How to Migrate a WordPress Site from SiteGround to Hostinger Without Downtime

Updated 2026-06-26 · Hosting Reviews

Moving a WordPress site from SiteGround to Hostinger doesn’t have to cause downtime or break your SEO. In this guide you’ll find the exact tools, costs, and steps you need to migrate WordPress site from SiteGround to Hostinger quickly and safely.

Why Choose Hostinger for Your WordPress Website

Hostinger offers managed WordPress hosting that balances price and performance. Their servers run on the latest LiteSpeed technology, delivering fast page loads even on shared plans. For beginners, the control panel is intuitive, SSL certificates are free, and WordPress installs with one click. Introductory pricing typically starts around $3‑$5 per month, while renewal rates settle in the $5‑$12 range, making it a reliable, budget‑friendly option.

What You Need Before You Start the Migration

• A current SiteGround account with access to cPanel/FTP.
• A Hostinger account (shared, cloud, or VPS – we recommend shared for most small businesses).
• Your domain name (you can keep it where it is or transfer it to Hostinger; both work).
• A fresh WordPress installation on Hostinger (one‑click install does the job).
• Backup plugins like UpdraftPlus or the built‑in SiteGround backup tool.

Having these items ready will keep the process smooth and prevent any surprise interruptions.

Choosing the Right Hosting Plan

For a typical WordPress site with moderate traffic, a shared plan is usually sufficient. Shared hosting runs between $3‑$15 per month, depending on resources and promotional offers. If you expect rapid growth, a cloud or VPS plan provides dedicated CPU and RAM, but costs rise to $15‑$40 per month. Hostinger’s managed WordPress plans include automatic updates, daily backups, and built‑in caching, which are essential for speed and security.

Step‑by‑Step Migration Without Downtime

1. Create a full backup on SiteGround. Use the SiteGround backup tool or install UpdraftPlus, then download the database file (.sql) and the wp‑content folder.
2. Set up a temporary subdomain on Hostinger. In Hostinger’s hPanel, add a subdomain like staging.yourdomain.com. This lets you test the new site while the live site stays online.
3. Install WordPress on the subdomain. Use the one‑click installer, then log into the new WordPress dashboard.
4. Import the backup. Install the same backup plugin on the new site, upload the .sql file and wp‑content folder, and run the import. Verify that pages, media, and plugins appear correctly.
5. Update URLs. If you kept the same domain, change the WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) to the temporary subdomain via Settings → General, or run a search‑replace plugin to adjust any hard‑coded links.
6. Test everything. Check forms, menus, SEO metadata, and page speed (use GTmetrix or PageSpeed Insights). Ensure SSL is active – Hostinger provides a free Let’s Encrypt certificate you can enable with a single click.
7. Switch DNS to Hostinger. In your domain registrar, point the A record to Hostinger’s IP address or change the nameservers to Hostinger’s. DNS propagation usually finishes within a few hours, and because the old site stays live until the switch, visitors experience no downtime.
8. Final cleanup. After the DNS change, log into the live WordPress site on Hostinger, update the URLs back to the primary domain, and delete the temporary subdomain if you wish.

Following these steps keeps your site online the whole time and preserves search rankings.

Speed and Security Basics After Migration

Once your WordPress site is running on Hostinger, take advantage of the platform’s built‑in performance tools:

• Caching. Enable LiteSpeed Cache (pre‑installed on most Hostinger plans) to serve static HTML to visitors.
• Image optimization. Use a plugin like Smush or ShortPixel to compress images without losing quality.
• Security. Activate the free SSL, harden the login with two‑factor authentication, and install a firewall plugin such as Wordfence.
• Backups. Schedule daily backups through Hostinger’s control panel or continue using UpdraftPlus for extra redundancy.

These measures keep your WordPress website fast, secure, and ready for growth.

FAQ

Do I need to move my domain to Hostinger?

No. You can keep the domain where it is and simply point the DNS records to Hostinger’s servers. Transferring the domain is optional and only useful if you want all services in one place.

Will there be any SEO impact during the migration?

If you keep the same URL structure and avoid changing permalinks, the SEO impact is minimal. The key is to maintain uptime while DNS propagates, which the steps above guarantee.

Can I migrate a large site with hundreds of GB of data?

For very large sites, a cloud or VPS plan is advisable because shared plans have resource limits. Hostinger’s cloud hosting can handle larger databases and media libraries, and the migration process remains the same—just use an FTP client or SSH for faster file transfers.