Migrate a Website from Bluehost
Moving a site off Bluehost means downloading the files and MySQL database from its cPanel, syncing mailboxes over IMAP, testing on the new server's IP, then switching nameservers. The domain can stay at Bluehost. WebJi® is not Bluehost and does not use their migration tool, which moves sites the other way.
For Bluehost account owners moving hosting elsewhere, with independent website, database, mailbox and DNS checks before an approved cutover or cancellation.
knowledge
- Read time
- 5 min
- Sections
- 9
- Updated
- 14 Nov 2026
- Written by
- WebJi® team
Last editorial update: 15 November 2026. Prices follow the dated sources on this page; checkout confirms current charges.
What a move off Bluehost has to carry
Moving a website away from Bluehost requires an inventory of website files, database, DNS and any email hosted there. A provider’s inbound migration product is not the same service as this outbound move; treat website and mailbox validation as separate jobs.
| Item | Where it lives at Bluehost | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Site files | public_html in cPanel | Compress, download, extract on WebJi |
| MySQL database | phpMyAdmin | Export .sql, import, update wp-config.php |
| Mailboxes | Bluehost email or Google Workspace | IMAP copy, MX last |
| DNS zone | Bluehost Domains or your registrar | Copy A, CNAME, MX, TXT first |
| SSL | AutoSSL on the Bluehost account | Reissue on WebJi after DNS |
Copy the site files out of Bluehost cPanel
Open the Bluehost portal, choose the site under Websites, then open cPanel for File Manager, phpMyAdmin and Backups. The document root is public_html, or a subfolder if the site was installed under one.
- Identify the actual document root for the selected website, not merely a default public_html folder.
- Copy files with authorised SFTP access or a panel archive stored outside public access.
- Include uploads, configuration and hidden files needed by the application.
- Keep the independent copy and verify restoration before closing the old account.
Export the database and import it on WebJi
Export the database while the site is still live, then import it into a database created on WebJi. The table prefix and the wp-config.php values have to match at the end, or WordPress shows a database connection error.
- In cPanel open phpMyAdmin, select the database named in wp-config.php, and use Export with the SQL format.
- Or dump it over SSH:
mysqldump --single-transaction --routines --triggers -u USER -p DBNAME > DBNAME.sql - On WebJi open MySQL Databases, create the database and a user, and grant all privileges on that database.
- Import through phpMyAdmin, or run
mysql -u USER -p DBNAME < DBNAME.sql. - Edit wp-config.php with the new DB_NAME, DB_USER, DB_PASSWORD and DB_HOST, then load the site.
Keep the domain the same during the test and no search-replace is needed. That is one common WordPress failure removed before it starts.
Move the mailboxes before MX changes
Bluehost may host the mail itself or hand it to Google Workspace. Check the MX records first: if they point at Google, mail is not on Bluehost and does not move with the website.
- On WebJi open Email Accounts and create each address, alias and forwarder with the same spelling.
- Use actual provider-supplied IMAP hostnames and authorised mailbox accounts. This example prompts for passwords instead of exposing them in arguments:
Replace the host placeholders, verify certificates and review the dry-run mapping before a real copy.imapsync --host1 OLD_IMAP_HOST --user1 you@example.com --ssl1 --sslargs1 SSL_verify_mode=1 --host2 NEW_IMAP_HOST --user2 you@example.com --ssl2 --sslargs2 SSL_verify_mode=1 --automap --dry - Run it without --dry, then again. The second pass picks up mail that arrived during the first.
- Compare folder counts, send an outside test message, and only then change MX and the SPF record.
IMAP migration copies mailbox content under the selected mapping and authentication rules; it does not automatically reproduce calendars, contacts, filters or account settings. Verify those separately and confirm the current mail provider rather than using guessed server hostnames.
The email account migration guide covers mailbox checks separately; the DNS propagation guide explains why sample resolver agreement is not a worldwide completion guarantee.
What changes for WordPress after the move
WordPress itself moves cleanly; the host-specific parts do not. Expect to touch four things after the files and database land, before you call the move finished.
- Permalinks: open Settings, then Permalinks, and save once, or run
wp rewrite flush. Rewrite rules are rebuilt, so /about/ resolves again. - Review host-specific cache and mu-plugin components before removal; preserve settings and confirm their purpose. Do not delete every mu-plugin or assume one cache product is supported on the destination.
- Cron: check WP-Cron entries and any real cron job in cPanel. Paths that named the old home directory have to change.
- Mail plugins: an SMTP plugin still points at the old mail server. Update the host, port and credentials, then send a test.
If the site used Bluehost's staging or a page builder with licence checks, re-save those settings too. Licences often bind to the domain, so they survive the move, but the cached validation does not.
Test the copy before the nameservers move
Test with the real domain pointed at the new IP from one machine. The hosts file does that without changing public DNS, and the SSL certificate can be issued before the switch.
- macOS or Linux: add
203.0.113.10 example.com www.example.comto /etc/hosts. - Windows: the same line in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts, saved as administrator.
- One-off check:
curl -I --resolve example.com:443:203.0.113.10 https://example.com/
Walk the site as a visitor, then as the editor: home page, an inner permalink, an image, the stylesheet, a form submission, and a wp-admin login that saves a draft. You know it worked when every item passes over HTTPS and the response headers come from the new server.
Remove the hosts entry after the test. Leaving it in place hides DNS problems from your own browser for as long as it stays there.
Cut DNS over and keep Bluehost paid for a week
Plan lower DNS TTLs ahead of cutover and wait for previous cached TTLs where appropriate. Changing an A-record TTL does not change the parent nameserver delegation cache. Keep the old service available until website, email and recovery checks justify closing it.
- Write down the current values:
dig +short NS example.comanddig +short A example.com. - If the domain is registered at Bluehost, open Domains, then Manage, then Nameservers. Otherwise make the change at your registrar.
- Verify from two resolvers:
dig +short example.com @1.1.1.1anddig +short example.com @8.8.8.8. - Before reverting DNS, protect and reconcile data created on the new server. A traffic change alone cannot merge orders, submissions or new mail between two writable environments.
- Close the old hosting only after an approved validation and recovery period, with final independent backups. Do not cancel domain registration or separate email services accidentally.
The nameserver guide covers registrars other than Bluehost. Cached resolvers follow the old TTL, so some visitors reach Bluehost after the change; that gap is the reason for the week.
WebJi® migration reference price and scope
WebJi®’s published migration reference is ₹700 one-time for one domain, FTP files and up to five MySQL databases within the stated 5 GB scope, before 18% GST. The shared-hosting row was read from WebJi® billing on 15 November 2026. This is a reference, not a freshly verified checkout quote or a direct comparison with Bluehost’s inbound migration service.
| Service | Reference | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| One-domain migration | ₹700 one-time | FTP files and up to 5 MySQL databases within the published 5 GB allowance |
| Webji Launch shared hosting | ₹299 monthly | Separate hosting order; confirm current plan entitlements |
Shared hosting is the usual landing point for a Bluehost shared site. A WordPress or WooCommerce store with heavier traffic belongs on WordPress hosting, and the migration service page explains what the paid move covers. Free migration is subject to terms and approval.
References
- Bluehost (https://www.bluehost.com/help/article/migration-products) — migration services article. Read on 29 October 2026.
Figures about other companies on this page were read from the sources above on the dates shown; those pages change without notice. WebJi® is not affiliated with, and is not the support desk of, any company named on this page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep my domain at Bluehost?
Yes. Changing nameservers or the A record moves the hosting and leaves the registration alone. Transfer the domain only if you want a different registrar, which is a separate process with an authorisation code.
Does Bluehost's free migration tool work when I am leaving?
No. That tool imports a site into a Bluehost account. Leaving is a manual copy, or a paid move by the new host — the steps run in accounts you control.
Do I have to move email at the same time?
No. The website and the mailboxes are separate. If MX points at Google Workspace, your mail is not on Bluehost at all. If it points at Bluehost, copy the mailboxes over IMAP and change MX last.
How long does a Bluehost migration take?
No measured duration is established here. Copy time depends on data, access and validation, while DNS depends on the previous caches and chosen changes. Rehearse the move and agree an overlap period before cancelling the old service rather than promising a one-TTL completion.
Why do WordPress permalinks break after a move?
Rewrite rules are stored in the database and rebuilt from the current site address. Open Settings, then Permalinks, and save once, or run wp rewrite flush. Then test an inner page such as /about/ rather than the home page.
What if the old Bluehost site still shows after DNS changes?
Your resolver is still holding the old record for the old TTL, or a hosts-file entry is still in place. Run dig against 1.1.1.1 and 8.8.8.8, clear the local DNS cache, and remove any hosts entry you added for testing.
Last editorial update: 15 November 2026. Prices follow the dated sources on this page; checkout confirms current charges.
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