How do I move my WordPress site to a new host without downtime?
Copy the site to the new server first, test it there, then switch DNS last — so visitors keep
hitting the working site until the new one is confirmed. CoHosta migrates WordPress sites this
way: we take the credentials, schedule the move for your quietest hours, and verify before
cutting over. Site transfer is included free with our Technical Support Plan (FULL).
Get a migration quote
Call (832) 224-3515
How a CoHosta migration works
- Credentials and timing. We collect the access we need and agree a window
when your site sees the least activity. - Copy to the new server. Files and database are moved to CoHosta while your
existing site stays live and untouched. - Test before anyone sees it. The site is checked on the new server —
pages, forms, checkout, plugins — before any traffic is pointed at it. - SSL and DNS. Certificates are issued and DNS is cut over once the copy is
verified working. - Watch it settle. We stay on it after cutover while DNS propagates.
What we can move
| Situation | Can we move it? |
|---|---|
| Standard WordPress site on shared hosting | Yes |
| WooCommerce / e-commerce store | Yes — we’ve migrated large e-commerce sites |
| Site currently broken or partly offline | Often yes — we’ve moved sites that weren’t functional before the move because the old host dropped support for legacy PHP |
| Site on an old PHP version | Yes — this is one of the common reasons to move |
| Multiple sites / addon domains | Yes |
| Site you’ve lost the login for | Usually — as long as the files and database can be reached, we can move it |
The rule we work to: as long as your files and database are accessible, we can move it
safely.
Why migrations go wrong
- DNS switched too early. Traffic gets sent to a site that isn’t ready yet.
- Database left behind. Files copy across but content, users or orders don’t.
- Hard-coded URLs. The old domain or path stays baked into the database and
breaks images and links. - PHP version mismatch. The site runs on the old server and fails on the new
one, or the reverse. - Nobody tested checkout. The homepage looks fine; the thing that makes money
doesn’t work.
Moving hosts also has SEO consequences if redirects and canonicals aren’t handled — we cover
that in SEO after a website transfer and in the
DNS cutover plan.
What a migration costs
Site transfer is included free with our Technical Support Plan (FULL) — if
you’re moving to CoHosta and taking a support plan, you don’t pay separately for the migration.
Standalone transfers are quoted per site, because a single brochure site and a multi-store
WooCommerce setup are not the same job. Tell us what you have and we’ll quote it.
Get your site moved
Tell us where the site lives now and what it runs on.
WordPress migration FAQs
Will my site go down during the migration?
It shouldn’t. The site is copied and tested on the new server before DNS is switched, so
visitors keep reaching the working site until the new one is confirmed.
How long does a WordPress migration take?
The copy itself is usually the short part; DNS propagation is what takes longest and is
outside anyone’s control. We schedule the move for your quietest window and stay with it
until it has settled.
Will I lose my SEO rankings?
Not from the move itself, provided URLs stay the same and redirects, canonicals and the
sitemap are handled properly. Ranking losses after a migration are almost always caused by
URL changes that weren’t redirected.
Do I need to do anything?
Give us the credentials and agree a time. We handle the rest.
Can you move my site if it’s currently broken?
Often, yes. We’ve migrated sites that weren’t functional before the move — including sites
broken because the previous host dropped support for older PHP versions.
Is the migration really free?
It’s included with the Technical Support Plan (FULL). Standalone migrations without a support
plan are quoted per site.
