How to Migrate a BigCommerce Store to Hostinger‑Hosted WordPress

Updated 2026-06-28 · Hosting Reviews

Moving a BigCommerce store to a Hostinger WordPress site can seem daunting, but with the right plan you can keep your products, SEO juice, and customer data intact while cutting hosting costs. In this guide we’ll walk through everything you need—hosting, domain, WordPress, WooCommerce, and the migration process—so you can launch a fully functional online store without a developer’s bill.

What You Need Before You Start

First, gather the basics:

• Domain name – If you already own one, you can point it to Hostinger; otherwise you can register a new .com, .store, or any TLD directly through Hostinger’s domain panel.
• Hosting plan – For a small‑to‑medium store, Hostinger’s shared WordPress hosting (around $3‑$5 per month) is usually enough. If you expect high traffic or need more control, consider their cloud or VPS options ($10‑$30+/month).
• WordPress + WooCommerce – WordPress powers the site; WooCommerce adds the e‑commerce layer. Both install with a single click on Hostinger.
• Export files from BigCommerce – You’ll need a CSV of products, categories, customers, and orders. BigCommerce provides built‑in export tools under Settings → Export.

Having these pieces ready will keep the migration smooth and let you focus on design and payment setup.

Choosing the Right Hostinger Plan for Your Online Store

Hostinger offers three main tiers that work well for e‑commerce:

1. Shared WordPress – Ideal for new stores with under 1,000 products and modest traffic. You get fast SSD storage, free SSL, and automatic WordPress updates.
2. Cloud Hosting – Better performance and scalability for stores that need 2,000+ products or anticipate spikes (e.g., holiday sales). Resources are allocated on a virtual server, still managed for you.
3. VPS Hosting – Full control, dedicated resources, and the ability to run custom server‑level caching or security modules. Choose this only if you have a technical team or expect very high volume.

Most beginners will be fine with shared WordPress; you can upgrade later without moving domains.

Step‑by‑Step: Migrating Your BigCommerce Store to Hostinger WordPress

Follow these concrete steps to get your store live:

1. Set up hosting and install WordPress
   • Log into Hostinger, pick a plan, and complete the checkout. Remember that introductory rates are lower than renewal rates.
   • Use the one‑click WordPress installer in the hPanel. Choose your domain, enable the free SSL, and finish the wizard.
2. Install WooCommerce
   • From the WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins → Add New, search for “WooCommerce,” install and activate.
   • Run the setup wizard: set currency, payment gateways, shipping zones, and tax basics.
3. Export data from BigCommerce
   • In BigCommerce, navigate to Settings → Export and download CSV files for Products, Categories, Customers, and Orders.
   • If you have custom fields, export those separately; you’ll map them later.
4. Import products and categories
   • In WordPress, go to WooCommerce → Products → Import. Upload the product CSV, map columns (SKU, price, description, images) and run the import.
   • For categories, you can include a “category” column in the same CSV or use a separate import tool like “WP All Import” (free version works for basic stores).
5. Migrate customers and orders (optional)
   • WooCommerce doesn’t have a built‑in customer import, so use a plugin such as “Customer / Order CSV Import Suite.” Upload the customer CSV, match fields, and import.
   • Orders can also be imported with the same plugin; keep order dates and statuses intact for continuity.
6. Configure payment gateways
   • Activate Stripe, PayPal, or any other gateway supported by WooCommerce. Enter API keys from your merchant accounts.
   • Test a sandbox transaction before going live.
7. Set up shipping methods
   • Define zones (domestic, international) and rates (flat, weight‑based, or carrier‑calculated). Hostinger’s servers are located in multiple data centers, so choose the region closest to your primary customers for better latency.
8. Design and optimize
   • Pick a lightweight WooCommerce‑compatible theme (e.g., Storefront or Astra). Install via Appearance → Themes.
   • Enable a caching plugin like “LiteSpeed Cache” (free on Hostinger) and configure basic settings for page speed.
9. Test, go live, and point DNS
   • Browse the site on a staging subdomain (provided by Hostinger) to verify product pages, cart, checkout, and email notifications.
   • When satisfied, update your domain’s A record in the Hostinger DNS manager to point to the new server IP.
   • Check SSL status (should be active automatically) and run a quick Google PageSpeed test.

That’s it—your BigCommerce catalog now lives on a Hostinger‑powered WordPress site.

Speed, Security, and Ongoing Costs

Even a small store benefits from a few performance tweaks:

• Image optimization – Use a plugin like “Smush” to compress product photos without losing quality.
• CDN – Hostinger includes a free Cloudflare CDN on most plans; enable it to serve static assets from edge locations.
• Security – Keep WordPress, themes, and plugins updated. Hostinger’s hPanel offers daily backups; enable them to protect against accidental data loss.

Cost-wise, expect an initial payment of $3‑$5/month for shared WordPress, plus a domain registration of roughly $10‑$15/year. Renewals will be higher—usually $5‑$7/month for the host and the same domain fee. If you add premium plugins (e.g., advanced shipping or subscription tools), budget an extra $20‑$50 per year.

When to Upgrade from Shared to Cloud or VPS

Watch these signals:

• Consistently >5,000 visitors per month.
• More than 1,500 products or heavy media files.
• Need for custom server‑side code (e.g., bespoke checkout extensions).

If any of these apply, move to Hostinger’s cloud hosting. The migration process is the same—just point the DNS to the new server IP after provisioning.

FAQ

Do I lose SEO rankings when I migrate from BigCommerce to WordPress?

If you keep the same URL structure and set up 301 redirects for any changed URLs, most of your SEO equity transfers. Hostinger’s DNS manager makes adding redirects easy, and plugins like “Redirection” help automate the process.

Can I keep the same domain name?

Absolutely. Simply update the domain’s DNS records to point to your new Hostinger server. The domain stays registered with your current registrar or can be transferred to Hostinger for convenience.

Is technical support available if I run into issues?

Hostinger offers 24/7 live chat support and an extensive knowledge base. For WordPress‑specific questions, the community forums and official documentation are also valuable resources.