How to Migrate to Hostinger (from Any Host)

Why Migrate to Hostinger?

Hostinger has become the go-to budget host that does not sacrifice performance. With LiteSpeed web servers, NVMe SSD storage, and a custom-built hPanel control panel, Hostinger consistently outperforms traditional shared hosts in our benchmarks — at a fraction of the price.

Performance That Beats the Price

Our 90-day benchmarks show Hostinger Business plan delivering 180-220ms TTFB from US data centers — faster than Bluehost (380-650ms), GoDaddy (420-700ms), and HostGator (350-550ms). The secret is LiteSpeed server technology, which is purpose-built for WordPress and handles PHP processing 3-5x faster than Apache, the server software most budget hosts still use.

Renewal Pricing That Does Not Shock

Hostinger's biggest advantage may be its renewal rates. While most hosts double or triple prices at renewal, Hostinger's Business plan renews at $3.99/mo — less than what many hosts charge at the introductory rate. Compare: Bluehost Choice Plus renews at $18.99/mo, GoDaddy Deluxe at $14.99/mo, SiteGround GrowBig at $24.99/mo. Over 3 years at renewal rates, switching to Hostinger saves $200-500.

What You Get

• Free migration: Hostinger migrates your site for free on Business and Cloud plans
• LiteSpeed + LSCache: Server-level caching built into the web server — no plugin needed
• NVMe SSD storage: 100GB-200GB depending on plan, faster than traditional SSDs
• Free domain: 1 year free domain registration included
• Weekly backups: Automatic backups on all plans (daily on Business+)
• Global data centers: US, Europe, Asia, South America — choose the closest to your audience

Who Should Migrate to Hostinger?

Hostinger is ideal for: WordPress blogs and business sites, small WooCommerce stores (under 1000 products), anyone tired of high renewal prices, and sites currently on GoDaddy, Bluehost, or HostGator. For high-traffic sites (100K+ monthly visitors) or complex WooCommerce stores, Cloudways is a better fit. For price-lock guarantee, InterServer at $2.50/mo never changes price.

Pre-Migration Checklist

Complete these steps before starting any migration. Skipping preparation is the number one cause of failed migrations and unnecessary downtime.

1. Choose the Right Hostinger Plan

• Premium ($2.99/mo): 100 websites, 100GB NVMe, weekly backups. Good for most blogs and small business sites. Free migration NOT included.
• Business ($3.99/mo, recommended): 100 websites, 200GB NVMe, daily backups, free CDN, free migration included. Best value for most users.
• Cloud Startup ($9.99/mo): 300 websites, 200GB NVMe, dedicated resources, free migration, priority support. Choose for WooCommerce or sites over 50K monthly visitors.

We recommend the Business plan for most migrations — the free migration service alone makes the $1/mo upgrade from Premium worthwhile.

2. Create a Full Backup on Your Current Host

• WordPress sites: Install UpdraftPlus → create a full backup (files + database) → download all backup parts to your computer
• cPanel hosts: cPanel → Backup → Download Full Account Backup
• Manual backup: Download all files via SFTP + export database via phpMyAdmin

3. Document Your Current Setup

• PHP version (match this on Hostinger)
• Active plugins and theme (note any license keys)
• Custom .htaccess rules (Hostinger uses LiteSpeed, which supports .htaccess)
• Cron jobs and scheduled tasks
• Email accounts and forwarding rules
• All DNS records — screenshot your entire DNS zone

4. Purchase Hostinger and Set Up Your Account

After purchasing, access hPanel (Hostinger's custom control panel). Add your domain to the account but do NOT change nameservers yet. Note your Hostinger nameservers and server IP — you will need these later. Create a new WordPress installation from hPanel if you plan to use the manual migration method.

Step-by-Step Migration

Method 1: Hostinger's Free Migration Service (Easiest)

Available on Business and Cloud plans. Hostinger's team handles everything for you.

1. Log into hPanel: Go to your Hostinger dashboard → Websites → select your domain → Migration
2. Submit a migration request: Provide your current host's login credentials (cPanel username/password, or WordPress admin credentials)
3. Specify details: Enter your website URL, current hosting provider, and any special requirements (e.g., WooCommerce store, staging needed first)
4. Wait for completion: Hostinger's migration team typically completes the transfer within 24-48 hours. You receive an email notification when done.
5. Review and verify: Hostinger provides a temporary URL to preview your migrated site. Check all pages, forms, and functionality before approving the DNS switch.

This method is ideal for non-technical users or complex setups. The migration team handles database imports, file transfers, and wp-config.php configuration.

Method 2: WordPress Migration Plugin (DIY — 30 Minutes)

For users who want faster completion or are on the Premium plan (no free migration):

1. Install All-in-One WP Migration on your current WordPress site. Go to Plugins → Add New → search "All-in-One WP Migration" → Install → Activate.
2. Export your site: Go to All-in-One WP Migration → Export → Export To → File. Wait for the export to complete, then download the .wpress file.
3. Install WordPress on Hostinger: In hPanel → Websites → Auto Installer → WordPress. Install to your domain.
4. Access WordPress on Hostinger: Use the temporary URL or modify your hosts file to access the Hostinger WordPress installation before DNS switch. On Windows: edit C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts. On Mac/Linux: edit /etc/hosts. Add: HOSTINGER-IP yourdomain.com
5. Install All-in-One WP Migration on Hostinger: Same plugin → Import → upload the .wpress file. For files over 512MB, use the Unlimited Extension ($69) or split with UpdraftPlus.
6. Verify: Check all pages, admin dashboard, and functionality via the temporary URL.

Method 3: cPanel to hPanel Migration (Manual)

For non-WordPress sites or if you prefer full control:

1. Download files from old host: Connect via SFTP (FileZilla) to your current host. Download the entire public_html/ directory.
2. Export database: phpMyAdmin → select database → Export → Quick → SQL format → Go.
3. Upload files to Hostinger: Connect via SFTP to Hostinger (credentials in hPanel → Files → FTP Accounts). Upload files to public_html/.
4. Create and import database: hPanel → Databases → MySQL Databases → create new database and user. Import via phpMyAdmin (hPanel → Databases → phpMyAdmin) → Import → upload .sql file.
5. Update configuration: Edit wp-config.php (or equivalent) with the new database name, username, password, and host (from hPanel database details).
6. Test via hosts file: Modify your local hosts file to point your domain to Hostinger's IP. Verify everything works.

DNS & Domain Configuration

Option A: Point Nameservers to Hostinger

The simplest approach — Hostinger manages all your DNS records:

1. Go to your domain registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, etc.)
2. Find the nameserver settings for your domain
3. Replace current nameservers with Hostinger's:
   ns1.dns-parking.com
ns2.dns-parking.com
4. Save changes — propagation takes 2-24 hours (typically 2-4 hours)

Option B: Point A Record Only (Keep External DNS)

If you use Cloudflare or another DNS provider and want to keep managing DNS there:

1. In your DNS provider, update the A record for @ (root domain) to Hostinger's server IP (found in hPanel → Plan Details)
2. Update the A record for www to the same IP, or create a CNAME pointing www to yourdomain.com
3. Keep MX records pointed to your email provider

Minimizing Downtime

• Lower TTL first: 24 hours before switching, reduce your DNS record TTL to 300 seconds
• Keep old host active: Do not cancel your previous host for at least 7 days after switching DNS
• Monitor propagation: Use whatsmydns.net to check global DNS propagation status
• SSL timing: Hostinger auto-provisions a free SSL certificate once DNS points to their servers. Allow 1-2 hours after DNS propagation for SSL activation.

If Your Domain Is at the Old Host

If your domain is registered with your current host (e.g., Bluehost, GoDaddy), you have two options:

• Change nameservers only (recommended first): Keep the domain registered at the old host but point nameservers to Hostinger. This takes effect in hours, not days.
• Transfer the domain: Hostinger offers free domain transfers. In hPanel → Domains → Transfer Domain. Unlock your domain at the old registrar, get the EPP code, and initiate the transfer. Takes 5-7 days.

Email Considerations

Hostinger includes free email hosting on all plans. If you want to use it, Hostinger sets up MX records automatically when you point nameservers to them. If you use Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, add their MX records in hPanel → DNS Zone before switching nameservers to avoid email disruption.

Post-Migration Verification

Immediate Checks (First 24 Hours)

• SSL certificate: Visit your site with https:// — the padlock should appear. If not, go to hPanel → SSL → install free SSL. Allow 1-2 hours after DNS propagation.
• All pages load: Check homepage, about, contact, blog posts, and any landing pages. Look for broken images, missing CSS, or layout shifts.
• Forms work: Submit a test entry on every form. Hostinger uses different mail server settings — contact form emails may need SMTP plugin configuration (WP Mail SMTP with Hostinger's SMTP settings).
• Admin access: Log into WordPress admin. Verify dashboard loads without errors, all plugins are active, and media library is intact.
• WooCommerce (if applicable): Place a test order, verify payment gateway connections, check that order emails send correctly.

LiteSpeed Cache Setup

Hostinger runs LiteSpeed web servers — install the LiteSpeed Cache plugin for WordPress to maximize performance:

1. Install and activate "LiteSpeed Cache" from the WordPress plugin directory
2. Go to LiteSpeed Cache → General → request a QUIC.cloud domain key (free)
3. Enable Page Cache, Browser Cache, and Object Cache
4. Under Image Optimization, enable WebP conversion and lazy loading
5. Purge all cache after setup

With LiteSpeed Cache properly configured, expect TTFB under 200ms and significant improvements in Core Web Vitals scores.

Performance Benchmarks

Run before/after tests to quantify your improvement:

• GTmetrix: Test from the location closest to your audience. Compare LCP and TTFB against your old host's numbers.
• PageSpeed Insights: Run both mobile and desktop tests. Hostinger with LiteSpeed Cache typically scores 85-95+ on desktop.
• UptimeRobot: Set up a free monitor (5-minute interval) to track uptime on Hostinger.

One-Week Checklist

• Verify Google Search Console shows no new crawl errors
• Check Google Analytics for traffic patterns — small dip during propagation is normal
• Confirm Hostinger's automatic backups are running (hPanel → Files → Backups)
• Test all cron jobs and scheduled WordPress tasks
• Remove the migration plugin (All-in-One WP Migration, Duplicator, etc.) — no longer needed

Cancel Your Old Host

After 7-14 days of smooth operation on Hostinger, cancel your old hosting account. Download a final backup from the old host before canceling, just in case. Check if you are eligible for a refund based on the old host's terms.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

The Bottom Line

More guides: Hostinger Review 2026 • Hostinger vs Bluehost • Best Cheap Web Hosting 2026 • Migrate from GoDaddy Guide