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
Do you need to find a WordPress multisite migration plugin?
If you manage a WordPress multisite, you’ll probably need to migrate data at some point. A multisite migration plugin can help you move sub-sites into and out of the network. Plus, you can use it to migrate your entire network.
In this post, I’ll test out some WordPress multisite migration plugins to find the best one!
As your WordPress multisite network grows, you may eventually need to move to a better server. You could do this manually, but multisite migrations can get complicated.
Each site in your network has its own set of database tables. Site data can get tangled if it’s not managed correctly during the migration process.
To move your multisite install safely, consider using a multisite migration plugin. These plugins are built to move entire networks rather than single WordPress websites.
A multisite migration plugin helps you transfer your network anywhere that supports WordPress. Here’s what you could use it for:
With a multisite migration plugin, you’ll make any migration process much smoother. Plus, you’ll avoid any costly third-party migration services.
So let’s get to it – I’ll share my top picks for the best WordPress multisite migration plugins. I’ll show you each plugin’s strengths, weaknesses, and why they might be right for you.
Of all the WordPress multisite migration plugins we tried, Duplicator Pro is by far the best. It works by packaging your entire network into a single zip file. You can save this as a backup or move it to another location.
You can decide exactly which sub-sites you want to include in the migration. Duplicator has easy Included and Excluded boxes that show you what you’re backing up.
If you include all of your sub-sites, you can migrate your entire network to a new server. Simply install WordPress and drag and drop the backup into the new site.
If you run an agency, you’re probably used to creating new sub-sites and eventually setting them up on an independent server. With Duplicator, you can back up that sub-site and import it into another location. The sub-site will automatically convert to a single WordPress installation.
Duplicator is also the only migration plugin that doesn’t need WordPress to be installed. Once you create your backup files, upload them to the new server with an FTP client or cPanel.
Then, launch the installer by simply searching for this URL: https://your-domain/installer.php
This speeds up your multisite migration! Following Duplicator’s installation steps, you’ll immediately access your new network admin dashboard.
Duplicator is the best multisite migration plugin. You can use it to migrate your entire network or individual sub-sites. Additionally, Duplicator works as a backup tool, allowing you to automatically back up your multisite.
Migrate Guru is another popular migration plugin. It’s a free tool created by the same developers behind BlogVault.
What makes Migrate Guru stand apart is that it’s free and easy to use. Once you download it, enter your email address and hit Migrate.
Then, simply choose the new web host you want to migrate to.
On the destination site, you’ll have to install Migrate Guru again and generate a migration key.
After you choose your new host, enter the migration key and your admin credentials.
Migrate Guru will automatically clone your original site and move it to the new location.
If you need a simple and free tool to migrate your entire multisite, try Migrate Guru. Just keep in mind that you won’t be able to migrate sub-sites into or out of the network. It’s more suited for full site migrations to new hosting providers.
WP Migrate makes it easy to export your WordPress database, media files, themes, plugins, and core WordPress files. You can customize this backup with user-friendly checkboxes.
If you upgrade to a paid version, WP Migrate gives you full multisite support. You can convert a sub-site to a single site or pull a single site into your network. WP Migrate can replace an entire multisite with a single site install, and vice versa.
WP Migrate is a great migration tool for developers. You can automate multisite migrations from the command line and push and pull any data you need to.
With UpdraftPlus, migrations don’t get much easier. After installing the plugin on two sites, create a custom backup on the original site. Then, restore the backup on the destination site.
UpdraftPlus Premium extends this basic functionality, providing full support for multisite networks. You can use it to back up valuable data, save it in the cloud, and restore it if you need to.
When paired with the Migrator add-on, UpdraftPlus can import a single site backup into your multisite.
UpdraftPlus is an effective tool for backing up your multisite network. Plus, it can migrate single sites into your network.
With over 5 million active installations, All-in-One WP Migration is one of the most popular WordPress migration plugins. Many WordPress site owners use the free version to quickly migrate single sites to different servers.
To migrate a multisite network, there is a multisite extension that costs $26.58 per month. This add-on gives you the full range of features you’d expect from a multisite migration plugin.
With All-in-One WP Migration, you can export single or multiple sub-sites out of your network. It can also migrate entire multisite networks.
All-in-One WP Migration is a popular multisite migration plugin that’s easy to use.
Duplicator Pro is the best plugin for WordPress multisite migrations. You can easily export your entire network or individual sub-sites. It can help you set up sub-sites on standalone servers or import single installs into your network as sub-sites.
To move your WordPress multisite to a new host, create a full network backup with Duplicator Pro. Then, download the backup archive file. On the new host, install WordPress and activate Duplicator Pro. Drag and drop the backup into the Import page to start the migration.
The free version of All-in-One WP Migration does not work with multisite. However, you can purchase a premium extension to add this functionality. Pricing for this multisite extension starts at $319 yearly.
Migrate Guru is completely free. Once you download it on WordPress.org, you can use Migrate Guru to migrate single sites or multisite networks. It’s one of the only free migration plugins that supports multisite.
To migrate WordPress multisite manually, use phpMyAdmin to download your MySQL database as a SQL file. You should also download your entire public_html folder and upload these files to your new site’s root directory.
Create a new database and import the SQL file you downloaded earlier. Lastly, edit your wp-config.php file to include your new database username, password, and hostname.
I hope this comparison helped you find the best WordPress multisite migration plugin!
While you’re here, I think you’ll like these other WordPress guides and tutorials:
Do you want to move your multisite to a new host or server? Download Duplicator Pro to easily handle full network or sub-site migrations!
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