How to Migrate to Hostinger in 2026: Free Migration Guide

Looking up how to migrate to hostinger in 2026? Hostinger ships a free migration tool that handles most WordPress and cPanel migrations in under an hour, and a manual path for anything unusual. This guide walks through both, what to back up beforehand, and the order of switching DNS so you do not break email or analytics during the move. Apply our referral code JQZIMUSVE7VM on a new account at checkout for an extra 20% off the new plan.

How to migrate to Hostinger: the free tool path

1. Buy your Hostinger plan and finish signup. Apply code JQZIMUSVE7VM if you are a brand new customer.
2. Open hPanel and go to Websites → Add Website → Migrate Website.
3. Pick your platform: WordPress (most common), cPanel (Shared/Reseller), Plesk, or Other.
4. For WordPress, enter your current site URL and admin user/password. The tool installs a helper plugin on your old site and transfers files + database to Hostinger.
5. For cPanel, paste your old host’s cPanel URL, username and password.
6. Wait for the migration to complete and review the staged preview link.
7. Update DNS at your registrar to point to Hostinger’s name servers, or update A records to Hostinger’s IP. DNS can take up to 48 hours globally.

Manual WordPress migration

1. On the old host, install All-in-One WP Migration or UpdraftPlus and export a full backup.
2. On Hostinger, install WordPress (1-click in hPanel). See our step-by-step WordPress install guide if needed.
3. Install the same migration plugin on the new Hostinger WordPress.
4. Import the backup file. Allow uploads up to your file size (Hostinger lets you set higher PHP limits in hPanel).
5. Reset permalinks (Settings → Permalinks → Save) so internal URLs rebuild.
6. Spot-check media, internal links, and the contact form.
7. Switch DNS only when the preview is verified.

Pre-migration checklist

• Take a fresh backup on the old host. Keep one off-site copy (Google Drive or your laptop).
• Record current TTL, A records, MX records (email), TXT records (SPF/DKIM), CNAME (CDN, analytics).
• Note your current PHP version, WordPress version, and active plugin list.
• If you sell, freeze new orders during the cutover window.
• Capture Search Console index status so you can monitor changes after the move.

Post-migration verification

• Visit the live site and click 10 pages: home, about, contact, blog post, category, search, 404, cart (if store), product, checkout.
• Test the contact form and check the inbox.
• Run Sitemap submission again in Search Console.
• Test email send/receive if you moved MX records.
• Check SSL: should be valid via Let’s Encrypt automatically.
• Run Page Speed Insights to confirm the new host delivers expected TTFB.

Buyer safety checklist before checkout

• Confirm the discount is visible on the final cart screen before paying.
• Check the renewal price, not just the intro price. Hostinger renews at standard rate after term ends.
• Pick the 24-48 month term for the lowest effective monthly price.
• Ensure the coupon code JQZIMUSVE7VM is applied. New Hostinger accounts only.
• Use a billing email you actively check, so renewal notices do not go to spam.

DNS switchover checklist (the part people get wrong)

The most common migration error is changing nameservers before the new host is ready. To minimise downtime, lower your TTL to 300 seconds 24 hours before the cutover. After the migration finishes and you verify the preview link, update A records to Hostinger’s IP rather than changing nameservers, so MX and TXT records stay intact. Then change nameservers only after email is verified working on the new host (if you also moved email).

What about email during a migration?

If your email runs at Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or your previous host, do not touch MX records. Only the A record needs to change. If your email runs on your old shared host, the move is more involved: export mailboxes via IMAP, set up the same accounts on Hostinger Mail or Reach, and import. Plan a 24-hour parallel-run window during which both old and new servers can receive mail, so nothing bounces.

Roll-back plan: in case something breaks

Before pointing DNS, take a fresh backup of the live site on the OLD host. If the new Hostinger setup has a critical bug, you can re-point DNS back to the old IP within minutes (limited by the TTL you set). Keep the old hosting account active for at least 30 days after a successful migration in case you need to retrieve overlooked files.

Bottom line

Hostinger’s migration tool covers WordPress and cPanel hosts in 1-2 hours. The manual path is also straightforward with All-in-One WP Migration or UpdraftPlus. Always migrate, verify on a preview link, then switch DNS last; this avoids broken email and analytics gaps. Use referral code JQZIMUSVE7VM on a new Hostinger account at signup to lock in the extra 20%. If you are still picking a plan, our Hostinger pricing guide compares the term lengths.