Migrate from Hostinger to Faster WordPress Hosting (2025): Zero‑Downtime Guide

Surprising fact: over 60% of failed site moves happen because someone skipped a single backup.

You’re here to move your website off Hostinger with no visible disruption. This section sets clear expectations and a simple plan so your site stays live while files and database travel to the new hosting provider.

Start with a full backup of files and the database. Next, install WordPress on the destination account and put your site in maintenance mode. Disable caching before export so the copy is clean.

Use phpMyAdmin, File Manager, or FTP to copy files and database. Validate on a staging URL or with a hosts file. Typical managed moves took 2–48 hours and DNS propagation usually required 24–48 hours, so plan cutover during off‑peak time.

Document permalinks, widgets, theme options, email routing, and file permissions. Keep admin access handy and freeze content updates briefly to avoid missing new orders or posts. With this prep, you’ll complete the migration process safely and predictably.

• Make a full backup of files and database before you start.
• Install WordPress on the destination and disable caching before export.
• Use phpMyAdmin, FTP, or File Manager and test on a staging URL or hosts file.
• Managed moves often finish in 2–48 hours; DNS can take 24–48 hours.
• Document permalinks, theme options, and email settings to match the live site.
• Freeze content updates briefly and keep admin access for every account.

Slow load times and flaky uptime often push teams to seek a higher‑performance web partner. You want a website that stays fast under load, handles spikes, and keeps search rankings steady.

Common reasons: a sluggish site, frequent downtime, or slow support are top triggers. Many better providers include free professional migration and 99.9% uptime guarantees. WordPress‑specific features like LiteSpeed cache, staging, and automatic updates cut manual work and improve performance.

Choosing a new plan: pick resources that match projected traffic for the next 12–24 months—CPU, RAM, concurrent connections, and NVMe storage matter. Locate servers near your U.S. audience to lower latency and boost Core Web Vitals.

“You should choose a provider that fits performance goals, budget, and roadmap.”

• Check transparent renewal pricing and support SLAs.
• Prefer built‑in security (WAF, backups, malware scans).
• Verify migration assistance and easy tools like one‑click restores.

Prevent surprises by preparing your site and account before any file transfers begin. A short, clear checklist keeps the live website steady while you work.

Start with a complete ZIP of files and an SQL export of the database. Use your hosting backup tool or phpMyAdmin (Quick export in SQL) so you can roll back instantly if needed.

Put the wordpress site into maintenance mode and turn off caching plugins. This prevents new orders, comments, or content that won’t be captured in the export.

Remove unused plugins, inactive themes, and oversized media to shrink the transfer payload. Less data speeds the process and lowers storage costs.

Capture permalink structure, widgets, menus, theme options, SMTP/email routing, cron schedules, and any hard‑coded URLs in the dashboard. Verify access to your current account and domain registrar. Label backups with date/time and store copies locally and in cloud storage.

• Confirm disk space on the source host to avoid incomplete archives.
• Freeze edits briefly so the files database snapshot stays consistent.
• Keep admin credentials handy for a fast, safe migration.

Choosing the best transfer path makes the rest of the process smooth and predictable. First, decide whether you want a managed move, a plugin‑based copy, or a manual transfer. Each route matches different skills, time, and risk tolerance.

Managed migration saves time. Your new hosting provider often requests WordPress or control panel credentials and completes the migration process in 2–48 hours.

Plugin moves (for example All‑in‑One WP Migration) bundle files and database into one archive you import on the destination. They work well for most sites and reduce manual steps.

Manual transfer gives full control: copy site files via FTP or File Manager and import SQL via phpMyAdmin. Then update wp‑config.php and test paths.

Before you start, verify your plan size, PHP version, and storage to avoid surprises mid‑process. Confirm hPanel or cPanel credentials and enable a staging URL or use a hosts file override for testing.

Temporarily adjust two‑factor or bot protections if a migration team or plugin needs admin access. Document database names, users, and passwords so you don’t stall during handoffs.

• Pick the path that fits your timeline and skills.
• Test on staging to fix URL and path issues first.
• Schedule a short maintenance window so content freezes while the copy runs.

Spin up a fresh WordPress install on the target plan so you import into a clean, known-good environment.

In hPanel, go to Websites → Dashboard → WordPress → Install WordPress. Set the site title, admin username, password, and admin email. Pick the PHP and WordPress versions that match your theme and plugins.

On cPanel, open Softaculous → WordPress → Install Now. Choose the correct protocol and domain path so the site deploys to the right folder.

Create new MySQL database and user if the installer does not. Keep the database name, user, and password handy for wp-config.php during manual steps.

Choose supported PHP and WordPress releases. Secure the admin account with a strong password and add 2FA after testing.

• Pre-install the same theme and helper plugins if you’ll match the old design.
• Confirm file ownership and permissions—wp-content must be writable by the web server.
• Note the dashboard URL and keep your domain name unmapped until you test on staging.

For many small and mid-size sites, a single WPRESS archive makes the copy painless. This plugin bundles your content, themes, plugins, and database into one file so you can move the site without manual SQL edits.

Quick steps:

• Install and activate All‑in‑One WP Migration on both the source and destination wordpress site.
• From the old dashboard go to All‑in‑One WP Migration → Export → File to generate a WPRESS file.
• Download the archive; large exports can take time so be patient.

If upload limits block the import, upload the WPRESS to public_html/wp-content/ai1wm-backups via File Manager. Then open All‑in‑One WP Migration → Backups and click Restore.

When import finishes, go to Settings → Permalinks and save changes twice. This rebuilds .htaccess and fixes friendly URLs. Verify media, menus, and widgets on the restored site and keep the plugin until you confirm everything works.

When plugins aren’t an option, copying site files and importing SQL gives you precise control. This route takes a bit more work but avoids upload limits and hidden changes.

Log into your control panel and open phpMyAdmin. Use Quick → SQL to export the database as an SQL file.

Download your files with File Manager or an FTP client like FileZilla. Prioritize wp-content for themes, plugins, and uploads.

On the destination account upload the full folder into public_html (or your document root). Create a new database and user with full privileges in cPanel or hPanel.

Import the SQL dump via phpMyAdmin’s Import tab and confirm all tables exist. Then open wp-config.php and set DB_NAME, DB_USER, DB_PASSWORD, and DB_HOST.

If the domain changed, edit wp_options in phpMyAdmin and set siteurl and home to the new URL (include https). Clear caches and check file permissions if media or theme assets are missing.

Test thoroughly using a hosts file override or the staging link. Keep the old account active until the website works and DNS is stable.

Control panels control much of the heavy lifting during a site transfer, so knowing where tools live saves time.

In hPanel, go to Files → Backups to generate or download full archives of website files and the database. Use Files → File Manager for quick uploads and small edits.

Use hPanel → Databases to create a DB and user, then click Enter phpMyAdmin to import SQL in one go.

In cPanel the Backup Wizard creates full backups and restores the home directory and MySQL separately. That means file and database restores are distinct steps, not a single click.

Open MySQL Databases to add DBs and users, then launch phpMyAdmin to import SQL dumps you downloaded earlier.

• Find FTP credentials under FTP Accounts in both panels and connect with FileZilla for large file transfers.
• Softaculous in cPanel handles one‑click installs; hPanel’s WordPress installer lives under your site dashboard.
• If uploads fail, verify permissions and ownership—incorrect rights are a common culprit.

Quick tips: keep your hosting account credentials secure. Follow on‑screen progress bars and review error logs if a file or database import times out. Confirm PHP version and quota on the panel dashboard so your new site matches what the provider expects.

A careful DNS change keeps your public site live while traffic shifts to the new server.

Test first: confirm the destination website looks perfect using a staging URL or a local hosts file override before you touch DNS. Leave caching off and exercise login, checkout, and media pages.

Decide if you’ll change nameservers at the registrar or update the A record to the new server IP for finer control. If your registrar workflow requires you to click add when creating records, double‑check TTLs and record types.

Verify everything on the staging URL or via hosts file. Only flip DNS once you confirm all key paths work and third‑party integrations point to the new account.

Make the change and monitor propagation; expect 24–48 hours for full global coverage. Use dig or curl and online checkers to see which name servers answer and which IP they return.

• Don’t change DNS until the new site is validated.
• Keep the old host active until traffic fully shifts.
• Test home, login, checkout, and media after the switch.
• Update CDNs, email routing, and API callbacks that rely on DNS.

Note: if your domain was using domain hostinger nameservers before, confirm they’re fully replaced or that your A record is visible worldwide.

Once files and the database are in place, focus on checks that catch broken links and slow pages.

Run Better Search Replace across your database and do a dry run first. This shows how many rows will change before you touch live content.

Tip: replace the old domain only in url and guid fields, then verify images load in posts.

Go to Settings → Permalinks and save changes twice to rebuild .htaccess. Next, click through the dashboard and front end.

Test admin logins, contact forms, checkout flows, and transactional email so nothing silently fails.

Enable server caching (LiteSpeed or similar) and pair it with a CDN to cut latency worldwide.

Run Lighthouse or WebPageTest before and after to confirm the speed gains. Watch error logs for plugin issues and fix them fast.

• Scan for mixed content and update any http image or script URLs.
• Validate uploads path and permissions if media fails to load.
• Keep an off‑site backup now that the website is stable and document any manual settings you changed.

Wrap up the move by confirming settings, testing critical flows, and keeping a recent backup handy.

You’ve followed a proven process: back up everything, copy website files and the database, validate on staging, then flip DNS to your new hosting provider. Expect DNS propagation to take ~24–48 hours and keep the old account live until traffic settles.

After launch, regenerate permalinks, run a URL replace for any new domain or path changes, and enable caching plus a CDN for faster loads. Store an off‑site backup now—it’s your best insurance.

For a step‑by‑step refresher, check this migration tutorial. Note your lessons learned in this section so your next migrate site project runs even smoother.