How to Migrate to Hostinger Step by Step

I have moved three sites to Hostinger, two WordPress and one static. The free managed migration did most of the work on the WordPress sites, and I did the static one by hand. This guide covers both the automatic route and the manual route, plus what to check after the move so you do not lose traffic.

If you run WordPress, use the free automatic migration. It took under a day on my blog with no downtime. If you run something custom, the manual steps below get you there safely.

Before you start

Do three things first. Back up your current site in full, note your current DNS and nameserver settings, and keep your old hosting active until the new site is confirmed live. Never cancel the old host on the same day you migrate.

Option 1: free automatic migration for WordPress

Hostinger offers free managed migration on paid plans. This is the route I recommend for almost everyone on WordPress. Pick your plan first using the Hostinger pricing plans guide, then follow these steps.

1.     Log in to hPanel and open the Websites section.

2.     Select the migration request option and choose WordPress.

3.     Enter your current site URL and your existing hosting login or admin details.

4.     Submit the request. Hostinger's team copies the site to your new account.

5.     You receive a notification when the copy is ready to preview.

6.     Preview the migrated site on a temporary URL before changing DNS.

In my case the copy was ready in a few hours. I previewed it, confirmed everything looked right, then pointed my domain at Hostinger.

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Option 2: manual migration

Use this for static sites, custom apps, or when you want full control. The principle is the same for any host: move the files, move the database if there is one, then update DNS.

Move the files

7.     Download your site files from the old host using the File Manager or SFTP.

8.     Upload them to your Hostinger account through hPanel File Manager or SFTP into the public_html folder.

Move the database

9.     Export your database from the old host using phpMyAdmin.

10.  Create a new database in hPanel and import the export file.

11.  Update your config file with the new database name, user, and password.

Pointing your domain

Once the site is confirmed on Hostinger, update your domain's nameservers or DNS records to point at Hostinger. DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to fully spread, a process explained well in the Cloudflare DNS propagation guide. Keep both hosts live during this window.

Install SSL after the move

Hostinger includes free SSL. After DNS points to Hostinger, issue the certificate from hPanel so your site loads over HTTPS. Details on the security setup are in my Hostinger SSL and security guide.

Post migration checklist

•       Click through every key page and check for broken links or missing images.

•       Confirm forms and checkout work if you run a store.

•       Check that SSL is active and the site loads over HTTPS.

•       Submit your sitemap in Google Search Console to keep indexing clean.

•       Run a speed test to confirm caching is working.

•       Only after all of this, cancel the old host.

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Common migration mistakes

The two errors I see most often are cancelling the old host too early and forgetting to issue SSL after the DNS switch. The first loses your data if something went wrong. The second leaves visitors on an insecure connection and can dent rankings. Both are avoidable with the checklist above.

Should you migrate to Hostinger

If you are leaving an expensive host and want lower cost without losing much performance, the free migration makes the move low risk. I moved my main blog from a pricier host and the load times held. Compare against your current provider in Hostinger vs Bluehost or Hostinger vs SiteGround, and grab the current discount on my Hostinger coupon code page.

Migrating email along with the site

People forget email during a migration and lose messages. If your email is hosted with your old provider, plan the email move separately from the website move. Export your mailboxes, set up email on the new host or on a service like Google Workspace, and update the MX records only after the mailboxes are ready. My email hosting guide covers the Hostinger side.

Avoiding SEO loss during migration

A migration done wrong can cost you rankings. Keep your URL structure identical so existing links still work. If any URLs change, set up 301 redirects from the old paths to the new ones. After the move, submit your sitemap in Google Search Console and watch the coverage report for crawl errors. Done carefully, a host migration has no SEO impact at all, because the content and URLs stay the same.

Testing before you switch DNS

The preview step is where you catch problems before visitors do. On the temporary URL, click every important page, submit a test form, and if you run a store, run a test order in sandbox mode. Check images load and internal links work. Only switch DNS once the preview is clean. This is the single biggest thing that separates a smooth migration from a stressful one.

What to do if something breaks

If the migrated site has an issue after the DNS switch, do not panic and do not delete anything. Your old host is still live during propagation, so you can point DNS back while you fix the copy. This is exactly why you keep the old host active until everything is confirmed. A broken migration is recoverable as long as you have not cancelled the original.

My migration experience

I moved my main blog to Hostinger from a pricier host using the free migration. The copy was ready in a few hours, I previewed it, found one plugin that needed reactivating, fixed it on the staging copy, then switched DNS in the evening when traffic was low. Total downtime was zero because the old site served visitors until propagation finished. The whole thing took an afternoon of attention, most of which was waiting.

Frequently asked questions

Is Hostinger migration free?

Yes. Hostinger offers free managed migration on paid plans. The team copies your WordPress site to your new account and you preview it before switching DNS.

How long does migration take?

The copy itself often finishes within a few hours. DNS propagation after you switch can take up to 48 hours, during which you keep the old host active.

Will my site go down during migration?

No, if you do it right. The old site stays live while the new one is prepared, and you only switch DNS after confirming the copy works.

Can I migrate a non WordPress site?

Yes, manually. Move the files, move the database if there is one, update the config, then point DNS at Hostinger. The automatic tool is WordPress focused.

What should I do after migrating?

Check every page, confirm SSL is active, submit your sitemap to Search Console, run a speed test, and only then cancel your old host.