). This method takes longer and demands more care, but it gives you full visibility into every file and table being moved, which matters on complex or heavily customized sites where you don't fully trust an automated package.
Choosing Between the Two Methods
Lean toward a plugin if the site is a typical build under a few gigabytes, uses common plugins, and you want the fastest path with the least manual database work. Lean toward the manual route if the site is large, uses unusual server configurations, or you need to migrate only part of the database, or the automated export keeps failing due to upload limits or memory caps on either host.
Either way, the destination host matters as much as the method. Migrating a slow site onto another slow host just relocates the problem. Hosting Cheap runs every plan on pure NVMe SSD with LiteSpeed caching, so once the migration is done — plugin-based, manual, or handled for you — the site is measurably faster than it was before, not just relocated.
Skipping Both: Free Managed Migration
If neither approach sounds appealing, Hosting Cheap includes a free managed migration with every plan: the team moves files, database, and configuration for you, and verifies the site loads correctly on the new server before you point your domain at it. This is the option most site owners choose when the WordPress install has years of plugins, custom code, or a media library too large to comfortably package by hand.
You also get a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can confirm the migrated site performs the way you expect — pages load correctly, forms submit, WooCommerce checkout works if applicable — before you're fully committed to the new host.
Let the Migration Be the Easy Part
Whether you migrate WordPress with a plugin or by hand, the goal is the same: zero downtime, no lost content, and a faster site at the end of it. Hosting Cheap's free managed migration exists specifically to remove the risk from that process.
Daily backups on the new plan mean that even after the move, you're covered if a future plugin update or theme change goes wrong.
- Free managed migration handled by a real migration team
- NVMe SSD + LiteSpeed on the destination for a real speed upgrade
- Free SSL applied automatically once the domain is pointed over
- Daily backups protect the site immediately after the move
Why Hosting Cheap
What you get
Free managed migration
The Hosting Cheap team moves files and database for you at no charge, plugin or no plugin.
NVMe SSD + LiteSpeed
The migrated site runs measurably faster once it lands on the new infrastructure.
Free auto-renewing SSL
HTTPS gets applied to the migrated domain without a separate certificate purchase.
Daily backups
A restore point exists from day one on the new host, covering future plugin or theme mishaps.
24/7 human support
Real people are available if a migrated page, form, or plugin doesn't behave as expected.
30-day money-back guarantee
Confirm the migrated site works exactly as expected before you're fully committed.
How It Works
Get set up in a few steps
Back up the current site
Export the database and download wp-content before touching anything, regardless of which method you use.
Choose plugin, manual, or managed migration
Pick Duplicator or All-in-One WP Migration for speed, manual phpMyAdmin for control, or request free managed migration.
Verify, then repoint the domain
Test the migrated site on the new host fully before updating DNS or nameservers to make it live.
Included
Everything you need, on every plan
- Full database export via phpMyAdmin or a migration plugin
- Complete wp-content folder (themes, plugins, uploads) copied over
- wp-config.php updated with new database credentials
- Search-and-replace run on any hardcoded old-domain URLs
- SSL certificate active on the new host before going live
- Forms, checkout, and login tested on the migrated site
- Old host kept active until the new site is fully confirmed
- DNS or nameservers updated only after verification
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is Duplicator or All-in-One WP Migration better for migrating WordPress?
Both work well for typical sites under a few gigabytes. Duplicator tends to handle the URL search-and-replace more transparently during its installer step, while All-in-One WP Migration is simpler to use but often needs a paid extension once your export exceeds its default size limit.
Why does my migrated site still show the old domain?
This happens when URLs stored in the database (in post content, widgets, or serialized plugin settings) weren't updated during the move. Run a search-and-replace tool, or make sure your migration plugin's built-in URL update step actually completed.
Can I migrate WordPress without any downtime?
Yes, in most cases. Migrate to the new host first, test the site there using a temporary URL or hosts-file edit, and only repoint your domain's DNS once you've confirmed everything works, which keeps the live site untouched until the switch.
What if my migration plugin fails to upload the full archive?
This is usually an upload-size or memory limit on the source or destination host. Try compressing images first, excluding large unused files, or splitting the migration into a manual database export plus a separate file transfer.
Does Hosting Cheap really migrate WordPress sites for free?
Yes, every plan includes a free managed migration where the team moves your files and database and verifies the site loads correctly before you switch your domain over.
Will my WordPress plugins and settings survive the migration?
They should, since both plugin-based and manual database migrations carry over the wp_options table and plugin-specific tables. Always test key plugins (forms, SEO, e-commerce) immediately after migrating to confirm settings came across intact.
Skip the Manual Steps — Migrate Free
Let Hosting Cheap's team move your WordPress site for free onto NVMe SSD hosting from $2.09/mo.
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