Building a WordPress website from scratch is time-consuming enough. However, moving it to another server comes with a whole array of potential issues that could break your site. Nobody wants to lose all their hard work, so it’s best not to attempt such tasks without advanced technical knowledge or help from a dedicated WordPress migration plugin.
Fortunately, there are a few reliable tools on the market that can help you transfer all your site files to a new web host with no downtime. A migration plugin can also be handy if you’re professionally developing sites for clients. It’s a safe way to push your changes live if you’ve been working on a site locally, too.
In this article, we’ll give you an overview of our top five migration plugins, most of which let you migrate a site for free. These solutions are suitable for all levels of experience, so you can move your website even if you’re not a WordPress expert. Let’s dive right in!
Best WordPress migration plugins
Now that we’ve discussed when a migration plugin can come in handy, let’s look at five excellent options. The one that’s the best fit for you will depend on your technical skill, but they each offer a time-saving option for migrating a WordPress website.
1. All-in-One WP Migration
Migrating your site can seem overwhelming if you don’t have any technical knowledge of how the process works. That’s where the All-in-One WP Migration plugin comes in handy. This beginner-friendly tool enables you to complete all the necessary tasks with just a few clicks.
The plugin lets you export your entire site as a single file. Then, you install the All-in-One WP Migration plugin at a fresh WordPress install at your destination server, upload that file, and your migrated site is ready to go. You can also use the ‘find and replace’ option to ensure a smooth transition of your site with no serialization issues.
Besides that, you don’t have to worry about upload size limitations if you use this plugin, as it will migrate larger sites in small chunks that weigh under 2 MB. Plus, All-in-One WP Migration is compatible with a long list of hosting providers.
However, for really large sites, you might want to invest in one of the premium extensions that lets you sync with cloud storage services, as the cloud approach is more reliable for large sites.
Key features ⚙️
- A clean interface
- Media files export
- Mobile-friendly experience
- Compatibility with Windows, Linux, and Mac
- Support for all PHP versions
- Integration with cloud storage services including Google Drive, Dropbox, and more
Pricing 💳
Free.
If you require more advanced features, you can choose to upgrade to one of the premium products, such as the Unlimited Extension. It enables you to exclude files, restore backups, and work with WP CLI commands. The license for this add-on costs $69, and you can use it on multiple sites.
2. Duplicator
Duplicator is another popular migration plugin that can help you transfer your site files to a new location. Also, as the name suggests, this tool enables you to copy, move, and clone your website, with an option to store your data on your local computer.
Duplicator lets you export your entire install as two separate files. Then, you just need to upload those files to your destination server using FTP or cPanel File Manager. From there, you can follow the simple wizard to fully migrate your site. It can also help you run a find and replace on your database to change domain names and fix serialization issues.
Apart from migration, you can also use Duplicator to back up your site, which you can do manually or automatically if you upgrade to the Pro version. Plus, you can use handy staging features, which enable you to test new themes or plugins without interrupting your live site.
Key features ⚙️
- Easy WordPress transfers
- Zero downtime migration
- Reuse of themes or other files
- Pre-bundled sites
Pricing 💳
Free.
To see how it works, check out our guide on how to move WordPress using Duplicator.
3. Migrate Guru
Our next recommendation is Migrate Guru, which is an excellent option if you want to move a large site or multisite network to a new server. This migration plugin makes the process easier, enabling you to transfer even large files that weigh up to 200 GB.
This lightweight plugin doesn’t require you to have a third-party storage solution as the process is facilitated through Migrate Guru’s servers. This way, you don’t need to worry about unexpected downtime or failed transfers due to your site crashing.
Migrate Guru is also beginner-friendly and super fast to use, thanks to its one-click migration feature. This means you can transfer even a complex 1 GB site to a new host in less than half an hour. Also, you shouldn’t have to install any additional tools as all major providers support this plugin.
However, note that Migrate Guru does not provide any backup options like the other competitors in this list. You’ll need to look into WordPress backup plugins or other solutions if you’re wanting to have copies of your site on hand.
Key features ⚙️
- Built-in ‘search and replace’ functionality
- Email alerts with progress notifications
- Automatic URL rewrites
- Import-export script bypass
- Dedicated integrations with many popular WordPress hosts, as well as a generic option that works with any host
Pricing 💳
Free.
4. SolidWP
On the other hand, suppose you’re primarily looking for a reliable backup tool that enables you to relocate your website as well. In that case, SolidWP could be the optimal solution for you.
This premium plugin helps you restore the latest version of your site if it gets hacked or encounters other problems and becomes compromised. Plus, it can facilitate the migration of your WordPress files.
SolidWP enables you to download and store your website using cloud solutions such as Google Drive or Dropbox. You can then restore all your files on the same server or another location using the ImportBuddy feature. It also provides you with a dedicated migration tool to help you change your web host, adjust your domain, and replace URLs easily.
Key features ⚙️
- Serialized data
- Malware scans
- Customer service
- Scheduled backups
- Email notifications
- Ability to exclude or restore individual files
- Database repair features
Pricing 💳
You can purchase a single-site license for $199.
5. UpdraftPlus
Our final recommendation is UpdraftPlus, a feature-rich plugin with powerful backup, restoration, and cloning capabilities. This tool’s primary purpose is backing up your WordPress site, so it’s not a typical migration plugin. However, it does come with several additional features, including a dedicated migration extension.
UpdraftPlus makes backing up your site simple. For instance, you can protect your files, copy, and restore them in the same or a new location in a matter of one click, without the need for any additional tools. Plus, you can save your backup to Google Drive, Dropbox, or a range of other cloud storage services.
Furthermore, UpdraftPlus can help you transfer files from local to live environments, which is handy if you’re testing new features for your site. You can also migrate your WordPress files to another domain name using an intuitive dashboard, enabling even beginners to successfully change their web addresses.
Key features ⚙️
- Scheduled and incremental backups
- Extensive cloud storage service integrations
- Multisite support
- WP CLI command support
- Security encryption
- ‘Search and replace’ functionality
- Customer support
Pricing 💳
Free for backups. However, to access the migration extension, you’ll need to upgrade to one of the premium packages. UpdraftPlus Premium starts at $70 and includes the UpdraftPlus Migrator extension. Alternatively, you can purchase the migration add-on by itself for $49 per year.
Conclusion
Migrating websites is no easy task. If you don’t know what you’re doing, attempting to transfer your site files manually could result in errors or other serious problems. Fortunately, you can use a migration plugin even if you don’t have advanced technical skills.
In this article, we’ve talked about five of the best WordPress migration plugins that can help you get the job done, including:
- 🥇 All-in-One WP Migration: An excellent, all-round tool for beginners and advanced users. This is our go-to choice.
- 🥈 Duplicator: Our second choice. Use this one if you don’t like the interface of All-in-One WP Migration.
- 🥉 Migrate Guru, SolidWP, UpdraftPlus: These are all feature-rich solutions that you can try if the first two are not 100% what you need.
We also have several guides that show you how to migrate a WordPress site with or without changing your domain name, as well as some additional resources:
Do you have any questions about using a WordPress migration plugin? Let us know in the comments section below!
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