How to Migrate a Drupal Site to Hostinger While Keeping Email Intact
Updated 2026-06-26 · Hosting Reviews
Moving a Drupal site can feel intimidating because of how Drupal handles file directories and database configurations. However, if you want to lower your monthly overhead and improve your load times, the best move is to migrate Drupal site to Hostinger keep email intact. By following a systematic approach, you can move your entire ecosystem—files, database, and professional communication—without losing a single message.
Choosing the Right Hostinger Plan for Drupal
Before you start the migration, you need a destination. For most small businesses and beginners, Hostinger’s shared hosting is the sweet spot, typically ranging from $3 to $12 per month. If your Drupal site has high traffic or complex modules, you might consider their Cloud hosting (roughly $10 to $25 per month) for dedicated resources.
Drupal requires a stable environment with PHP and MySQL support, which Hostinger provides out of the box. When you sign up, you'll get a free SSL certificate, which is non-negotiable for modern SEO and security. To look professional from day one, I recommend their Domain & Business Email package. This allows you to register a clean .com or .net domain and set up a professional email (like info@yourbusiness.com) that matches your brand.
Step 1: Backing Up Your Drupal Files and Database
You cannot migrate what you haven't saved. To migrate Drupal site to Hostinger keep email, you first need a full snapshot of your current environment. Start by using an FTP client (like FileZilla) to download all your public_html files to your local computer. This ensures your themes, custom modules, and uploaded images are safe.
Next, head to your current host's phpMyAdmin and export your Drupal database as an .sql file. This file contains every page, user account, and configuration setting on your site. Verify that both the file zip and the database export are complete before proceeding; missing one of these will result in a broken site.
Step 2: Setting Up Your Domain & Business Email
Now that you have your backups, it's time to configure the destination. If you are transferring your domain to Hostinger, initiate the transfer process in the hPanel. If you're keeping your domain elsewhere, you'll simply update the nameservers to point to Hostinger.
To ensure you keep your email intact, do not delete your old email accounts until the new ones are created. Use the Domain & Business Email setup to create identical email addresses (same usernames) on Hostinger. This ensures that once the DNS propagates, your incoming mail has a place to land. Professional email is a cornerstone of business credibility, and Hostinger makes the setup process straightforward for those who aren't networking experts.
Step 3: Uploading and Connecting Your Site
With your hosting account active, follow these practical steps to get the site live:
- Upload your Drupal files via the Hostinger File Manager or FTP into the public_html folder.
- Create a new MySQL database in the hPanel and note the database name, username, and password.
- Import your .sql file into the new database using phpMyAdmin.
- Edit the
settings.phpfile in your Drupal configuration to update the database credentials to match your new Hostinger details. - Clear the Drupal cache to ensure the site recognizes the new server environment.
Ensuring Speed and Security
Once the migration is complete, don't just leave it on default settings. Hostinger offers integrated caching and a free SSL certificate—activate both immediately. Drupal can be resource-heavy, so using a lightweight theme and optimizing your images will keep your page load speeds under three seconds, which is critical for keeping visitors on your page.
Remember that introductory pricing on hosting is usually lower than renewal rates. Budget for a slight increase in cost after the first term, but the trade-off is a significantly more user-friendly interface and faster support than most legacy hosts provide.
FAQ
Will my email go down during the migration?
If you create your email accounts on Hostinger before changing your DNS records, there is typically zero to minimal downtime. Mail will simply begin routing to the new server once the DNS update propagates globally.
Do I need a VPS for Drupal?
Not necessarily. While Drupal can run on a VPS for maximum control, Hostinger's shared and cloud plans are more than sufficient for most small to medium business sites. Only move to a VPS if you require root access or have extremely high traffic spikes.
How do I handle the Drupal 'settings.php' file?
This is the most common place where migrations fail. You must update the database name, user, and password in this file to match the ones you created in your Hostinger hPanel, or you will see a "The website encountered an unexpected error" message.