How Much Does It Cost to Migrate a WordPress Site in 2026?

Moving a WordPress site can cost you nothing or it can cost you a thousand dollars. Which one you land on depends mostly on the route you take, not the size of your site.

Migrating WordPress data can come with its fair share of challenges. But with the right planning and understanding of the costs involved, you won’t have unexpected expenses.

In this post, I’ll show you how much it costs to migrate your WordPress site! 

Here are the key takeaways:

• Host-to-host migrations are often free through hosting providers (with hosting plans from $3-$30/month)
• Professional migration services range from $200-$1,000 depending on complexity
• Migration plugins like Duplicator offer the most cost-effective solution (free version available, premium at $69.30/year)
• CMS migrations vary widely (HubSpot charges $500 + $20 per page)
• Domain name changes require purchasing new domains ($9-$15/year)
• Local server migrations can be done completely free with open-source tools

Quick Summary of the Costs to Migrate a WordPress Site

The cost to migrate a WordPress site depends on your specific move. If you’re switching web hosts, your new host might have a free migrator, but you’ll have to pay for hosting (anywhere from $3-$30/mo).

Moving to a new CMS has its own costs, with HubSpot charging $500 flat fee + $20 per page. To hire a freelance developer, this could cost from $200 to $1,000.

The best (and cheapest) way to migrate a WordPress site is with a migration plugin like Duplicator. It offers a free version, and the premium plans start at $69.30/yr. However, keep in mind you might have to spend a little extra on new hosting or a domain name.

Table of Contents

Why Migrate Your WordPress Site?

Once you first set up your website, you might never dream of moving it. However, there are many reasons you might want to migrate your WordPress site to a different area.

If you migrate your WordPress site correctly, you can improve your server’s infrastructure, speed up your loading time, boost security, and reduce downtime. Although a migration might seem drastic and time-consuming, it can solve many problems for website owners.   

Let’s talk about some of the main reasons to migrate your site.

Upgrade Your Web Host

If you’re unhappy with your current hosting provider‘s performance, support, or pricing, you might want to upgrade. Migrating to a new web host or hosting plan can improve site speed, reliability, and overall user experience.

Redesign Your Website

Before undertaking a significant redesign, consider migrating your site to a staging environment. This allows you to work on the changes safely without affecting your live site.

Change Your Domain Name

You might decide to change your domain name and do a complete rebrand. As you move your website, you can update all references and links to reflect the new domain.

Move to a New CMS

Your current website framework may not have important features or flexibility. In this case, you may need to move to a new Content Management System (CMS) or website builder.

How Much Does It Cost to Migrate a WordPress Site?

Whether you’re switching hosting providers or starting to use a different content management system, one important question comes up: How much will it cost?

I’ll break down the costs involved with migrating a WordPress site, so you’ll have a clearer picture what to expect.

Here’s a quick breakdown of migration costs:

• New Hosting Provider: Most hosts offer free migration services. Some may charge extra fees based on site complexity and size.
• New CMS: HubSpot charges $500 flat fee + $20 per page. WordPress importer is free for Blogger/Tumblr.
• Website Builder: Wix migrations with Cart2Cart start at $69. Manual CSV export/imports are free but time-consuming. Freelance professionals on Wix Marketplace typically charge $200-$1,000 based on project scope.
• New Domain Name: $9-$14.99/year for registration (varies by registrar and extension).
• Local Server: Completely free using LocalWP, WAMP, MAMP, or XAMPP. FileZilla is also free.
• Migration Plugins: Duplicator Lite is free and handles the migration manually (download the archive and installer, upload both, then run the installer). Duplicator Pro starts at $69.30/year.

Cost of Migrating to a New Hosting Provider

Some WordPress hosting providers will migrate your website for free. However, keep in mind that you’ll have to purchase a hosting plan that supports this feature. 

For example, Bluehost offers free website migrations to its platform. To get the free migration, sign up for web hosting for as little as $1.99 monthly.

Here are some other hosting providers with free migration services:

• Kinsta: free migrations for all plans, starting at $30/month
• SiteGround: free WP Migrator for as little as $2.99/month
• DreamHost: free migrations for all plans, starting at $2.89/month

The hosting service will run a compatibility check to see if your site can be successfully migrated to the new server. Then, WordPress experts will walk you through the step-by-step process of moving your data.

While many hosting companies offer free WordPress migration services, some may charge extra fees. The cost can vary based on the size of your website, the complexity of the migration, and the level of support provided by the hosting company.

Alternatively, you could use a WordPress migration plugin. These tools are specifically designed to compile your site data and move it to a new hosting provider, domain, server, or other location.

Duplicator moves your whole site as a single zip file. The free version does it manually: download the archive and installer, upload both to the new host, then run the installer. Drag-and-drop imports come with the paid plans.

This can be a great solution if your web host doesn’t include a built-in migration service. Duplicator has a free version of the plugin, and you can also upgrade for $69.30/yr. 

Cost of Migrating to a New CMS

Thinking of moving away from WordPress and exploring other content management systems? The cost of migrating your WordPress site to a new CMS will depend on the specific platform you choose. 

Some CMS platforms offer migration tools that simplify the transfer process. If you’re migrating to HubSpot CMS, you can have your data moved for a $500 flat fee + $20 per page. This takes between 2 and 4 weeks.

To safely move your online store from Shopify to WooCommerce, you can use Shopify to WP. This is a free importer tool that converts your existing Shopify store into a WordPress site powered by WooCommerce.

If you want your migration handled for you, you can hire a professional web developer from a platform like Codeable.io. This charges $80-120 hourly.

For professional migration services like Valet.io or Fantasktic, you’ll have to request a quote. 

On the other hand, you might be migrating from another CMS to WordPress. Using the built-in (free) WordPress importer, you can transfer posts and comments from platforms like Blogger, Tumblr, and LiveJournal.

If you decide to migrate to WordPress, you’ll need to purchase web hosting and a domain name. For more details, check out this helpful guide on the costs of building a WordPress website.

Cost of Migrating to a Website Builder

Website builders have gained popularity due to their user-friendly interfaces and simplified web design process.

If you’re migrating your WordPress site to a website builder, you’ll pay costs associated with the website transfer and setting up the new site. 

For a website builder like Wix, you can migrate your site into the platform using the Cart2Cart app. This starts at $69. You could also manually export your products as a CSV file and upload them into Wix. 

If this sounds too difficult, consider hiring a professional on Wix Marketplace. You can contact a freelancer and determine if their rates fall within your budget.

Most site migrations fall within $200 to $1,000 depending on the size of the project.

Cost of Migrating to a New Domain Name

Do you plan on rebranding your WordPress site with a new domain name? You’ll need to know exactly how much it costs to make this transition.

To buy a new domain name, you’ll probably need to spend between $9 to $14.99 per year. The exact cost will vary depending on which domain registrar you decide to use. Plus, domain extensions can adjust this pricing.

Often, it can be more affordable to get a new domain as you move to a new host. When you register a domain with Bluehost, it’ll be free for the first year.

For just a domain name, you can use a registrar like Domain.com. Domains with a “.com” extension cost $11.99 for the first year. It’ll cost $21.99 per year for renewal.

Once you buy a domain, you’ll need to associate it with your existing website.

If you set up the domain with a fresh WordPress installation, you can use Duplicator Pro to migrate your website. Simply create a backup of your old website and then import it into the new website.

To see a step-by-step guide on domain migration, check out our tutorial on how to migrate a WordPress site to a new domain!

Cost of Migrating to a Local Server

By migrating your site to a local server, you’ll have a private copy that you can use for testing, development, updates, redesigns, and much more. To set up a locally hosted staging site, you can use a local server environment.

All of these options can be downloaded for free:

• LocalWP
• WAMP
• MAMP
• XAMPP

Once you decide which local software package to use, you’ll need to create a locally hosted website and transfer a copy of your original site into it. 

Duplicator Pro is a flexible migration tool that can move your website anywhere that supports WordPress. Using the free version, build a full backup of your site and download both files.

Then, open your new local site’s files in a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) client like FileZilla (also a free tool). Empty the public_html folder and upload your installer and archive files.

Visit yourdomain.com/installer.php in a new browser window. This will open Duplicator’s migration wizard.

If you want to migrate your content in fewer steps, be sure to install the premium version of Duplicator on the local site. Next, use the Import Backups page to upload the archive file.

This will prevent you from having to use an FTP client. Plus, it’ll make it easier to move a site between local and live.

By upgrading to Duplicator Pro for $69.30 per year, you’ll also get a backup tool. Along with migrations, you can set up automatic backups and cloud storage integrations to make your WordPress maintenance tasks much easier. 

How Much Does It Cost to Hire Someone to Migrate Your WordPress Site?

Ask three people what a migration costs and you’ll get three very different numbers. That’s not anyone overcharging. It’s that “migration” describes two different jobs.

Who does the work	Typical cost	Best for
You, with a migration plugin	Free with Duplicator Lite, or $69.30/yr for a paid plan	Straightforward host-to-host moves
Your new host’s migration team	Usually included in the hosting plan ($1.99 to $30/mo)	Standard sites moving to a host that offers it
A freelance developer	Roughly $200 to $1,000 for a straight move, or $80 to $120 an hour on a platform like Codeable	Custom setups, tight deadlines, or a move that has already gone wrong
An agency	Several thousand and up	Redesigns, platform changes, and large online stores

Moving a standard WordPress site from one host to another is a few hours of work. A migration that also includes a redesign or platform change is a rebuild that’ll cost a lot more.

What Hidden Costs Should You Budget For?

The quote covers the move. These are the costs that turn up afterward, and they’re the ones that blow a migration budget.

• Overlapping hosting. You’ll pay both hosts for a month or so while DNS propagates and you confirm the new site is stable. Don’t cancel the old plan on launch day.
• Premium licences. Plenty of themes and plugins are licensed per site or per domain. A new domain, or running the old and new site at once, can push you into a higher tier or force a re-activation.
• Redirects. If your URLs change, every old address needs to point at its new one. That’s cheap to do at migration time and expensive to retrofit after rankings drop.
• Email. Moving your hosting doesn’t move your email. If your mailboxes sit with your old host, budget for a mail plan or a migration of their own.
• SSL. Most hosts include a free certificate now, but not all of them, and a paid certificate doesn’t always transfer.
• Post-launch fixes. Something small usually breaks: a contact form, a payment gateway, a caching rule. Budget a few hours for it.

None of these are large on their own. Together, they’re often the difference between the number you were quoted and the number you actually spend.

Tips for Reducing Your Site Migration Budget

You don’t have to break the bank for a successful migration. Here are proven ways to keep costs down without cutting important corners.

Clean your website before you move.

Delete unused plugins, themes, and media files. Remove draft posts and spam comments. The smaller your site, the faster and cheaper your migration.

Do your own prep work. Even if you hire professionals, you can save money by handling the research yourself.

Create lists of your integrations, document your current workflows, and gather login credentials. This prep work can save hours of billable time.

Use reliable tools to prevent expensive mistakes. A quality migration plugin like Duplicator Pro costs less than an hour of developer time to fix migration errors.

Plan ahead to avoid rush fees. Give yourself plenty of time. Rush jobs cost 25-50% more, and stressed decisions often lead to expensive mistakes.

Right-size your hosting resources. Don’t pay for server capacity you don’t need, but don’t go so cheap that performance suffers. Poor hosting can create problems that cost more to fix than upgrading would have cost.

Handle testing yourself when possible. You know your site better than anyone. Professional testers are thorough, but you can catch many issues by systematically checking your own content and functionality.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Alternative: All-in-One WP Migration is another basic free WordPress plugin for migrations. You can also purchase add-ons to increase the WordPress upload limit and migrate Multisite networks. 

Budgeting for a Successful Migration

A detailed site migration budget turns an uncertain, stressful project into a predictable, manageable process. When you know what you’re spending and why, you can make informed decisions about where to invest and where to save.

The key is preparation. Audit your current site, understand your requirements, and plan ahead. Consider all the factors influencing your migration costs, from technical complexity to timeline constraints.

Don’t let cost uncertainty keep you stuck on inadequate hosting or an outdated platform. With proper budgeting, your migration becomes an investment in your site’s future rather than a financial gamble.

Ready to take control of your migration and eliminate the guesswork? Duplicator Pro provides a rock-solid framework for moving your WordPress site. With features designed to handle large sites, cloud backups, and streamlined installation, it’s the professional’s choice for reducing manual work and minimizing risk.

Make your next migration your smoothest one yet. Get Duplicator Pro today!

While you’re here, you may also like these WordPress tutorials:

• The Ultimate WordPress Migration Checklist
• How to Move From WordPress.com to WordPress.org
• How to Migrate a WooCommerce Site (Beginner-Friendly Guide)
• How to Migrate WordPress Multisite With Ease
• Migrations Without the Money: Best FREE WordPress Migration Plugins