Announcing Duplicator WP-CLI Commands (And How They Speed Up Backups)
Looking for a smarter way to manage site backups? Explore Duplicator's new features, including customizable WP-CLI commands and permission settings!
Announcing Duplicator WP-CLI Commands (And How They Speed Up Backups)
Joella Dunn
Joella Dunn
John Turner
John Turner
Is the thought of an expensive WordPress migration keeping you up at night? You’re not alone. Many site owners put off necessary moves, fearing sky-high costs and technical headaches.
But here’s a secret: you don’t need to empty your wallet to relocate your website.
Free WordPress migration plugins allow you to move your site quickly and easily — without giving you an extra expense.
I took a look at the best free WordPress migration plugins to help you save both time and money. Whether you’re a budget-conscious blogger, small business owner, or developer, I’ve got you covered.
Let’s find your perfect, cost-free migration solution!
Manually moving a WordPress site is about as fun as watching paint dry. It’s time-consuming, error-prone, and can leave you pulling your hair out.
But free migration plugins? They’re game-changers.
First off, they save a lot of time. Instead of spending hours (or days) copying files and databases, these plugins automate the process.
Worried about mistakes? These plugins significantly reduce the risk of errors.
No more forgetting crucial files or messing up database tables. They handle the nitty-gritty details, so you don’t have to.
And let’s talk money. For individuals and small businesses, every dollar counts.
Free migration plugins offer a cost-effective solution without compromising on quality. You get professional-grade tools without the big price tag.
You don’t need to be a developer to use them. Most migration plugins for WordPress have user-friendly interfaces that guide you through the process step-by-step.
How do you spot a genuinely free migration plugin? Let’s break it down.
First, read user reviews. They have goldmines of information about hidden costs. If lots of users complain about needing to upgrade for basic functionality, that’s a red flag.
Next, look for limitations. Some free plugins restrict the size of the site you can migrate or cap the number of migrations you can perform. While these can still be useful, make sure they meet your needs before installing them.
Remember, free doesn’t mean feature-poor. Many excellent plugins offer great basic functionality without charging a dime. It’s all about finding the right balance for your needs.
You now know how to spot a free migration plugin, but you don’t have to! I’ve personally gone through some popular options and found the best ones for you.
Each of these plugins has its own strengths, so we’ll break down what makes them unique.
In my search, I found Duplicator to be the best free WordPress migration plugin. It’s been a go-to solution for years, trusted by over a million active users.
With Duplicator, you’ll start by creating a package of your website. You can customize exactly what data is included with easy-to-use checkboxes. But, advanced users will find the extra database and file filters handy.
Once Duplicator builds this package, you’ll get two files: the archive and the installer. The archive has a copy of your WordPress data. The installer will help you unpack your data in a new location.
To migrate your website, all you’ll need to do is upload both these files to the new server. As long as you’re familiar with an FTP client or cPanel, this is a very easy process.
Lastly, launch the installer with a URL like this: https://your-domain/installer.php. Follow the steps in the installer wizard!
The best part about Duplicator is you don’t need to install WordPress on the second site. Other free migration plugins can only move data between two dashboards.
Plus, you’re not just limited to migrations. You can use it for backups, staging, or even creating template sites.
Duplicator isn’t just a migration tool, it’s a complete site management solution. You can use it to back up, clone, or migrate any WordPress site. Plus, it’s completely free.
Migrate Guru focuses on speed and simplicity. This tool, designed by BlogVault, makes WordPress migrations straightforward and beginner-friendly.
Unlike other plugins that rely on your server’s resources, Migrate Guru leverages its own servers for the migration process. So, it can transfer large, complex sites without the typical concerns of timeouts or server limitations.
You can start a migration with a few clicks, and there’s no need to install anything on the destination site. This approach maximizes convenience.
Migrate Guru is a great tool if you need to migrate a large WordPress site for free. Since it runs on external servers, you won’t have to worry about site overload and other issues.
UpdraftPlus is a free plugin that can do migrations and backups. It’s one of the most popular options out there.
UpdraftPlus creates comprehensive backups of your WordPress site. These backups include your database, plugins, themes, and uploads.
You can use these backups to migrate your website. Essentially, you’ll install UpdraftPlus in another location and upload this backup there.
You might prefer UpdraftPlus as a beginner.
All-in-One WP Migration exports your entire WordPress site into a single file. This file includes your database, media files, plugins, and themes.
If you need to move your website, you’ll have to install All-in-One WP Migration on another server. Use the Import page to upload your old backup.
All-in-One WP Migration is extremely easy to use. While the size limitation in the free version may be restrictive for larger sites, it remains a good option for small WordPress sites.
WP Migrate Lite (originally WP Migrate DB) started out as a database migration plugin. It’s particularly useful for developers who need to move data to and from development sites.
WP Migrate exports your WordPress database as an SQL file. You can choose what data you want to transfer to the new site. You’ll have user-friendly checkboxes that let you selectively migrate database tables.
The plugin includes a search and replace function that goes beyond simple URL changes. You can perform complex search and replace operations across your entire database, which can be a powerful tool for both migrations and general database management.
WP Migrate DB is a good tool for backing up your database and moving data to a staging environment.
WP Staging mainly focuses on creating staging environments. However, its functionality extends to full site migrations as well, making it a versatile tool for WordPress site management.
With WP Staging, you can easily create a clone of your live site in a subdirectory. This cloned site acts as a staging area where you can test changes, updates, or new features without affecting your live site.
For developers or site owners who frequently test changes before going live, WP Staging might be the perfect tool.
Like other options on this list, WPvivid supports migrations, backups, and staging. Instead of a drag-and-drop interface, WPvivid uses migration keys. You can generate a key on the second site, paste it into the first site, and automatically transfer your files.
Another unique feature is its post and page exporter. If you don’t need to migrate an entire site, you can move data like posts, pages, comments, and featured images.
WPvivid also has incremental backups. After the first full backup, the next backups will only include new changes. This approach significantly reduces backup time and storage requirements, especially for larger sites.
WPvivid can migrate your full website or just posts and pages. Its incremental backups are another free feature, making it a good budget-friendly option.
Total Upkeep is another multi-functional free plugin that can handle WordPress migrations. Once it backs up your site, you can download a source link. By uploading this link to the destination site, you’ll start a migration.
Total Upkeep includes a built-in site scanner that checks your WordPress installation for potential issues. This feature can be particularly useful for fixing problems before and after migrations.
I found Total Upkeep’s migration process very simple. It also has extensive backup and recovery options that make it worthwhile.
WordPress itself doesn’t provide built-in migration services. However, many hosting providers offer free migration as part of their service packages. Alternatively, you can use free WordPress migration plugins to handle the process yourself.
The best free WordPress plugin for backups and migration is Duplicator. You can use it to migrate your site to another location, even if WordPress isn’t installed. Some alternatives are UpdraftPlus and Migrate Guru.
The cost of migrating a WordPress site can vary. Using free migration plugins, you can migrate your site at no cost. However, if you opt for professional services or premium plugins, prices can range from $30 to $200 or more. It depends on the complexity of your site and the service provider.
The best plugin for moving a website is Duplicator. Even with the free version, you can back up a website and move it anywhere that supports WordPress. It has built-in ways to customize your export file and even search and replace URLs. If you upgrade to the Pro version, you’ll benefit from drag-and-drop migrations.
We hope you’ve found a free WordPress plugin to migrate your website!
While you’re here, I think you’ll like these extra WordPress guides:
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