Shopify blog
Finding the best WordPress migration plug-in for your site means weighing migration method, site size, and backup needs.
WordPress powers more than 37 million live websites and holds just over 60% of the content management system market. But using WordPress for ecommerce through the WooCommerce plug-in has its downsides.
“It almost was like WooCommerce was dictating our business versus us dictating our business back to them,” says Zachary Burgeson, chief marketing officer at CarBahn. The brand migrated to Shopify and tripled organic traffic within 30 days.
If you want to move away from the platform, this guide shares WordPress migration tools to consider.
Best WordPress migration plug-ins at a glance
Here’s a quick cheatsheet to compare WordPress migration plug-ins:
| WordPress migration plug-in | Free version? | Starting price | Backups included? | WordPress Plugin Directory rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duplicator | Yes, you can download Duplicator Lite from the WordPress Plugin Directory | $69.30 per year | Yes | 4.9 out of 5 stars |
| UpdraftPlus Premium | Yes, you can download UpdraftPlus from the WordPress Plugin Directory | $70 per year | Yes | 4.8 out of 5 stars |
| All-in-One WP Migration | Yes; free version supports single-site installs under 512 MB | $69 per year | Yes | 4.5 out of 5 stars |
| Migrate Guru | Yes | None | No | 4.9 out of 5 stars |
| WP Migrate | Yes, you can download WP Migrate Lite from the WordPress Plugin Directory | $99 per year for individual use | Yes | 4.3 out of 5 stars |
| WPvivid Backup Migration | Yes, with 30-day money-back guarantee for paid plans | $49 per year | Yes | 4.6 out of 5 stars |
| Jetpack (VaultPress Backup) | No | $4.95 per month | Yes | 4.5 out of 5 stars |
How does a WordPress migration work?
A WordPress migration moves your site from one environment to another without rebuilding it from scratch. Your current website includes your themes and plug-ns, media files, databases, and settings and configurations.
A WordPress CMS migration plug-in helps package your existing site, transfer the files and database, and set everything up in the new environment.
Website migration plug-ins work in one of three ways:
- Archive-based migration. Exports and imports a packaged copy of the site.
- Server-to-server transfers. Transfer the site directly from one host to another.
- Push/pull migration. Sends or pulls the site between connected environments.
Whether you’re switching hosts, upgrading your infrastructure, or streamlining your setup, a well-executed WordPress migration ensures your website lands safely in its new environment, ready to welcome visitors.
What to look for in a WordPress migration plug-in
Priorities can vary depending on your situation. For example, whether you need a simple one-time move, a host-to-host transfer, a backup-first tool, or support for a large or multisite install.
In general, here’s what to look for as you evaluate WordPress migration tools:
- Full-site migration support
- Automatic URL replacement
- One-click or assisted migrations
- Hosting environment compatibility
- Backup and restoration
- Support for large and multisite installs
- Security
- Customer support and documentation
Full-site migration support
The WordPress plug-in you choose should be able to migrate all your core files, your site database, themes, plug-ins, uploads, and media. That includes your MySQL database and the wp-content folder, which contains site files such as themes, plug-ins, and media uploads.
If you’re working with multiple WordPress sites or network installations, you may also want it to migrate any custom files (like .htaccess or wp-config.php), along with user accounts, roles, and permissions.
Automatic URL replacement
Update any hard-coded links in your site files so they redirect to the new site. This is especially important for serialized data, where URLs and path references are stored in a structured format and can create broken links if they’re replaced incorrectly.
One-click or assisted migrations
One-click tools don’t require manual uploading to FTP servers or separate database backup systems. Beginners may want to look for website migration plug-ins with guided interfaces that walk them through each step.
Hosting environment compatibility
Check with your destination host before you start to confirm any migration requirements, file size limits, or timeout restrictions.
Backup and restoration
Check that your WordPress plug-in includes scheduled backups, off-site storage, and one-click restore options, especially if your WP migration fails and you need to roll it back. Also consider whether you need migration as a one-time event or want ongoing backup protection after the move.
Support for large and multisite installs
If you have lots of media files, WooCommerce data, or manage multiple WordPress sites, ensure the plug-in supports large-site migrations (10 gigabytes or more). It should also offer file-splitting or remote-transfer tools to manage multisite installations.
Security
Website migrations can create temporary vulnerabilities while files and databases are in transit or stored temporarily. Check that the plug-in protects your backup files with passwords and encryption. It should also log every step of the site migration process (key for troubleshooting) and allow for rollback if the migration fails.
Customer support and documentation
Look for plug-ins with robust support and detailed documentation, especially if you’re not using a migration service. Keep in mind that free WordPress migration plug-ins like WPvivid offer community forum support only, while paid plans include priority ticket support.
7 of the best WordPress migration plug-ins
Each tool has strengths and challenges, so choose the best migration plug-in for your specific business needs.
- Duplicator Pro
- UpdraftPlus Premium
- All-in-One WP Migration
- Migrate Guru
- WP Migrate
- WPvivid Backup for MainWP
- Jetpack (VaultPress)
1. Duplicator Pro
Duplicator Pro packages a WordPress site for backup or migration. It includes a migration wizard, drag-and-drop import, and server-to-server import tools with no code required.
Key features:
- Migration wizard
- Drag-and-drop import
- Server-to-server migration
- Custom search and replace
- Cloud storage support, including Google Drive, Amazon S3, and Dropbox
- WordPress multisite network backup and migration
Limitations:
- Basic plan is limited to two websites
- Multisite network support starts in the Pro tier
Pricing: Duplicator’s pricing starts at $69.30 per year for the Basic tier and goes up to $299.50 per year for the Elite tier, subject to promotional fluctuations. There’s a 14-day money-back guarantee on all plans.
2. UpdraftPlus Premium
UpdraftPlus Premium offers one-click WordPress migration and supports multiple websites. It backs up the entire WordPress site and moves it to a new platform, with the option to restore specific files, themes, databases, or plug-ins separately.
Key features:
- Automatic and incremental backups
- Direct site-to-site migration
- Database encryption and data anonymization
- Password-protected access
Limitations:
- Free plan (UpdraftPlus) has limited backup functions
- Large website networks need a Business ($95 per year), Agency ($145 per year), Enterprise ($195 per year), or Gold ($399 per year) plan.
Pricing: Personal plans start at $70 per year for up to two sites and basic staging. There’s a 10-day money-back guarantee.
3. All-in-One WP Migration
All-in-One WP Migration backs up and migrates WordPress sites with drag-and-drop import options. Reportedly used by more ethan 60 million websites, it integrates with multiple cloud storage providers, including Google Drive, and supports different languages.
Key features:
- One-click transfer
- Drag-and-drop import
- Integrates with over 14 cloud storage providers
- Support for 53 different languages
- Automatic backups when you export
Limitations:
- Free version is single-site only and has a 512 megabyte import limit
- Cloud storage and automated backups included in the premium version
Pricing: Free plan available. Unlimited Extension is $69 per year, while multisite extensions start at $319 per year.
4. Migrate Guru
The Migrate Guru WordPress plug-in lets you clone, move, or migrate your WordPress site from your current web host to one of more than 5,000 web hosting providers. It offers one-click migration and supports sites up to 200 gigabytes.
Key features:
- One-click migration
- Uses its own servers
- Supports sites up to 200 gigabytes
- Handles multisites and serialized data
- Removes temporary copies after migration
Limitations:
- Doesn’t support local host migrations
- Doesn’t support migration of multisite network sub-sites to a new domain
- Limit of five site migrations per user per month, though developers can request an extension
- No site backups included
Pricing: Migrate Guru is open-source and free.
5. WP Migrate
WP Migrate is built around push/pull migrations between WordPress installs. It’s positioned for developer workflows across local, staging, and live environments.
Key features:
- Push/pull database, media, theme, and plug-in migrations between WordPress sites
- Multisite support and multisite tools in higher plans
- Find and replace tools to update URLs, custom text, and paths
- Database backups
Limitations:
- Media files, uploads, and theme and plug-in file migrations start in premium versions ($189)
- Only the top plan ($219) includes multisite tools
Pricing: Standard starts at $99 for the first year ($149 per year thereafter) and includes two active sites. There is a 60-day money-back guarantee on all paid plans.
6. WPvivid Backup Migration
WPvivid is an all-in-one free backup and migration plug-in with a free plan. It can also create and schedule backups and restore old versions from the WordPress dashboard.
Key features:
- Free upload-based migration
- Supports cloud storage through Dropbox, Google Drive, Amazon S3, and Microsoft OneDrive
- Basic backup scheduling
- One-click site restores
Limitations:
- Migration through cloud storage, selective content migration, and crash protection are limited to Pro plan only
Pricing: Free plug-in. Paid plans start at $49 per year for two domains.
7. Jetpack (VaultPress Backup)
VaultPress Backup is a backup-first product that also offers unlimited site migrations. You can restore from backup archives in one click, restore to a new site, or migrate your WordPress site to a new web host using the plug-in.
Key features:
- Real-time cloud backups
- One-click restores
- Starts with 10 gigabytes of backup storage
- Adjustable archive (seven days to one year) and activity log
Limitations:
- No multisite migration support; each plan supports one website
Pricing: VaultPress Backup is $4.95 per month for the first year, billed yearly, and then $9.95 per month at renewal.
Best WordPress migration plug-in FAQ
What is the best WordPress migration plug-in?
The top WordPress migration plug-in depends on your specific site needs, including site size and complexity, your own technical skill level (or your dev team’s), and the hosting environment. Options include Duplicator, UpdraftPlus Premium, Jetpack, Migrate Guru, All-in-One WP Migration, WPvivid Backup Migration, and WP Migrate.
What is the fastest way to migrate WordPress sites?
How quickly you can migrate your entire WordPress site depends on your hosting setup and site size. Jetpack’s one-click migration plug-in, for example, offers to migrate your WordPress site to a new host within minutes. It took Sunology just five days to migrate from WordPress to Shopify.
Can you migrate a WordPress site without a plug-in?
Yes. You can migrate it manually by moving files over FTP or SSH, exporting and importing the database, updating wp-config.php, and running search-and-replace for URLs and paths. A WordPress migration tool does this.
Do WordPress migration plug-ins move the entire website?
WordPress migration plug-ins like UpdraftPlus and Duplicator are designed to move the entire website, including the database, themes, plug-ins, media uploads, and settings. Duplicator also supports multisite installs in the pro tier.
