WordPress is one of the finest platforms to manage your blog and websites. However, without an exceptional WordPress hosting service, you cannot deliver a high-performance experience to your users.
If you consider hosting a new WordPress website or if you wish to migrate your existing WordPress website, it is good to know about the Best WordPress hosting with free migration.
What is free migration in hosting?
Migration is the process of transferring WordPress from one server to the other server without affecting the functionality. There are many reasons behind migrating a website like moving to another better host with fast loading time and lower prices; transferring the local WordPress website to another live server or moving the site from its subdomain to the main directory.
Since the web hosting industry is highly competitive, many hosting companies offer free migration services to win clients. Some hosting companies offer free migration services to prospective clients.
If you are a beginner and you want to take all the necessary precautionary measures before transferring your website, you should find the best hosting service that provides a hassle-free migration process.
10 Best WordPress Hosting with Free Migration
#1 DreamPress
DreamHost is one of the most popular and established web hosting services. DreamPress is a part of DreamHost that provides free WordPress migration. DreamHost is listed among the most recommended hosting by WordPress. DreamHost maintains a simple goal – to be lightning-fast, reliable, and perfectly optimized for the users of WordPress.
How to qualify for DreamHost free WordPress migration?
You qualify for 1 free WordPress migration only if you opt for the DreamPress plan offered by DreamHost as it is a managed WordPress hosting plan. Free website migration with the DreamPress plan takes 24 hours. You have to pay a price of $199 per website after the free migration of the first website is done. If you want to sign up for the WordPress Basic plan, then you will have to pay a price of $99 per website migration. The site migration takes 72 hours to complete. Or you can use an automated migration tool for migrating your WordPress website to DreamHost
Steps to initiate the WordPress site transfer process for DreamHost
- Select the WordPress plan that you want.
- Install DreamHost’s migration plugin. You can do this by logging into your existing website’s WordPress dashboard for installing and activating the DreamHost automated migration plugin.
- Generate your unique migration key through the dashboard of your DreamHost account with just a click.
- Track the progress of your website and know every detail about the migration in real-time.
- Review your new website with DreamHost and go live.
Price of the cheapest WordPress hosting plan
The cheapest WordPress hosting plan at DreamHost is the WordPress Basic plan that starts at $2.59/month. This promotional price is only available for the new account registrations. When you opt for renewing this plan, the renewal is done at the regular rate.
#2 Siteground
SiteGround is a legitimate and popular WordPress host that the WordPress community officially recommends. They offer free WordPress migration, which includes its free CDN with image optimization. As a result, the WordPress website would be faster and better than before.
How to qualify for SiteGround free website migration?
Siteground offers free migration for 1 website. Your first website is migrated for free. If you wish to transfer any other website, they provide a Free WP migrate plugin with every WordPress hosting plan. You can easily migrate your website with the help of this plugin. You will have to generate a token that initiates the migration process through your Siteground hosting account. Through this plugin, you can make as many installations as you want for free and with easy steps.
Steps to initiate the WordPress transfer process for SiteGround
- Your first step is to generate a migration token that will notify Siteground’s system of the account or folder where you want to migrate your website. For starting the migration process > Go to site tools > WordPress > Migrator.
- Choose the domain that you wish to use through the drop-down menu and add a path if required. Click on Generate
- You will receive the migration token. This is a unique token for every transfer. Click on copy to save the token for the next step.
- Install the Siteground migrator plugin to your WordPress. Install and activate the free migrate plugin through the official plugin repository.
- Paste the migration token into the plugin for starting the migration process. Once the plugin is installed, select the ‘Siteground Migrator’ menu.
- Your next step is to place the migration token that you have generated in the first step and click on ‘Initiate Transfer’.
- After this step, the Siteground system creates a copy of your account, it is moved to the servers and the installation process is done. You can track the progress of the plugin.
- The final step is to check your website and update the DNS Records for completing the migration process.
Once the transfer process is completed, you will receive detailed information about the process on the confirmation screen and through your email. A temporary URL will be generated for your website and you can use it for 48 hours for checking how the website looks and functions.
Professional migration process offered by the experts at Siteground
- If you opt for a professional migration, Siteground’s technical support team will perform the website transfer for you. You will have to provide them with the access details like the URL of your control panel or FTP host and the login credentials so that the technical support team can access the website and transfer it.
- When you enter all the required information and make the payment for the service, a ticket will be posted in the Sitegrund’s system and the support engineers will take care of the transfer process. You need to know that the website transfer process might take up to 5 business days according to the website’s size, the restrictions set by the old web host, the connectivity, and other factors.
- If you are not sure about the type of website that you want to create or if you are not ready to migrate the existing websites right now, even then you have to complete the ‘Setup Wizard’ by clicking on ‘Skip & Create Empty Site’. This will create an empty website along with a control panel that you can use to explore all the tools and features available for your account.
Price of the cheapest WordPress hosting plan
The starting price of the cheapest WordPress hosting plan provided by Siteground is $4.99/month and it includes many features like 10,000 monthly visits, Free SSL certificate, Free CDN, and WordPress Auto-update along with other useful features. The renewal cost is $14.99 per month and you also get a 30-day money-back guarantee.
#3 Cloudways
Cloudways is different from the rest and it works differently. That is a major benefit to everyone. The goal of the provider is to maintain a perfect balance between customization of users and stress-free managed to host for WordPress. It begins with a new idea. You can select the infrastructure of your cloud server from any of these top platforms like DigitalOcean, Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services, Linode, and Vultr.
All the plans would be billed monthly, which means you would only pay for resources that you use and you can make changes to the plan easily. There’s an option for hourly billing that comes in handy for short-time projects as well as testing expeditions.
How to qualify for Cloudways free WordPress migration?
Any WordPress website qualifies for a free WordPress migration for the first time. All the other subsequent WordPress website migrations are done at a reasonable price. 1 free migration is offered for every plan you choose.
Steps to initiate the website transfer process for Cloudways
Cloudways website migration process:
- Get in touch with their support team and discuss your app and the traffic it receives.
- Their team will assess the needs of your app and it will be moved to one place.
- That’s it! The migration process is done!
WordPress migration through ‘Install WordPress Migrator’ Plugin
- Login to your WordPress admin account.
- Select ‘Plugins’ and then click on ‘Add New’.
- Search for ‘Cloudways WordPress Migrator plugin’.
- Click on ‘Install Now’.
- Once the plugin is installed, click on ‘Activate’.
You can initiate the WordPress website migration process by entering the following details:
- Enter your email address, agree to the terms and conditions and privacy policy and click on ‘Migrate’.
- Enter the important information for initiating the migrating and the process will be completed.
Price of the cheapest WordPress hosting plan
The starting price of the basic plan provided by Cloudways is $10/month. In case you opt for offshore backup storage then you will have to pay an additional charge of $0.033/GB per server.
#4 Nexcess
Nexcess comes with a unique plan and pricing structure to make managed hosting reachable for businesses. It justifies why businesses need the WordPress Engine. Nexcess is a managed WordPress web hosting platform that comes with a distinct plan for everyone. It handles tedious maintenance through 30-day backup and plugin updates. Other benefits include unlimited emails, Free CDN, free SSL certificate, visual regression tests, iThemes security pro, and support.
How to qualify for Nexcess free WordPress migration?
You qualify for a free migration when you sign up for a paid plan with Nexcess. They do not provide free migration with free trials. With Nexcess, any number of websites can be migrated for free.
Steps to initiate the website transfer process for Nexcess
- Request for migration in the portal.
- Provide the information of your current hosting account either SSH access, FTP, or hosting control panel details.
- A migration specialist from Nexcess will schedule a time to start the data transfer process for your website.
- Your website will be live through a temporary domain for you to check and test the website.
- You can schedule a time for pointing your domain name to your Nexcess hosting and go live.
An easier migration process:
- If you have an existing account with Nexcess, you go to this page – https://www.nexcess.net/support/migration/ and click on ‘Submit Migration’
- After this, a migration request is created for the Nexcess migration team. They reach out to you within 24 hours and complete the migration process anywhere between 5-7 days.
Price of the cheapest WordPress hosting plan
The basic WordPress plan known as the ‘Spark’ plan is priced at $9.50/month for 6 months. If you wish to renew this plan, it can be renewed at $19/month.
#5 Hostinger
The WordPress hosting plans provided by Hostinger contain a great set of features. For beginners, you get everything you need through the WordPress hosting plans by Hostinger. One of the best things about Hostinger is that it offers a super-simple onboarding flow that enables you to get your website up and running within just a few minutes. You also have the option to migrate the WordPress websites either manually or through a plugin. It also includes an incredible WordPress website builder to help beginners.
How to qualify for Hostinger free WordPress migration?
You are entitled to get 1 free migration with every plan provided by Hostinger. However, they provide an automated migration tool through which you can migrate several websites.
Steps to initiate the website transfer process for Hostinger
Manual WordPress migration process:
For manual WordPress website migration, you will have to transfer the website files and databases and then edit the wp-config.php file. You can do this through File Manager on your web hosting control panel or through a file transfer protocol (FTP) client like FileZilla.
Step1: Create a backup of your WordPress files and MySQL database
Initially, you have to download all the WordPress files to your system. You will have to upload these files to your new hosting account at a later point in time.
- Connect to FileZilla on your old website server.
- Access the public_html folder and select all the WordPress files present in it.
- Select ‘Download’
After you have downloaded all the WordPress files, you have to create a backup of your WordPress database.
- Go to the ‘phpMyAdmin’ page through your hosting control panel.
- Select the database where you have stored all your WordPress files and click on ‘Export’.
- Click on ‘Go’ and all your WordPress database files will be automatically saved to your desktop directory.
Step2: Upload the WordPress files and MySQL database to your new web hosting platform
- As the WordPress backup file is in the ZIP format, you will have to decompress the file first.
- Connect to FileZilla through your new hosting account with Hostinger and go to the public_html folder in the ‘Remote Site’ section.
- Locate the files that you wish to upload from the Local Site section, right-click on these files and click on ‘Upload’.
Upload the MySQL database to the new web host.
- Go to the control panel of your new hosting account and go to ‘MySQL’ databases.
- Create a new database and note down the database name, username, and password.
- Go back to databases >> phpMyAdmin and select the new database.
- Click on ‘Import’.
- Click on ‘Choose file’ and upload the MySQL backup file that you had downloaded earlier.
- Click on ‘Go’.
- Update the wp-config.php file with your new database information.
- Select ‘Save’ and click on ‘Yes’.
You can also easily migrate your WordPress website through a cloning plugin known as the All-in-1 WP migration plugin. Hostinger has 24/7 chat support and a huge library with WordPress tutorials and guides.
Price of the cheapest WordPress hosting plan
The cheapest WordPress hosting plan at Hostinger is priced at $1.99 a month when you choose a 48-months term. The renewal rate is $3.99 a month. The plan also includes 30 GB disk space and 100 GB bandwidth. In addition, all the plans include an email account, free website migration, and an SSL certificate.
#6 Fastcomet
When you select and sign up for any WordPress hosting with Fastsomet, the experts at FastComet shall guide you in a step-by-step approach to transfer your data and domain completely. You get perks like free database, file, and domain transfer with no loss of data and downtime, virus scanning, and expert WordPress knowledgebase and support.
How to qualify for Fastcomet free WordPress migration?
You are entitled to 1 free website migration with the FastCloud plan, and 3 free migrations with the FastCloud Plus and FastCloud Extra plan. If you need more website transfers after you have used the free transfers, then you have to pay a charge of $14.95 per website.
Steps to initiate the website transfer process for Fastcomet
There is an easy process for transferring the website and the domain name to the new web host. You will have to implement the steps mentioned below for the transfer process:
- Sign up for a new hosting account.
- Move all the website files along with the databases and the email accounts.
- Point the DNS records of your domain name to the new web host.
- Transfer the domain name to the new web host.
Price of the cheapest WordPress hosting plan
The price of the basic cheapest WordPress hosting plan at Fastcomet is $2.95 per month and the renewal price of this plan is $9.95 per month.
#7 HostGator
HostGator is the perfect option for high-traffic websites as they require a faster loading time. The WordPress plan makes the site much faster across multiple regions, typically for users on mobile. WordPress migration takes place with a combination of command-line tools and WordPress XML import/export that installs themes and plugins. Users can request migration by filling out the form to optimize their WordPress experience.
How to qualify for HostGator free WordPress migration?
HostGator provides a limited number of free migrations as compared to the other hosting providers. They also provide inter-server migrations between the HostGator servers within 30 days of signing up. Once you have used your free migration or you have completed the 30-day window and you want HostGator to migrate your content, you will have to fill out the Request Migration Form and you will be provided with a quote for the migration process.
Steps to initiate the website transfer process for HostGator
HostGator offers the following migrations:
- Inter-server migration
- Intra-server migration
- Manual migration
- Lateral migration
- Site clones
You can select the migration process that you want and get in touch with the support team to guide you through the process of migration.
Price of the cheapest WordPress hosting plan
Although HostGator offers the cheapest introductory price at $2.75 per month for a 36-month plan, the renewal cost is $10.95 per month, which is much higher.
#8 GreenGeeks
All the GreenGeeks website plans feature free SSL, limitless email accounts, free CDN, unlimited storage (SSD), and bandwidth. As you sign up, there are options to choose from multiple server locations across America, Europe, and Canada. WordPress site migration is free.
How to qualify for GreenGeeks free WordPress migration?
1 free website migration is offered for every WordPress hosting plan offered by GreenGeeks. Once you have used the free migration, a charge of $15 per website will be applicable for the next migrations.
Steps to initiate the website transfer process for GreenGeeks
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- Login to GreenGeeks and go to ‘Site Migration Request’ through ‘Support’.
- Select the hosting service for which you need a migration.
- You need the right login information for the transfer process. After completing all the fields, click on ‘Submit’.
- In case any additional information is required by the migration team, they will contact you through email. You will receive a verification update when the migration process is completed.
Price of the cheapest WordPress hosting plan
Although GreenGeek has the cheapest monthly plan at $2.49 per month, the renewal cost is $9.95 per month. If you don’t wish to use the plan in 30 days, apply for a money-back or refund guarantee.
#9 A2 Hosting
A2 Hosting again is an excellent low-cost WordPress migration and hosting platform. On the website homepage, they claim to be 20 times faster and better than the other WordPress hosts. WordPress hosting plans at A2 Hosting has free CloudFlare CDN, free SSL, 100 GB storage SSD, and unlimited bandwidth. They allow you to change your server location on A2 hosting.
How to qualify for A2Hosting free WordPress migration?
If you opt for cPanel WordPress hosting plan, then you are entitled to 1 free migration and if you opt for Windows, then you get 1 free manual migration. After you have used the free migration, every extra migration will cost $10 per website.
Steps to initiate the website transfer process A2Hosting
- Sign up for the WordPress hosting plan as per your requirements.
- Create a migration request along with all the cPanel details.
- The A2 hosting migration team will start the migration process.
- The migration team needs 24-48 hours for completing the migration process when the request is received.
Price of the cheapest WordPress hosting plan
Their cheapest plan for WordPress starts from $2.99 a month for 36 months and renewal costs $8.99 a month.
#10 Kinsta
Kinsta can be defined as a boutique web hosting provider that handles WordPress and is focused on optimized setups of managed hosting. Kinsta has excellent Google Cloud support. They consider Google infrastructure to be the most powerful platform, which backs their performance. They utilize Google cloud infrastructure to make it easily accessible. However, Kinsta does not use the conventional cPanel UI. Rather, they give users a custom panel for managing the hosting account.
How to qualify for Kinsta free WordPress migration?
You are entitled to unlimited free migrations with any of the Kinsta WordPress hosting packages.
Steps to initiate the website transfer process for Kinsta
- Sign up for any of the Kinsta WordPress hosting plans.
- Fill out the migration request form and choose the type of migration you want and their team will coordinate with you for completing the migration process.
Price of the cheapest WordPress hosting plan
The lowest Kinsta price starts at $30 per month.
Conclusion
Considering features and price, the choice of WordPress hosting depends on a lot of factors.
- DreamPress from DreamHost is the right choice for beginners and quite cost-effective too if you have only one WordPress website.
- Others like Cloudways are also good for websites with heavy traffic. The users handling too many sites and looking for free website migrations can choose Kinsta’s unlimited plan for site transfer.
- SiteGround provides optimum support to host WordPress affordably and migrate while Nexcess is a budget-friendly hosting platform. Don’t miss A2 Hosting, which is a top-class to move an existing website to a better hosting platform.
So, what would you use for WordPress hosting with free migration? Mentions your opinions in the comments section.
