Migrating a Joomla Site to Bluehost: Domain and Email Steps

Updated 2026-10-03 · Hosting Reviews

Moving a Joomla site to Bluehost? You can migrate Joomla site Bluehost domain email in just a few hours and keep your brand looking professional. This guide walks you through the exact tools you need, the hosting options that make sense for small businesses, and the step‑by‑step process to register a domain and configure business email without hiring a developer.

What You Need Before You Start

First, gather these three essentials:

1. Hosting account – a shared or cloud plan from Bluehost will cover Joomla’s requirements and give you room to grow.
2. Domain name – choose a short, memorable .com (or .net/.biz) that matches your brand.
3. Business email – a professional address like you@yourdomain.com that works with your new host.

Bluehost bundles domain registration with many of its plans, so you can secure the name and email in one checkout.

Choosing the Right Bluehost Plan

For a Joomla site, a shared plan is often enough if you expect under 10,000 monthly visitors. Shared hosting costs roughly $3‑$7 per month on intro rates, with renewal prices a bit higher. If you need more RAM or expect traffic spikes, a cloud plan (about $10‑$15 per month) gives you isolated resources and automatic scaling.

VPS is overkill for most beginners; it’s better suited for developers who need root access and custom server configs. Bluehost’s shared and cloud tiers both include:

• Free SSL certificates for HTTPS
• One‑click Joomla installer
• 24/7 chat support
• cPanel‑style control panel for DNS and email

Speed and security are built‑in: LiteSpeed web server, daily backups, and built‑in firewalls keep your site fast and safe.

Registering Your Domain the Easy Way

When you sign up for a Bluehost plan, you’ll be prompted to search for an available domain. Pick a name that:

• Is under 15 characters
• Contains only letters, numbers, and hyphens
• Reflects your brand or service

After purchase, the domain automatically points to Bluehost’s name servers (ns1.dns-parking.com and ns2.dns-parking.com). No manual DNS changes are required unless you move the domain later.

Setting Up Business Email on Bluehost

Bluehost includes a basic email package with most plans. To create info@yourdomain.com:

1. Log into the Bluehost control panel and click “Email Accounts.”
2. Enter the desired prefix (e.g., info) and a strong password.
3. Save the account; Bluehost will generate the POP/IMAP settings automatically.
4. Configure your preferred email client (Outlook, Gmail, Apple Mail) using the provided server details.

If you need more storage or advanced features, you can upgrade to a premium email add‑on—still cheaper than a separate G‑Suite subscription.

Step‑by‑Step Joomla Migration to Bluehost

Now that you have hosting, a domain, and email, follow this concise migration checklist:

1. Backup your current site. Use a Joomla extension like Akeeba Backup to create a full .zip file and export the MySQL database.
2. Create a new Joomla install. In Bluehost’s control panel, select “One‑Click Installer,” choose Joomla, and fill in the site name, admin user, and password.
3. Upload the backup. Via the File Manager, replace the tmp folder contents with your Akeeba backup file, then run install.php from the backup folder to restore the site.
4. Import the database. If you used the Akeeba method, the database is restored automatically. Otherwise, go to phpMyAdmin, create a new database, and import the .sql file.
5. Update configuration. Edit configuration.php with the new database name, user, and password. Ensure the $live_site variable reflects your new domain (e.g., https://yourdomain.com).
6. Test the site. Browse the front‑end and back‑end to confirm links, extensions, and templates work. Fix any broken paths by clearing Joomla’s cache.
7. Redirect the old domain. If you kept the previous domain, add a 301 redirect in the .htaccess file to point visitors to the new Bluehost domain.
8. Secure with SSL. Activate the free SSL from the Bluehost dashboard; Joomla will automatically switch to HTTPS after you clear the cache.

That’s it. Your Joomla site, domain, and business email are now live on Bluehost.

Final Tips for Ongoing Success

• Monitor performance. Bluehost’s dashboard shows CPU and memory usage. If you consistently hit limits, consider upgrading to a cloud plan.

• Keep Joomla updated. Security patches are released frequently. Use the built‑in update manager to apply them promptly.

• Back up regularly. Schedule daily automatic backups through Akeeba or Bluehost’s backup tool. Store copies off‑site for extra safety.

By following these steps, you’ll avoid costly downtime, keep your brand consistent with a professional email address, and stay within a budget that scales with your business.

FAQ

Do I need a separate server for Joomla?

No. Bluehost’s shared or cloud plans provide enough resources for most small‑to‑medium Joomla sites. Move to VPS only if you anticipate heavy traffic or custom server modules.

Can I keep my existing email when I switch domains?

Yes. Export the mailbox via IMAP or use Bluehost’s email migration tool to pull messages from the old provider into your new @yourdomain.com account.

What if I want to use a different CMS later?

Bluehost offers one‑click installs for WordPress, Drupal, and many others. You can add a new site in the same account and point a sub‑domain or new domain to it without affecting your Joomla installation.