- Website migration services at a glance
- Ten website migration services to consider
- Which kind of migration help you need
- The redirect rule that protects your traffic
- What to agree before a migration starts
- Host migration or agency migration
- Signs your migration needs more than a host transfer
- My plain advice on website migration services
- Frequently asked questions
A website migration service moves your site to a new host, platform or domain for you, so you don't have to handle files, databases and settings yourself. Many web hosts migrate sites for new customers, while agencies and freelancers handle complex rebuilds and SEO-sensitive moves. Choose by how complex your site is. Ten options follow, in no particular order.
Moving a website is one of those jobs that looks simple until something breaks. Email stops arriving, images vanish or traffic drops because old links lead nowhere. A website migration service takes that risk off your plate.
The ten providers below include web hosts that migrate sites for new customers, managed WordPress hosts with unlimited free moves, a network of vetted freelance developers and agencies for complex migrations. They're listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from each provider's own website, read this week. My guide to technical SEO includes a migration that went badly wrong, and why.
Website migration services at a glance
I checked the free plan column on each provider's own website, as of Oct 2026. For a service, Yes means the provider's page says the migration itself is free, usually when you move to its hosting. Not stated means the page I read didn't say so, so ask for a quote before you commit.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Codeable | Vetted freelance WordPress developers | Hiring an expert for a tricky move | Not stated |
| DreamHost | Web host with migration services | Moving WordPress or other sites to one host | Not stated |
| Eastern Standard | Digital agency with migration services | Universities and hospital websites | Not stated |
| GoDaddy | Web host with a migration service | Moving to managed WordPress hosting | Not stated |
| Hostinger | Web host with free migration | A free transfer to a new host | Yes |
| IONOS | Web host with a migration service | A migration service from a big host | Not stated |
| Kinsta | Managed WordPress host | Unlimited free WordPress migrations | Yes |
| KnownHost | Web host with migration assistance | Free help moving to a new server | Yes |
| Marcel Digital | Marketing agency with migration services | Agency-led migrations with SEO in mind | Not stated |
| Rocket.net | Managed WordPress host | Unlimited free migrations to fast hosting | Yes |
Ten website migration services to consider
Codeable
Best for: WordPress site owners who want to hire a vetted freelance developer for website migrations and other maintenance work.
DreamHost
Best for: Site owners moving to DreamHost who want its team to transfer an existing website, WordPress or not, onto their new account.
Eastern Standard
Best for: Higher education and healthcare organisations who want an agency to plan and run a full website migration.
GoDaddy
Best for: Small businesses moving to managed WordPress hosting who want the host's own website migration service.
Hostinger
Best for: Bloggers and small sites switching hosts who want a host that says it will transfer their website for free.
IONOS
Best for: Small businesses moving to IONOS who want its website migration service to handle the move for them.
Kinsta
Best for: Busy WordPress sites moving to managed hosting who want unlimited free migrations from any host.
KnownHost
Best for: Site owners moving to managed or dedicated hosting who want free website migration assistance from the new host.
Marcel Digital
Best for: Marketing teams who want an agency that offers professional website migration services alongside lead generation and analytics work.
Rocket.net
Best for: WordPress agencies who want managed hosting with unlimited free migrations, a CDN and a firewall built in.
Which kind of migration help you need
- A simple move to a new host: a host that migrates for free, such as Hostinger or KnownHost.
- A busy WordPress site: a managed WordPress host such as Kinsta or Rocket.net.
- One expert for a tricky job: a vetted freelancer through Codeable.
- A full replatform with SEO planning: an agency such as Marcel Digital.
- Universities and hospitals: Eastern Standard.
- Moving to managed WordPress hosting: GoDaddy.
The redirect rule that protects your traffic
Google Search Central's guide to site moves with URL changes says to keep redirects for as long as possible, generally at least 1 year. That gives Google time to transfer signals to the new URLs, including recrawling and reassigning links from other sites.
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Google also suggests keeping redirects indefinitely from users' point of view. So if your migration changes any URLs, make the redirect map part of the job you're buying, and make sure nobody switches the redirects off a few months later to tidy up.
What to agree before a migration starts
- A full list of what moves: site files, database, email, DNS and any subdomains.
- Who creates the redirect map if any URLs change.
- When the switch happens, ideally at a quiet time for your traffic.
- How the new site is tested before the domain points to it.
- Who to call if something breaks in the first week.
Host migration or agency migration
A host's migration service usually copies your existing site to its servers unchanged. It's quick and often free for new customers, which suits most small sites that just want a better host.
An agency or developer is better when you're changing platform, redesigning, merging sites or changing URLs. Those moves need planning for redirects, content and tracking, not just a file transfer.
Signs your migration needs more than a host transfer
- Your URLs are changing. You need a redirect plan.
- You're switching platforms. Content and design need rebuilding.
- You're merging two sites. You need a content and SEO plan.
- Your shop takes orders all day. Plan the switch carefully.
Do you make a website migration service? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on website migration services
If you're only changing hosts and keeping the same URLs, a host's free migration is usually enough. If anything about your URLs, platform or design is changing, pay for planning, because the redirects and testing are where traffic is saved or lost.
Choosing the new host is half the job. My guide to choosing a hosting provider covers what to look for.
Frequently asked questions
What is a website migration service?
It's a service where a host, agency or developer moves your website to a new host, platform or domain for you.
Do web hosts migrate websites for free?
Many hosts migrate sites for free when you move to their hosting. Check each host's own page for the details.
Will a website migration affect SEO?
It can if URLs change without redirects. Google says to keep redirects for at least a year, ideally longer.
How long does a website migration take?
A simple host move can be quick. A replatform or redesign with URL changes takes planning and testing, so allow more time.
Should I use an agency or my new host?
Use the host for a like-for-like move. Use an agency or developer when URLs, platform or design are changing.
What should I check after a migration?
Check pages, forms, email, tracking and redirects, and watch search traffic closely for the first few weeks.
