# Migrate WordPress to Hostinger free, with zero downtime URL: https://www.savemores.store/guides/migrate-wordpress-to-hostinger Author: Mr. Ahmed · Published 2026-10-18 · Updated 2026-10-18 · Website tutorials ## Short answer - Hostinger migrates WordPress sites at no charge on its hosting plans; you request it in hPanel after buying a plan. - The old site keeps serving visitors until you change DNS, so a careful migration has no downtime. - A plugin such as All-in-One WP Migration or Duplicator can do the same move yourself, usually in about 30 minutes for a small site. - Website migration does not move your mailboxes, so copy MX, SPF and DKIM records before switching nameservers. - DNS changes reach most visitors within a few hours and can take up to 24 hours to propagate fully. ## How the move works Hostinger will copy a WordPress site over for free. The sequence is: buy a plan, request the migration in hPanel, check the copy on a temporary address, then repoint the domain. The old host keeps serving visitors right up to the DNS change, so nobody sees an outage. Prefer to do it yourself? A migration plugin handles a typical small site in about half an hour. Either route works from Bluehost, GoDaddy, SiteGround, Namecheap or anywhere else. ## Preparation (don't skip this) Four things to do before anything moves: - **Keep the old hosting.** Leave it running until the new site has been live for a few days. - **Back up at the current host.** Files and database. This is your way back if something goes wrong. - **Find out where your email lives.** If the mailboxes sit on the old host, the domain move affects them. The email section below covers it. - **Update everything.** WordPress core, theme and plugins. Up-to-date sites migrate with fewer surprises. > From the bench: The single most expensive mistake I see in migrations is cancelling the old host the same afternoon. It costs you nothing to keep it a few more days, and it is your only fallback. ## Route A: let Hostinger do it This is the route I'd recommend for most people. 1. Buy a hosting plan. Premium suits most sites; Business adds daily backups and more resources. See [Premium vs Business vs Cloud Startup](https://www.savemores.store/compare/premium-vs-business-vs-cloud-startup) if you're unsure. 2. In hPanel, open **Websites** and choose to migrate a website. The label moves between hPanel updates, so search for "migrate" if it isn't obvious. 3. Give Hostinger access to the old site: WordPress admin credentials, or a backup file from the old host. Admin access is usually faster. 4. Wait for the confirmation email. Small sites often finish within a few hours; larger ones take longer. > From the bench: Don't hand over your own admin password. Create a separate administrator account just for the migration and delete it once the move is done. ## Route B: do it yourself with a plugin All-in-One WP Migration and Duplicator both bundle the whole site, meaning files, database and settings, into a single file you import on the other side. 1. Install the plugin on the old site and export everything to a file. 2. In hPanel, create a fresh WordPress install on your domain. 3. Install the same plugin there and import the file. It overwrites the fresh install with your site. 4. Sign in with your old site's username and password, then open **Settings → Permalinks** and click Save to regenerate the URL rules. > From the bench: Free plugin versions sometimes cap the import size. If your site is large, use Route A or pay for the plugin's full version rather than splitting the site into pieces. ## Check the copy before anyone else sees it Whichever route you used, don't point the domain yet. hPanel can give the new site a temporary preview address so you can click through it first. - Load the homepage, several posts and every page that matters. - Submit the contact form and confirm the message arrives. - On WooCommerce, place a test order. - Confirm images load and the admin area works. ## Repoint the domain Once the copy checks out, send the domain to Hostinger. Either switch its nameservers to the two listed in hPanel, or keep your current DNS provider and change the A record to your Hostinger IP. Most visitors hit the new server within a few hours; full propagation can take up to 24. After DNS has moved, install the free SSL certificate in hPanel and confirm the site loads over https. ## Email: the part migrations quietly break Migrating a website copies the site. It does not copy mailboxes. If your mail is hosted at the old provider and you change nameservers, incoming mail can simply stop. - **Mail on Google Workspace or Microsoft 365:** recreate the MX, SPF and DKIM records in the new DNS before you switch nameservers. - **Mail at the old host:** create the same mailboxes on Hostinger first, then switch, and bring old messages over with your mail app or an IMAP migration tool. > From the bench: Before changing nameservers, screenshot or export every DNS record at the old provider. MX and TXT records are the ones nobody remembers until mail stops. The [email setup guide](https://www.savemores.store/guides/hostinger-email-setup) explains what each record does. ## After the switch - Remove any old caching plugin and enable LiteSpeed Cache, which Hostinger's servers are built around. - Look at Google Search Console again. SEO is unaffected as long as URLs stay the same. - After a few quiet days, take one final backup from the old host, then cancel it. ## Next steps Once you're settled, work through the [speed fixes for Hostinger sites](https://www.savemores.store/guides/speed-up-slow-hostinger-site). If you haven't bought the plan yet, the [coupon page](https://www.savemores.store/hostinger-coupon) shows how WEBHOST2026 takes an extra 20% off. ## FAQ ### Is Hostinger's migration actually free? Yes. Hostinger migrates websites at no charge on its hosting plans. You pay only for the plan. ### Will my site go down while it migrates? No. The old site keeps serving visitors until you change DNS, and during propagation both copies serve the same content. ### Do I have to transfer my domain to Hostinger? No. You can leave the domain at its current registrar and just change its nameservers or A record. Transferring is optional. ### Does migrating hurt SEO? Not if your URLs stay the same and the site works over https. A faster server can even help. ### Does WEBHOST2026 work if I'm coming from another host? Yes. It takes an extra 20% off any new Hostinger plan, wherever you're moving from.