Migrating Your Website to KapsuleHost

Moving your website to KapsuleHost is straightforward, and migration is free for every site you move onto a KapsuleHost plan. This guide explains both the assisted migration process and how to complete a self-service migration.

Free Automated Migration

KapsuleHost includes free website migration for customers moving from another hosting provider. The only thing a migration needs is somewhere to land: a KapsuleHost plan with a free site slot, or an existing site on your account for the same domain. The fastest way to move is our automated self-serve migration:

1. In KPanel, open Start a migration
2. Choose what you are moving (website, email, or domain)
3. For a website, enter your current site's address and your FTP/SFTP and database details, or upload a backup
4. KapsuleHost automatically copies your files and database, rewrites your site URLs, and stages the site so you can test it before you switch your DNS

You can watch live progress in KPanel and get email updates as each step completes. Most migrations finish in well under an hour, though larger sites (big media libraries or WooCommerce stores) can take a couple of hours. If something cannot be moved automatically, our team is notified and finishes it for you at no extra cost.

Email is copied separately from the website. When your domain's mail is hosted somewhere else, the website wizard adds a Your email step: choose to move it, enter each mailbox's login, and your mailboxes are copied across alongside the site. Your mail keeps arriving at your old provider until you point your MX records at KapsuleHost, which is a separate step you take once the copy has finished. If you skip the email step, the go-live screen offers Move my email too afterwards. See Email Migration.

Prefer to hand the whole thing off? On the same migration page you can request white-glove assistance and our team will do the move for you.

Self-Service Migration: WordPress Sites

Step 1: Export Your Current Site

Install the Duplicator or All-in-One WP Migration plugin on your existing site. Create a full backup package (files + database).

Step 2: Create a New Website in KPanel

1. Log in to KPanel and go to Websites
2. Click Add Website
3. Enter your domain name
4. Click Create Site

Step 3: Upload Your Files

Connect to your new KapsuleHost website via SFTP (see SFTP Access) and upload your files to the site root directory.

Step 4: Import Your Database

1. Go to Websites in KPanel, select your site, and click Database
2. Create a new database and note the credentials
3. Import your .sql file using the database import tool in KPanel
4. Update wp-config.php with the new database credentials

Step 5: Test Before Going Live

Visit your site using the temporary KapsuleHost URL to check all pages, images, forms, and functionality before updating DNS.

Step 6: Update Your DNS

Once the site works correctly on KapsuleHost, update your domain's nameservers to KapsuleHost's nameservers (shown in KPanel under Domains), or update the A record to point to your new KapsuleHost server IP.