Affiliate disclosure: We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. Recommendations below are based on the migration requirements discussed here. This is a planning guide, not a report of a hands-on migration test.
Move your website with a clear plan for email and DNS.
InMotion Hosting migration can be straightforward when your website, mailboxes and destination plan are compatible. Confirm the transfer scope first, test the copy, and keep your old hosting available through the changeover.
Quick answer: Request your transfer through InMotion’s Account Management Panel (AMP), review any quoted charges, and test the migrated website before updating DNS. A website copy, a mailbox migration and a domain registration transfer are separate jobs; ask which ones your request includes.
Is InMotion Hosting migration free?
InMotion describes free transfer options for eligible cPanel backups and standard WordPress sites, subject to account size and configuration. Complex applications and larger transfers can require paid help. The practical buying rule is to obtain confirmation for your actual account before treating migration as a zero-cost extra.
| Your current setup | What to confirm | Recommended next step |
|---|---|---|
| One standard WordPress site | Size, access method and eligibility for free assistance | Send the site details before ordering |
| A full cPanel account | Destination capacity and exactly which mailboxes and settings are restored | Ask support to review the account backup |
| Several separate hosting accounts | Account separation, transfer count and any additional fees | Get a written scope for the whole batch |
| Busy store or custom application | Final database sync, compatibility and specialist time | Agree on a cutover window and quote |
See the official website transfer resources for service categories. Avoid choosing a plan solely because a banner says “free migration.”
Before buying: choose a plan that fits the existing site
Start with an inventory rather than a visitor-count guess. Record the websites, database sizes, storage use, PHP version, scheduled tasks and services your site relies on. Include mail storage in the total if mailboxes live on the same account.
- Small business or content site: check site limits, storage, backups and application compatibility on the selected shared plan.
- Several client sites: decide whether separate control-panel accounts are necessary for administration and ownership.
- Resource-heavy workloads: review the current CPU or memory problem before paying for a VPS. A broken plugin can remain broken after a server move.
Use our InMotion Launch vs Power vs Pro comparison to narrow the shared options. For a capacity decision, read InMotion shared hosting vs VPS.
Our recommendation: for an ordinary WordPress move, shortlist the smallest compatible plan and ask support to confirm the migration. Consider a more expensive service when measured resource needs or the transfer scope justify it.
Compare Compatible InMotion Plans
How to request an InMotion Hosting migration
1. Create an independent recovery copy
Save website files and the database outside your current hosting account. Include configuration files and a list of the plugins and licenses needed to restore the site. Make sure you can access the backup after the old subscription ends.
Write down your current DNS records and the location where they are managed. Also note any external mail, CDN, analytics, forms and payment services. The goal is a usable recovery plan, not simply a backup file whose contents you have never checked.
2. Submit the transfer request in AMP
Open the destination subscription in AMP and choose Website Transfer Request. Identify the sites to move, the source control panel and any special requirements. Ask how to supply access details securely through the authenticated request.
Use InMotion’s official transfer-request walkthrough for the current form. Read the scope, priority-service choice and any charges before approving the work.
3. Agree on a final content sync
A copy reflects the data present when it was made. New orders, form submissions, comments or uploads on the old server can otherwise be missing from the new one. For an active store, have your developer and migration team agree on a final sync and, where necessary, a short pause in writes.
Ask who will perform each step and how you will know it is complete. Do not rely on an informal “move it tonight” instruction when the site takes orders or receives important leads.
4. Test the destination before changing DNS
Follow the testing method supplied by the migration team so your real domain resolves to the new server for the test. A temporary address alone may not reveal HTTPS, redirects or domain-specific application issues.
For cPanel restorations, InMotion warns that restoring the backup replaces existing destination-account data. Keep a separate copy of anything already on the new account and confirm the restore target before proceeding. The cPanel migration guide explains this restore behavior.
Email and DNS: decide what is actually moving
A WordPress backup normally covers the website rather than a separate mail system. InMotion’s transfer documentation distinguishes cPanel migrations, which can include account mail, from other methods. Get mailbox coverage confirmed for your specific move.
| Item | Planning check | Verification |
|---|---|---|
| Website DNS | Identify the authoritative DNS provider and destination address | The live domain reaches the intended server |
| External email | Preserve the mail provider’s MX and authentication records | Send and receive messages externally |
| Hosted mailboxes | Confirm accounts, historical messages, aliases and final synchronization | Check older mail and new delivery |
| SSL and redirects | Confirm certificate readiness and canonical hostname | HTTPS works without loops or warnings |
| Domain registration | Decide whether a registrar transfer is needed at all | Ownership and renewal access remain available |
Changing nameservers changes where the whole DNS zone is served. If you retain an external DNS provider, your plan may instead involve updating the relevant website records there. Ask the migration team which approach fits your setup and preserve unrelated service records.
The launch checklist: verify the parts that earn revenue
Do these checks against the migrated copy and repeat the critical ones after the public DNS change:
- Open the homepage, important landing pages and several older articles.
- Check navigation, images, search and internal links on desktop and mobile.
- Submit a clearly labeled test form and verify that its notification arrives.
- For stores, use the payment provider’s test mode where available and verify the order workflow.
- Check admin login, scheduled jobs and third-party integrations.
- Confirm SEO titles, canonicals, sitemap access and intended indexability.
- Verify analytics and your key conversion events.
- Create a fresh backup on the destination and confirm the restore process.
Keep a small issue log with the URL, expected behavior and result. A screenshot of the homepage is useful, but it does not establish that checkout, email or a lead form works.
When should you delay the purchase or transfer?
Pause when you cannot obtain a restorable backup, nobody owns the DNS changes, the destination cannot support the application, or mail coverage and migration charges remain unclear. Resolve those gaps before committing to a long hosting term.
A new host also does not automatically clean a compromised website or fix custom code. If those are the reasons for moving, include remediation in the project scope and budget.
InMotion Hosting migration FAQs
Do I need to transfer my domain registration?
No. Hosting and registration can remain with different providers. You need the right DNS configuration for the new hosting; move the registration only if that is a separate decision you want to make.
Will the migration cause downtime?
Plan to reduce disruption by keeping the old copy online and testing the new one first. Do not treat zero downtime as guaranteed: DNS caches, application behavior and final data synchronization can affect the cutover.
How long should I allow?
Ask support for a timeline based on your account and their queue. Leave room for your own testing and corrections, and start well before the old hosting expires. A quoted migration time is separate from your DNS and acceptance checks.
Can I use a WordPress migration plugin myself?
Yes, if you can manage the restore, compatibility checks and cutover. Treat email, external services and DNS as separate work items. Compare the time you would spend with the assistance included in the plan.
What should I ask before ordering?
Ask whether your source setup qualifies, which data is included, what costs extra, how the final sync works and how you will test before DNS changes. Save the reply with your migration plan.
Choose the plan after the migration scope is clear.
Confirm compatibility, renewal costs and transfer coverage. Then schedule the move while you still have access to both hosts.
View InMotion Plans & Ask About Your Move
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