If you’re reading this, you’re likely frustrated with GoDaddy’s hosting performance, limitations, or support. Many WordPress users eventually outgrow GoDaddy’s shared hosting due to slow loading times, plugin restrictions, confusing SFTP access, and inconsistent performance that can hurt your site’s search rankings and user experience.
Moving your WordPress site away from GoDaddy is absolutely doable, and this guide will walk you through every step of the process. We’ll cover multiple migration methods, help you avoid common pitfalls, and ensure your site comes through the move intact and running better than ever.
Whether you’re dealing with blacklisted plugins, poor performance scores, or just want more control over your hosting environment, this guide will help you make a clean break from GoDaddy without losing any of your hard work.
Preparation: Before You Start the Migration
Before starting the migration itself, proper preparation will save you hours of troubleshooting and prevent anything from getting lost in the process.
1. Choose Your New Host
First, you’ll need a new home for your WordPress site. Here are some reliable alternatives that offer free migration services:
- [SiteGround](https://www.siteground.com/) – Excellent customer service with free expert migration
- [DreamHost](https://www.dreamhost.com/) – 100% automated WordPress migrations included
- [A2 Hosting](https://www.a2hosting.com/) – Fast servers with comprehensive migration support
All of these hosts offer free migration services, which can save you the technical work entirely.
2. Document Your Current Setup
Before changing anything, take screenshots and notes of:
- Your current domain DNS settings (in GoDaddy’s DNS management)
- Active plugins (some may be GoDaddy-specific)
- Your WordPress admin login details
- Any custom email addresses associated with your domain
- Your current theme and any customizations
3. Create a Full Backup
Even though you’ll be creating new backups during migration, create one final backup through your GoDaddy dashboard. This serves as your emergency fallback if anything goes wrong.
4. Lower Your DNS TTL
This is a crucial step many people skip. 2-3 days before your migration:
1. Go to GoDaddy’s DNS management for your domain
2. Find the TTL (Time To Live) setting for your domain records
3. Change it from the default (usually 3600 seconds) to 300 seconds (5 minutes)
This change will make DNS propagation much faster when you make the switch.
5. Prepare for Temporary Downtime
Many migrations can be done with minimal downtime, but prepare your audience:
- Schedule the migration for a low-traffic time
- Consider posting a notice about potential brief downtime
- Have a plan to update any critical business processes that depend on your site
Migration Methods: Choose Your Approach
There are three main ways to migrate from GoDaddy, each with different levels of complexity and control.
Method 1: Host-Provided Free Migration (Recommended for Beginners)
If you choose a host like SiteGround, DreamHost, or A2 Hosting, they’ll handle the entire migration for you at no extra cost. Their teams do this daily and can often migrate your site with zero downtime.
Pros:
- Professional experts handle everything
- Zero downtime in most cases
- Free with most quality hosts
- They guarantee the migration works
- Less control over the process
- Timing depends on their schedule
Cons:
Method 2: Plugin-Based Migration (Good Balance)
This method gives you control while keeping things relatively simple. The best plugin for GoDaddy migrations is Duplicator.
Why Duplicator Works Better:
- No file size limits (unlike All-in-One WP Migration’s 256MB limit)
- Creates standard ZIP files you can access anywhere
- Can restore even if your WordPress dashboard is broken
- Works well with GoDaddy’s sometimes-quirky server setup
Method 3: Manual Migration (Maximum Control)
For developers or those who want complete control, manually moving files and database gives you the most flexibility but requires technical knowledge.
Step-by-Step Migration Using Duplicator
This section will walk you through migrating your site using the Duplicator plugin, which tends to work most reliably with GoDaddy’s hosting environment.
Step 1: Install Duplicator on Your GoDaddy Site
1. Log into your WordPress admin dashboard
2. Go to Plugins → Add New
3. Search for “Duplicator”
4. Install and activate the free version
Note: If GoDaddy blocks the installation (some managed WordPress plans have plugin restrictions), you’ll need to use the manual migration method or request your new host handle the migration.
Step 2: Create a Package
1. Go to Duplicator → Packages in your WordPress dashboard
2. Click “Create New” package
3. Give your package a descriptive name (like “godaddy-migration-jan2024”)
4. Click “Next” to run the system scan
Duplicator will scan your site and alert you to any potential issues. Pay attention to these warnings. They can save you troubleshooting time later.
Step 3: Build and Download
1. If the scan looks good, click “Build”
2. Wait for Duplicator to create two files:
– A ZIP file containing all your site files
– An installer.php file
3. Download both files to your computer
Important: These files contain your entire site, including database passwords. Keep them secure and delete them from your computer once migration is complete.
Step 4: Set Up Your New Host
1. Sign up for your new hosting account
2. Create a new WordPress installation (or use the new host’s WordPress installer)
3. Make note of your new database details (you’ll find these in your new host’s control panel)
Step 5: Upload and Run the Installer
1. Using FTP or your new host’s file manager, upload both the ZIP file and installer.php to your new site’s root directory
2. Visit yoursite.com/installer.php (replace with your actual domain)
3. Follow the installer wizard:
– Point it to your ZIP file
– Enter your new database details
– Configure your new site URL
4. Let the installer extract and configure everything
Step 6: Update wp-config.php
The installer handles this, but double-check that your wp-config.php file has the correct database settings for your new host.
Step 7: Clean Up
1. Delete the installer.php file and ZIP file from your new server
2. Test your site thoroughly (we’ll cover this in the post-migration section)
3. Delete the original files from your computer
DNS and Domain Management
Once your site is successfully running on your new host, you need to point your domain to the new location. You have two options.
Option A: Keep Your Domain at GoDaddy, Change DNS
This is the simpler option if you’re not ready to move your domain registration away from GoDaddy.
1. Get Your New Host’s Nameservers
– Your new host will provide these (like ns1.siteground.com, ns2.siteground.com)
– Find them in your welcome email or hosting control panel
2. Update Nameservers at GoDaddy
– Log into your GoDaddy account
– Go to My Products → Domains
– Click on your domain
– Find “Nameservers” section
– Change from “Default (GoDaddy nameservers)” to “Custom”
– Enter your new host’s nameservers
3. Wait for Propagation
– DNS changes take 15 minutes to 2 hours to start working
– Full global propagation can take up to 24-48 hours
– Check progress at whatsmydns.net
Option B: Transfer Your Domain Away From GoDaddy
If you want to completely break ties with GoDaddy, you can transfer your domain to a different registrar like Cloudflare, Namecheap, or your new host (if they offer domain registration).
1. Unlock Your Domain
– In GoDaddy’s domain settings, turn off “Domain Lock”
2. Get Authorization Code
– Still in domain settings, request the “Authorization Code” (also called EPP code)
– GoDaddy will email this to your administrative contact
3. Initiate Transfer at New Registrar
– Start the transfer process at your new registrar
– Enter the authorization code when prompted
– Pay the transfer fee (usually around $10-15, which adds one year to your domain registration)
4. Approve the Transfer
– Watch for confirmation emails from both GoDaddy and your new registrar
– Approve the transfer when prompted
Important: Domain transfers take 5-7 days to complete, and your domain must be at least 60 days old to transfer.
Post-Migration: Making Sure Everything Works
After your DNS has propagated and your site is loading from the new host, test everything thoroughly. Here’s a comprehensive checklist:
Immediate Technical Checks
1. Basic Functionality
– Site loads without errors
– WordPress admin login works
– SSL certificate is active (look for the padlock icon)
– No mixed content warnings
2. Content Integrity
– All pages and posts display correctly
– Images load properly (check your Media Library)
– Internal links work
– Menu navigation functions properly
3. Forms and Interactive Elements
– Contact forms submit successfully
– Newsletter signups work
– Search functionality operates
– Comments can be posted (if enabled)
SEO and Performance Checks
1. Search Engine Optimization
– Title tags and meta descriptions are intact
– XML sitemap is accessible (yoursite.com/sitemap.xml)
– robots.txt file exists and is correct
– Update Google Search Console with your new hosting provider’s IP
2. Performance Testing
– Run your site through GTmetrix or Google PageSpeed Insights
– Compare scores to your pre-migration performance
– Configure caching plugins if your new host requires them
3. Mobile Responsiveness
– Test your site on mobile devices
– Ensure touch elements work properly
– Check that images scale correctly
Email and Communication
1. WordPress Emails
– Test password reset functionality
– Verify contact form notifications are being delivered
– Check that automated emails (like comment notifications) work
2. Domain Email (if applicable)
– If you use email addresses with your domain (like hello@yoursite.com), ensure they’re still working
– Update MX records if your email hosting is separate from web hosting
Common Post-Migration Issues and Solutions
Broken Images: If images aren’t loading, your database still has old GoDaddy URLs. Install the “Better Search Replace” plugin and replace all instances of your old GoDaddy URL with your domain name.
SSL Warnings: Mixed content warnings happen when some elements load over HTTP instead of HTTPS. The “Really Simple SSL” plugin fixes most of these automatically.
Permalink Issues: If your page URLs aren’t working, go to Settings → Permalinks in WordPress and simply click “Save Changes” to regenerate the .htaccess file.
Email Delivery Problems: If WordPress emails aren’t sending, install “WP Mail SMTP” and configure it with a reliable email service like Gmail or your hosting provider’s SMTP settings.
Final Tips for a Smooth Migration
1. Don’t Cancel GoDaddy Immediately: Keep your GoDaddy hosting active for at least 48-72 hours after DNS propagation to ensure everything is working properly.
2. Test From Multiple Locations: DNS propagation can vary by location and ISP. Ask friends in different areas to test your site, or use online tools like whatsmydns.net to check global propagation.
3. Update Bookmarks and Saved Links: If you were using any staging or development URLs, update all your bookmarks and any saved links to point to your main domain.
4. Monitor Performance: Keep an eye on your site’s performance for the first week after migration. Quality hosts show significant improvements in loading times compared to GoDaddy.
5. Document What You Did: Keep notes on your migration process. If you ever need to move again or help someone else migrate, you’ll have your own reference guide.
Conclusion
Migrating away from GoDaddy might seem daunting, but with proper preparation and the right approach, it’s a manageable process that will improve your site’s performance and give you more control over your hosting environment.
Remember, you’re not stuck with any hosting provider forever. The web hosting industry is competitive, and there are many excellent alternatives to GoDaddy that offer better performance, more features, and superior customer support.
Whether you choose to use a migration plugin like Duplicator, let your new host handle the migration professionally, or tackle it manually, the key is taking your time, following the steps carefully, and testing thoroughly after the move.
Your future self (and your website visitors) will thank you for making the move to a hosting provider that better serves your needs. Good luck with your migration!