How to Migrate Your Website to Hostinger (Free & Paid Options)

Migrating a website from one hosting provider to another can seem like a daunting task, especially if you have little technical knowledge. However, switching to a better hosting provider like Hostinger can significantly improve your website’s speed, uptime, security, and overall performance — making the migration effort well worth it.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through how to migrate your website to Hostinger, covering both free manual methods and paid professional services. Whether you run a small blog, an eCommerce store, or a business website, this article will give you step-by-step instructions to make your website migration smooth and hassle-free.

Why Migrate Your Website to Hostinger?

Before we dive into the migration process, let’s quickly review why Hostinger is an excellent choice for hosting your website:

• Affordable plans: Hostinger offers some of the most budget-friendly hosting packages without compromising quality.
• Fast servers: Powered by LiteSpeed web servers and SSD storage, Hostinger ensures faster loading times.
• Easy-to-use control panel: The custom hPanel interface makes website management simple for beginners.
• Free SSL certificates: Security is a priority with Hostinger’s free SSL offering.
• 24/7 customer support: Access expert help anytime during your migration or afterward.
• Free website migration service: Hostinger offers free website migration on certain plans, saving you time and effort.

Types of Website Migration

When moving your website to Hostinger, you generally have two options:

1. Free Manual Migration

You do all the work yourself — transferring files, databases, and configuring settings.

Pros: No cost, full control over the process.

Cons: Requires technical knowledge and time.

2. Paid Professional Migration Service

Hostinger’s expert team handles the entire migration process for you.

Pros: Hassle-free, faster, less risk of errors.

Cons: May be limited to specific plans or come with additional fees if outside free migration eligibility.

Step-by-Step Guide: Free Manual Migration to Hostinger

If you’re comfortable managing your website files and databases, manual migration is a great no-cost option.

Step 1: Backup Your Website Files and Databases

For Static Websites:

• Use an FTP client (like FileZilla) to download all files from your current hosting server’s root directory.
• Make sure to include hidden files like .htaccess.

For WordPress or Other CMS Websites:

• Download all WordPress files via FTP.
• Export your database using phpMyAdmin or your hosting control panel’s database management tool.

How to Export Database in phpMyAdmin:

1. Log into your current hosting control panel.
2. Open phpMyAdmin.
3. Select your WordPress or CMS database.
4. Click the Export tab.
5. Choose the Quick export method and SQL format.
6. Click Go to download the .sql file.

Step 2: Upload Website Files to Hostinger

1. Log into your Hostinger account.
2. Access hPanel and open File Manager or use an FTP client with your Hostinger FTP credentials.
3. Upload your website files into the public_html directory (this is the web root folder).
4. If you have a CMS like WordPress, upload the WordPress files here.

Step 3: Import the Database to Hostinger

1. In hPanel, go to Databases > MySQL Databases.
2. Create a new database, database user, and password.
3. Note down these credentials; you’ll need them later.
4. Open phpMyAdmin from hPanel.
5. Select the newly created database.
6. Click the Import tab.
7. Upload the .sql file you exported earlier.
8. Click Go to start the import.

Step 4: Update Configuration Files

For WordPress sites:

• Edit the wp-config.php file in your website files.
• Update the following lines with your new database credentials:

define('DB_NAME', 'your_new_database_name');
define('DB_USER', 'your_new_database_user');
define('DB_PASSWORD', 'your_new_database_password');
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');

Save and upload the updated file back to Hostinger.

Step 5: Test Your Website on Hostinger’s Server

Before pointing your domain to Hostinger, test the website using the temporary IP or a Hostinger-provided temporary URL:

• In hPanel, find your server’s IP address.
• Modify your local hosts file to point your domain to the new IP.
• Access your website to verify it loads correctly.
• Check all pages, images, and functionality.

Step 6: Update Your Domain’s DNS Records

Once you confirm the website works properly on Hostinger, update your domain to point to Hostinger servers:

1. Log into your domain registrar’s dashboard.
2. Change the nameservers to Hostinger’s nameservers (found in hPanel under DNS/Nameservers):

ns1.dns-parking.com
ns2.dns-parking.com

3. Save changes and allow DNS propagation (usually takes up to 24-48 hours).

Step 7: Verify SSL Certificate and Final Checks

• Activate free SSL on Hostinger via hPanel > SSL.
• Install the Really Simple SSL plugin on WordPress if applicable.
• Test your site over HTTPS and make sure everything works.

Paid Migration Option: Using Hostinger’s Free Website Migration Service

If you prefer a hassle-free experience, Hostinger offers free website migration for eligible plans such as Premium Shared Hosting and above.

How It Works:

1. Purchase an eligible Hostinger plan.
2. Go to hPanel and select Website Migration.
3. Fill out the migration request form with details of your current host, website type, and credentials.
4. Submit the request.

Hostinger’s migration team will take it from here, usually completing the process within 24-48 hours. They will notify you when your site is ready on Hostinger’s servers.

When to Choose Paid Migration Over Manual?

• You don’t have technical skills or time to perform manual migration.
• You want to avoid risks like data loss or downtime.
• Your website is complex (e.g., custom CMS, multiple databases, or large files).
• You want peace of mind knowing experts handle the migration.

Tips to Avoid Common Migration Issues

1. Backup Everything

Always create backups before starting the migration to avoid accidental data loss.

2. Minimize Downtime

Schedule your migration during off-peak hours and test your website thoroughly before switching DNS.

3. Check PHP Versions and Software Compatibility

Ensure Hostinger supports your CMS version and PHP version to avoid incompatibility issues.

4. Clear Your Cache

After migration, clear caches on your website, CDN, and browser to avoid loading old content.

5. Monitor SEO

Make sure URLs remain unchanged or properly redirected to avoid losing search engine rankings.

Post-Migration Checklist

• Verify website functionality on the new host.
• Set up email accounts on Hostinger if needed.
• Enable SSL and security plugins.
• Optimize website speed using caching and CDN.
• Update analytics and tracking codes if necessary.
• Inform your visitors about the migration if your website experiences downtime.

Conclusion

Migrating your website to Hostinger can bring better performance, enhanced security, and cost savings. Whether you opt for the free manual migration or take advantage of Hostinger’s professional migration service, this guide equips you with all the knowledge needed to complete the process confidently.

By following these step-by-step instructions, you’ll minimize downtime, prevent data loss, and ensure a smooth transition to your new Hostinger hosting environment.

Ready to migrate your website? Log into Hostinger today and take your website to the next level!