SiteGround Migration: How to Move Your WordPress Site Away

SiteGround's Pricing: Introductory vs. Renewal

SiteGround's promotional pricing is structured to be attractive at signup. The gap between introductory and renewal rates is one of the widest in the industry. Based on published pricing reviewed in May 2026 from multiple sources including SiteGround's own academy pages:

Pricing sourced from third-party reviews citing SiteGround's published rates as of May 2026. Verify current pricing at SiteGround's website before making decisions — renewal rates and promotional terms may change.

The StartUp plan's jump from $2.99/month to ~$17.99/month at renewal represents a 500% increase. Even on a 36-month introductory term — the maximum promotional period — the bill more than quintuples when it comes due. This catches many site owners off-guard, particularly because the promotional period can last years before the first renewal.

Storage and staging plan-gating

SiteGround's storage limits are on the lower end of the market — 10 GB on StartUp, 20 GB on GrowBig, 40 GB on GoGeek. For a site with a growing media library (product photography, blog images, downloadable resources), these limits can become a constraint. Staging environments are available on GrowBig and GoGeek only — not on StartUp. If you are on the entry plan and need to test plugin updates or design changes before pushing to production, you are doing so without a safety net.

Using SiteGround's Own Export Tools

SiteGround's Site Tools dashboard includes a migration and backup interface that is more polished than cPanel-based alternatives. Before migrating, take advantage of SiteGround's built-in backup system:

1. Log into your SiteGround account and open Site Tools for your website.
2. Go to Security → Backups. SiteGround maintains daily automatic backups. Create a manual on-demand backup (available on GrowBig and GoGeek) as your migration starting point, or note the timestamp of the most recent automatic backup if you are on StartUp.
3. You can download a full backup from the Backups section — download both the files and the database as separate archives.

Alternatively, install the Duplicator plugin and generate a portable archive. Duplicator's output works on any cPanel or non-cPanel host, which makes it host-agnostic and the most portable option.

Before You Start

• Domain location. SiteGround does not operate as a registrar in the traditional sense — domains purchased through SiteGround are often registered through a third party. Log into your account and check where your domain is registered. If it is at SiteGround, you can still migrate hosting independently of the domain by updating nameservers or A record.
• Email. SiteGround includes email hosting on shared plans. If you use SiteGround email (you@yourdomain.com via their mail server), plan your email migration before or at the same time as the hosting migration. Switching to Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 and updating MX records is the cleanest long-term option.
• Confirm WordPress admin access at yourdomain.com/wp-admin before starting.

Step 1: Export Your Site

Use whichever method gives you a complete, recent copy of both your files and database:

• Duplicator plugin (recommended for sites under 2–3 GB) — creates a single installer archive portable to any host.
• SiteGround's backup download — download files and database separately from Site Tools → Security → Backups. You will need to import these manually on the new host.
• Manual method — export database via phpMyAdmin, download files via SFTP. Covered in detail in our complete WordPress migration guide.

Step 2: Provision WordPress on the New Host

Set up a WordPress installation on your new host. Use a temporary URL or staging domain if available to test before touching DNS. Note database credentials from your new host's control panel.

Step 3: Restore on the New Host

If using Duplicator: upload installer.php and the .zip archive to your new host's web root, then browse to installer.php and complete the setup wizard.

If using the manual method: import the database via phpMyAdmin on the new host, upload files via SFTP to the web root, then update wp-config.php with the new host's database credentials.

Step 4: Test Thoroughly

• All content present and correct in WordPress admin.
• All plugins active and functioning.
• Contact forms submitting and sending notifications.
• SSL certificate provisioned on new host — confirm HTTPS loads cleanly.
• Site correct on mobile.
• WooCommerce checkout end-to-end if applicable.

Step 5: Update DNS

Update nameservers or A record at your domain registrar to point to the new host. Monitor propagation with whatsmydns.net. Full propagation is typically a few hours but can reach 48 hours depending on TTL settings.

Step 6: Cancel SiteGround

Confirm DNS has propagated and the site is live on the new host before cancelling SiteGround. Cancel through SiteGround's dashboard under Account → Services. Verify the domain (if registered through SiteGround) is handled separately — do not cancel the domain by mistake.

SiteGround's refund policy and prorated credit terms vary by billing cycle and region. Review their current terms before cancelling if you have prepaid time remaining.

Post-Migration Checklist

• HTTPS active and WordPress Settings → General reflect correct HTTPS URL.
• Duplicator installer.php removed from new host's root directory.
• Backup schedule confirmed on new host.
• Google Search Console checked for crawl errors after a few days.
• Sitemap submitted to Google Search Console if not already indexed.

SiteGround Migration FAQ

Is migrating from SiteGround free?

Yes. Our SiteGround migration service is free for new hosting customers — we move your files, database, and email with no migration fee and no downtime.

How long does a SiteGround migration take?

Most SiteGround migrations complete within a few hours. DNS propagation can take up to 48 hours, but your site stays live on SiteGround until the new host is verified, so visitors see no interruption.

Will I lose SEO rankings when I migrate from SiteGround?

No. A clean migration preserves your URLs, content, and redirects, so rankings carry over. We check Google Search Console for crawl errors after the move to confirm nothing regressed.