Moving your site to a new host step by step

Moving a website between two servers, including files, database and DNS records

When a host change is justified

Hosts are changed for three reasons. First is speed: the site loads in a few seconds, but support says “shared servers are like that.” Second is renewal price, often several times higher than the promotional first‑year rate. Third is lack of the required PHP version or database for the current WordPress. If none of these apply, switching hosts won’t speed up the site. A slow WordPress on a good server will stay slow because the issue lies in the theme, plugins, or unoptimised images.

It’s also useful to distinguish two things: changing hosts (same address, same site, different server) versus rebuilding the site on a new platform. This article covers the first case. We’ll discuss moving a store between platforms separately.

What needs to be copied

A WordPress site consists of two parts: files and the database. Both must be moved to the new server in a consistent state, i.e., from the same point in time.

Files: the entire WordPress directory, including wp-content with the theme, plugins and images (the uploads folder). The wp-config.php file needs to be adjusted for the new database.
Database: SQL export via phpMyAdmin or the command line. For a site with WooCommerce the database holds orders, so export it right before the switch, not a day earlier.
Email mailboxes: if email runs on the same host, you need to move them too or keep the mail with the old provider, changing only the domain’s A record. It’s a decision to make before launch.
SSL certificate: usually you don’t move it, you issue a new one. Let’s Encrypt provides free certificates, and most hosts handle this automatically.
Cron jobs, additional domains, redirects in .htaccess: small details that are easy to forget, which can later break a form or a subdomain.

Procedure with no downtime

Lowering DNS record TTL to 300 seconds the day before the switch. TTL is the time DNS servers keep the old address. With the default 24‑hour TTL, some visitors would see the old server for a day.
New server setup: account, database, PHP version matching the current site.
Copy of files and database to the new server. For large sites it’s better via SSH than FTP, because FTP can lose files during connection drops.
Test on the new server before changing DNS. Editing the hosts file on your computer lets you view the site from the new server while the rest of the world still sees the old one. Check: admin login, contact form, cart, images, subpages.
DNS switch: change the A (and AAAA, if present) record to the new server’s address. With a low TTL traffic moves within minutes.
SSL certificate on the new server right after the switch. Until then the new server can’t issue a certificate for the domain because the domain isn’t pointing to it yet.
Resync the database (for stores): orders placed between the backup and the switch need to be reconciled.
The old server stays online for another 7–14 days. This is a safety net in case something wasn’t copied.

Does changing hosting affect SEO

Google’s documentation describes moving a site without changing URLs as a safe operation, provided the addresses, content and server response codes stay the same. You don’t need to submit anything in Search Console. Rankings don’t change because, to the search engine, the site is identical.

Problems arise in two scenarios. First: after the move the site returns 5xx errors for a few days because something isn’t working. Google then reduces crawling after a while. Second: a hosting change combined with a URL structure change (e.g., ?p=123 to friendly links) without 301 redirects. That’s a move with URL changes and requires a redirect map.

Post‑migration checklist

The homepage and 5 random subpages load over HTTPS with no certificate warnings.
WordPress admin login works, plugin updates succeed.
The contact form sends a message and it arrives.
Images load from the new server (image URLs in the source don’t point to the old one).
For a store: test order from cart to email confirmation.
Google Search Console: no new errors in the “Pages” report after 3–4 days.
Email receives and sends (if it was migrated).
Backups on the new server are enabled and run automatically.

Three errors we see most often

Database backup made the day before the switch. For a site with a form or a store, everything that came in between the backup and the switch stays on the old server. Orders from that day aren’t processed because no one sees them. The backup is taken right before changing DNS, and for a store you also reconcile the difference after the switch.
The site URL stored in the database points to a temporary address. After testing on a working address (e.g., temporary.hosting.pl/site) the database contains links to that address. When the domain is switched, some images and links still point to the temporary address, which will soon disappear. You need to replace the URL throughout the database with a tool that understands WordPress serialised data (WP‑CLI search-replace), not a simple “replace” in an SQL editor.
Different PHP version on the new server. The site ran on PHP 7.4, the new hosting defaults to 8.3, and the old theme throws a critical error. The PHP version is checked before copying and either set to the same, or the theme and plugins are updated first on the old server where there is a copy.

Each of these errors appears only after the switch, when the site is already visible to customers. Therefore testing with the hosts file before changing DNS is mandatory in the procedure, not optional.

How much does it cost and how long does it take

With us, moving a WordPress site to new hosting costs C$349 and takes 1-2 business days. Included: file and database copy, new server setup, pre‑switch test, DNS change, SSL certificate, checklist review and 14 days of error monitoring. You purchase hosting yourself or use ours: C$49/month or included in the Business Care package (C$129/month with hosting, updates and backups).

Moving a site from a builder (Wix, WebWave and similar) is a separate service, because the builder doesn’t provide files or a database: the site has to be rebuilt on WordPress. It costs C$239 for up to 7 pages, details on the migration page.

Frequently asked questions

Will the site be unavailable when you change hosts?

With the right procedure there’s no downtime. The new server is tested before the DNS switch, and a lowered TTL makes traffic shift within minutes. A brief pause may only involve issuing an SSL certificate right after the switch.

Do I need to change the site address or domain?

No. The domain stays the same; only the server address in the DNS records changes. Page URLs remain identical, so Google doesn’t notice a difference.

Will moving the site to a new host make it faster?

Only if the old server was a bottleneck. If the site is slow because of a heavy theme, many plugins, or uncompressed images, a new server won’t change much. Before deciding, measure the server response time (TTFB) and compare it to the overall page load time.

What about email on the domain?

If the mailboxes were on the old host, you need to decide: move them with the site or keep them with the old provider, changing only the A record. The MX records will then still point to the old mail server.

How much does moving a WordPress site to a new host cost?

With us C$349, 1‑2 business days, with testing before the switch and monitoring afterward. The price does not include the hosting itself.

Sources of prices and data

Market prices are indicative data from the listed sources, checked 8.10.2026. Our prices come from the current cansitelab.pro price list and are final.

Change hosting for a reasonable price →

Moving your site to a new host step by step: how to do it without downtime