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How to Migrate Your Website to Bluehost Without Downtime
Migration Guide • WordPress • Bluehost
Moving a website to a new host sounds risky, but most of the risk comes from doing the steps in the wrong order. If the old site stays live until the new copy is tested, visitors should never see a broken page.
This guide explains the ways to migrate a website to Bluehost, what each one costs, and a step-by-step order that keeps your site online during the move. It is based on Bluehost’s plan pages and help center, checked on November 13, 2026.
Still deciding whether Bluehost is the right destination? Read our Bluehost review first.
Disclosure: this article contains affiliate links. If you buy Bluehost hosting through them, TechCognate may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices and features were checked against Bluehost’s official pages on November 13, 2026, and we have not hands-on tested the service. Bluehost changes plans and promotions often, so confirm current pricing before you buy.
Quick answer: To migrate a website to Bluehost without downtime, keep your old host running, copy the site to Bluehost, test the copy, then switch your domain’s DNS and cancel the old host only after everything works. WordPress sites can use Bluehost’s free site migration tool from the Bluehost Portal. For other sites, or if you want experts to do it, Bluehost lists a paid website migration at $149.99 per site.
- Free tool: Websites, then Add Website, then Transfer WordPress Website.
- Paid service: one website per purchase, typically 2 to 4 business days.
- Do not change DNS or transfer the domain until the migration is complete.
- Keep the old host paid until the new site has run cleanly for a few days.
Each block is one section, sized by how long it is. The orange block is the longest: Your Bluehost Migration Options and Costs (about 2 min). Tap a block to jump.
Why Migrations Cause Downtime (and How to Avoid It)
Downtime during a move usually has one of three causes: the old hosting is cancelled too early, DNS is switched before the new copy works, or content changes on the old site after the copy is made and gets lost. The fix is the same in every case. Run both sites side by side, test the new one privately, freeze changes for a short window and only then point your domain at Bluehost.
A zero-downtime migration in five phases
The old site stays live until phase four.
A general migration workflow. Bluehost’s own steps and screen names are quoted in the sections below.
Your Bluehost Migration Options and Costs
Bluehost offers a free do-it-yourself tool for WordPress and several paid services. Here is what its pages list:
| Option | Price | What it covers | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free site migration tool | Included with Starter, Business and eCommerce Essentials | WordPress sites you can log in to, moved from another host through the Bluehost Portal | Depends on site size; runs in the background |
| Website Migration (paid) | $149.99 per website | Files and databases for one site; email not included | 2 to 4 business days; longer over 3 GB |
| Pro cPanel Migration | $199.00 | A full cPanel account moved as-is to Shared, VPS or Dedicated | 2 to 4 business days from verification |
| Email Migration | $99 per mailbox | One mailbox into Bluehost Webmail, Professional Email or Google Workspace | Not stated |
Sources: Bluehost shared hosting page, “Free WordPress Migration” help article, “Migration Services” help article (updated July 14, 2026) and “Bluehost Migration: Important Things You Must Know” (updated July 10, 2026).
One inconsistency to know about: the FAQ on Bluehost’s WordPress hosting page describes “free WordPress migration with zero downtime” that “typically completes within 24 to 48 hours”, with up to five sites free to migrate within your first 30 days. The help center describes the free option as a self-service tool and sells expert migrations separately. Ask Bluehost support which applies to your plan before you pay for a migration.
What a typical move costs
Hosting on the 36-month Starter term, plus migration help if you need it.
Source: Bluehost shared hosting page and migration services help article, checked November 13, 2026. Taxes are extra.
Step 1: Prepare Your Current Site
- Take a full backup of files and database on your current host, and download a copy to your computer.
- Update WordPress, your theme and plugins on the old site so you are not moving known problems.
- Write down your DNS records, especially MX records for email, and any TXT records used for verification.
- Note what lives outside the website: email accounts, cron jobs, SSL settings and any custom server rules.
- Check that you can log in to the old WordPress admin. Bluehost’s free tool needs it.
Step 2: Buy a Bluehost Plan (but Leave DNS Alone)
Choose a plan on Bluehost. On the 36-month term, Starter is $3.99 a month and renews at $9.99, Business is $6.99 and renews at $13.99, and eCommerce Essentials is $14.99 and renews at $21.99. When sign-up asks about a domain, choose to use the domain you already own. Do not change nameservers yet.
If you plan to move the domain registration to Bluehost too, our Bluehost free domain guide explains how the voucher covers transfers. Bluehost’s migration pages advise against transferring the domain until the site migration is complete.
Step 3: Run Bluehost’s Free WordPress Migration Tool
Bluehost’s help article describes a Bluehost plugin powered by InstaWP’s migration technology. The steps for an existing site are:
- Log in to the Bluehost Portal and click Websites, then Add Website.
- Click Transfer WordPress Website, wait while the account is prepared, then click Start Transfer.
- Enter your current site’s URL, click Connect and choose Yes, Continue to Login.
- Log in to the old WordPress site and approve the connection. Bluehost says the migration cannot continue without approval.
- Wait for the status to change from Connecting to Connected. Files and the database then transfer, with a progress bar for each.
- When you see “Your Migration is Complete!”, click Go to site.
You can also install WordPress first and choose Import an Existing WordPress Site. Bluehost sends email updates when the migration starts, completes or fails. The article says the tool is “designed to achieve a success rate of at least 85%”, which is a design target, not a guarantee. If it fails, Bluehost points to its paid migration service or a support ticket.
Step 4: Moving a Non-WordPress Site
The free tool is for WordPress. For a static HTML site, another CMS or a whole cPanel account, you have two routes:
- Pay Bluehost: the $149.99 Website Migration needs control panel access (cPanel, SSH or FTP) on the old host and an active Bluehost plan. Bluehost provides DNS update steps but does not change DNS for you.
- Do it manually: download the files by FTP, export the database, upload both to Bluehost, import the database and update the configuration file with the new database details.
If the site is business-critical and you are not comfortable with databases, paying for the move or hiring a developer is usually cheaper than a long outage. Our WordPress development team also handles migrations.
Step 5: Test the New Copy Before Anyone Sees It
Your domain still points at the old host, so visitors see the old site while you test. Bluehost’s paid migration includes a preview through a direct URL. For a DIY move, use the temporary or preview link shown in the Bluehost Portal, or ask support how to preview the site before DNS changes.
- Click through your main pages, menus and images.
- Submit every form and check the messages arrive.
- Log in to WordPress admin and check plugins and settings.
- For stores, run a test order in sandbox or test mode.
- Check that page URLs match the old site exactly, so search rankings carry over. Our website redesign SEO checklist covers the URL checks in more detail.
Step 6: Freeze Changes and Lower Your DNS TTL
A day or two before you switch, lower the TTL (time to live) on your domain’s DNS records at your current DNS provider, if it lets you. A shorter TTL means the switch reaches visitors faster. Then pause publishing, comments and orders on the old site for the switch window, or plan to re-sync. Bluehost’s pro migration guidance says not to change the website or DNS until the migration finishes, and offers one free data resync during a 14-day review period after a pro migration.
Step 7: Switch DNS to Bluehost
Point the domain at Bluehost by changing its nameservers to the ones shown in your Bluehost account, or by updating the A record if you keep DNS elsewhere. If you have email on another provider, copy your MX and TXT records into Bluehost’s DNS first, or email can stop when nameservers change.
Because the old host is still running, visitors whose DNS has not updated yet still see a working site. That overlap is what makes the move downtime-free.
Step 8: Check SSL, Monitor and Cancel the Old Host
- Confirm the site loads over https. Every listed Bluehost plan includes free SSL; it can only be issued once the domain points at Bluehost.
- Check Google Search Console for crawl errors over the next week.
- Re-test forms, checkout and email.
- Only when everything has run cleanly for a few days, take a final backup from the old host and cancel it.
Moving Email at the Same Time
Website migrations do not include email. Bluehost’s paid website migration explicitly excludes it, and email migration is a separate $99-per-mailbox service. Decide where your email will live before you change nameservers. If you are setting up new mailboxes on Bluehost, our Bluehost business email guide walks through it.
Migration Checklist
| Before you switch DNS… | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Full backup saved off the server | Your fallback if anything goes wrong. |
| New copy tested page by page | Catches broken links, missing images and plugin errors. |
| MX and TXT records copied | Keeps email and verifications working. |
| Content frozen or resync planned | Prevents lost posts, comments or orders. |
| Old host still paid | Keeps the site up while DNS changes spread. |
Common Migration Mistakes
- Cancelling the old host the same day you switch DNS.
- Changing nameservers before copying email records.
- Transferring the domain in the middle of the site move.
- Publishing new content on the old site after the copy is made.
- Changing URLs during the move and losing search rankings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Bluehost migrate websites for free?
All listed shared plans include a free site migration tool for WordPress sites. Bluehost’s WordPress hosting FAQ also mentions free migration for up to five sites within 30 days. Expert migrations are sold separately, starting at $149.99 per website.
How long does a Bluehost migration take?
The free tool’s time depends on site size. Bluehost’s paid website and pro migrations typically take 2 to 4 business days, and longer for sites over 3 GB.
Will my site go down during the move?
It should not if you keep the old host running, test the new copy, then switch DNS. Downtime usually comes from cancelling the old host too early.
Can I migrate a site that is not WordPress?
Yes, but not with the free WordPress tool. Use Bluehost’s paid migration or move the files and database manually.
Does the migration include my email?
No. Bluehost’s website migration excludes email; email migration is $99 per mailbox.
Should I transfer my domain to Bluehost?
It is optional. If you do, wait until the site migration is complete. The free domain voucher can cover a transfer.
What if the free migration tool fails?
Bluehost says you can buy its paid migration service or submit a support ticket. Your old site is unaffected.
Will I lose SEO rankings?
A like-for-like move with the same URLs and content should not, by itself, change rankings. Check Search Console after the switch.
Can I preview my site on Bluehost before switching?
The paid migration includes a direct URL preview. For a DIY move, use the preview option in the portal or ask support.
Final Verdict
Migrating to Bluehost without downtime comes down to order: back up, copy, test, freeze, switch DNS and only then cancel the old host. WordPress owners can try Bluehost’s free migration tool first and fall back to the paid $149.99 service if it fails. Plan email separately, and confirm with support which free migration terms apply to your plan. If you have weighed the renewal prices and the plan fits, Bluehost is a straightforward place to move a WordPress site.
Sources
- Bluehost: free WordPress migration (self-service)
- Bluehost website and email migration services
- Bluehost Migration: Important Things You Must Know
- Bluehost shared hosting plans
- Bluehost WordPress hosting plans and FAQ
Jaykishan Panchal
Founder & CEO, TechCognate · SEO Strategist & WordPress Expert
Jaykishan Panchal is the founder of TechCognate and an SEO strategist with 15+ years of hands-on experience driving organic growth for businesses worldwide. He specialises in technical SEO, content strategy and GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation), helping brands stay visible in both traditional search and AI-driven discovery.
- Technical SEO
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