How to Migrate WordPress from Bluehost to Hostinger

Updated 2026-06-30 · Hosting Reviews

Moving a WordPress site can feel like a chore, but you don’t need a developer to migrate WordPress from Bluehost to Hostinger. In this guide we’ll cover everything you need – from picking the right hosting plan to backing up your files, transferring the database, and getting your site live on a faster, more affordable platform.

What You Need Before You Start

• Current Bluehost account – access to cPanel, FTP, and the database.
• New Hostinger account – choose a plan that matches your traffic (shared, cloud, or VPS). For most small businesses, a shared or cloud plan in the $3‑$15/month range is plenty.
• Domain name – you can keep the one you already own or register a new one through Hostinger; they include a free domain for the first year on many plans.
• WordPress admin access – you’ll need to log in to export content and install plugins.

Choosing the Right Hostinger Plan

Hostinger offers three main tiers for WordPress sites:

1. Shared hosting – ideal for blogs or low‑traffic business sites. Budget‑friendly, easy to manage, and includes one‑click WordPress.
2. Cloud hosting – gives you dedicated resources, faster load times, and scalability. Good for growing sites that need consistent performance.
3. VPS hosting – full control over the server environment. Best for developers or sites with high traffic spikes.

For a typical WordPress website, start with shared or cloud. You can always upgrade later without downtime.

Backup Your Bluehost Site – No Data Loss

Before you touch anything, create a full backup:

• Log into Bluehost cPanel and use the File Manager to compress the public_html folder.
• Export the WordPress database via phpMyAdmin – select your database, click Export, and choose the Quick method.
• Download both the zip file and the .sql file to your computer or a cloud storage service.

Having these files ensures you can roll back if something goes wrong.

Step‑by‑Step Migration to Hostinger

1. Set up WordPress on Hostinger
   • Log into Hostinger, go to the control panel, and click the one‑click WordPress installer.
   • Choose your domain, set an admin username/password, and finish the installation.
2. Upload your old files
   • Open Hostinger’s File Manager or connect via FTP (FileZilla works well).
   • Navigate to the public_html folder of the new site and upload the zip you created from Bluehost.
   • Extract the archive so the file structure mirrors the original site.
3. Import the database
   • In Hostinger’s control panel, open phpMyAdmin, create a new database, and note the name, user, and password.
   • Select the new database, click Import, and upload the .sql file you exported.
4. Update wp-config.php
   • Edit the file in the root of your WordPress installation.
   • Replace the database name, user, and password with the new values from Hostinger.
   • Save the changes.
5. Fix URLs and permalinks
   • Log into the WordPress dashboard on Hostinger.
   • Go to Settings → General and confirm the site URL matches your domain.
   • Visit Settings → Permalinks and click Save Changes to flush rewrite rules.
6. Test everything
   • Browse the front‑end, click a few pages, and verify images load.
   • Check the admin area for plugin functionality.
   • If something looks broken, clear the cache (both WordPress and browser) and re‑check.
7. Point your domain to Hostinger
   • In your domain registrar (or within Hostinger if you transferred the domain), update the nameservers to Hostinger’s: ns1.dns-parking.com and ns2.dns-parking.com.
   • Propagation usually takes a few hours; during that time both old and new sites may appear.

Once the DNS change is complete, your WordPress site will be fully live on Hostinger.

Speed, Security, and Ongoing Maintenance

Hostinger’s servers are optimized for WordPress out of the box, but a few extra steps keep your site fast and safe:

• Free SSL – enable it from the Hostinger dashboard; it’s automatically renewed.
• Caching plugin – install a lightweight cache like WP Super Cache or use Hostinger’s built‑in caching if available.
• Image optimization – use a plugin such as ShortPixel to shrink files without losing quality.
• Regular backups – Hostinger offers weekly backups; supplement with a plugin like UpdraftPlus for daily snapshots.
• Security hardening – install Wordfence or Sucuri, keep WordPress core, themes, and plugins updated, and use strong passwords.

These practices keep your WordPress website running at optimal speed and protect it from common threats.

FAQ

Do I need to cancel Bluehost before migrating?

No. Keep your Bluehost account active until the DNS change is fully propagated and you’ve verified the new site works. You can cancel after you’re sure everything is running smoothly on Hostinger.

Can I migrate a large site (over 5 GB) with the free tools?

Yes, but large sites benefit from using an FTP client for file transfer and the “BigDump” script for importing big SQL files. Hostinger’s support can help you with the process if you run into timeout issues.

Will my SEO rankings be affected?

As long as you keep the same domain and URLs, search engines see only a temporary downtime during DNS propagation. Make sure to set up proper 301 redirects if any URLs change, and submit an updated sitemap in Google Search Console after the move.