Hosting Migration Services: What Is Usually Included
Learn what free hosting migration usually moves, what it leaves out, which access and plan conditions apply, and how to verify the cutover.
Facts that can change should include a source and check date. Benchmark claims should state the plan, region, method, and test period.
If you are comparing a free hosting migration, the usual scope is copying your website files and database to the new server, then making basic configuration changes so the site can operate there. It does not automatically include every service connected to your domain, such as email, DNS, domain transfer, cron jobs, or custom SSL work. Eligibility can also depend on your plan, software, and access to the old host.
What is usually included#
| Item | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Website files | The provider copies the files that make up the site. |
| Database | The site's database is transferred with the files when the platform uses one. |
| Basic reconfiguration | The provider may adjust basic settings required for the copied site to work on the new server. |
The exact scope varies by provider and plan. SiteGround describes website transfer as moving the site's files and database and configuring the new environment.
What may be excluded#
Common exclusions include:
- Email mailboxes and mail routing
- Domain registration or domain transfer
- DNS zones and custom DNS records
- Cron jobs or scheduled tasks
- FTP accounts
- Custom SSL configuration
Domain transfer and DNS changes are different tasks. A domain can remain registered with the same company while its DNS points to the new host. cPanel treats DNS zones and mail routing as separate transfer settings and warns that custom records can be lost if the old server is shut down too soon.
Conditions that can limit the service#
A provider may require:
- An active hosting plan
- Enough resources on the new account
- Supported software or a supported control panel
- Login or transfer access to the old hosting account
Proprietary website builders, VPS migrations, and internal account transfers may be outside the standard service. If the site has a custom setup, ask whether the provider will migrate it, identify the excluded work, or decline the request.
The word free should not be treated as a complete cost or scope statement. Ask whether the migration itself has no separate fee, whether an active plan is required, and whether excluded work such as custom SSL, DNS, email, or an unsupported setup could require a separate service.
Prepare before the move#
Keep your own backup before the provider starts. For WordPress, the official guidance recommends backing up both the website files and the database: WordPress backup documentation.
Ask the provider to confirm these points in writing:
- Which files, databases, applications, and accounts will move.
- Whether email, DNS, SSL, cron jobs, and domain transfer are included.
- Who will change DNS and who will check the site after the change.
- What happens if the site uses an unsupported builder or custom configuration.
- Whether the old hosting account should remain active until testing is complete.
Provider documentation describes the intended service, not the result of testing your specific site. Keep the old account active while you test the site on the new hosting, confirm the required DNS records, and check mail routing if email is part of the setup. Close the old account only after the new service is working and any separate DNS or email tasks are accounted for.
Sources
- Hostinger documentation Checked 2026-09-20
- SiteGround documentation Checked 2026-09-20
- cPanel documentation Checked 2026-09-20
- WordPress documentation Checked 2026-09-20