How to Migrate from SiteGround to Hostinger (Step-by-Step for Beginners in 2026)
Thinking about switching from SiteGround to Hostinger? You're not alone. Hostinger's plans start at around $2.99/month, often making it a more budget-friendly option with surprisingly fast LiteSpeed servers. The good news is that Hostinger offers a free migration service, so you don't need to be a tech wizard to make the switch. This guide walks you through every step — from purchasing your new hosting plan and backing up your SiteGround site, to uploading your files and pointing your domain. The whole process takes between 4 and 24 hours of active work, plus up to 48 hours for DNS to propagate. Let's get your site moved safely and without any downtime.
What You Need
- ✓An active SiteGround hosting account with access to Site Tools
- ✓A Hostinger account (you'll sign up in Step 1)
- ✓Access to your domain registrar account (e.g., GoDaddy, Namecheap)
- ✓A computer with a stable internet connection for file downloads and uploads
- ✓Your SiteGround login credentials if you plan to use Hostinger's hands-off migration service
- ✓A folder on your desktop to store backup files safely during the process
Step 1: Purchase a Hostinger Hosting Plan
Head to Hostinger's website and choose a hosting plan that fits your site. If your site runs on WordPress, pick the Managed WordPress hosting plan — it starts at around $2.99/month in 2026 and includes free migration tools, automatic optimizations, and LiteSpeed servers that typically load pages faster than SiteGround's shared environment. During the signup process, you'll be asked to enter your existing domain name — type it in exactly as it appears (e.g., yoursite.com). Complete checkout and keep an eye on your inbox for a confirmation email with your login credentials. Once you receive it, log into hPanel at hpanel.hostinger.com immediately. hPanel is Hostinger's custom control panel and it's much more beginner-friendly than the traditional cPanel. You'll see a guided onboarding wizard that walks you through the setup. Look for the 'Websites' section in hPanel — this is where you'll manage your migration in the next steps. The whole signup process takes about 5 to 10 minutes. If you have a promo code, apply it at checkout before paying. Hostinger also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so there's no financial risk if something doesn't go to plan.
Pro Tip: Choose a plan with at least 10GB of SSD storage and a free SSL certificate included. Most of Hostinger's plans include both, but double-check before purchasing, especially if your site has lots of images or media files.
Hostinger hPanel
hPanel is Hostinger's all-in-one control panel that's included free with every plan. It has a simple layout, guided wizards, and a built-in migration tool — perfect for beginners who've never moved a website before.
Visit →Step 2: Create a Full Backup from Your SiteGround Account
Before you move anything, you need a complete backup of your SiteGround site. Log into your SiteGround Client Area at my.siteground.com. Click on 'Websites', find the site you want to migrate, and click 'Site Tools' under the Actions column on the right. Inside Site Tools, go to 'Security' then click 'Backups'. Click 'Create' and give the backup a clear name like 'SiteGround-to-Hostinger-2026'. SiteGround will generate a full backup including all your website files, themes, plugins, uploads folder, and your database. This usually takes between 5 and 15 minutes depending on your site's size. Once the backup is ready, click the three dots (⋮) next to it under Actions and select 'Download'. You'll receive a .tar.gz file — save this to a clearly named folder on your desktop. If your site's database is needed separately, go to Site Tools, then 'Site', then 'MySQL', and open phpMyAdmin. Select your database, click 'Export', choose the SQL format, and click 'Go' to download the .sql file. Save both files in the same folder. If your site is large (500MB or more), make sure you're on a stable internet connection before downloading. Do not skip this step — it's your safety net if anything goes wrong during migration.
Pro Tip: Do your backup during off-peak hours, like late at night, when your site gets the least traffic. This reduces the chance of any data changing mid-backup, which can cause inconsistencies in your files.
SiteGround Site Tools Backups
SiteGround's built-in backup tool is free to use and creates a single compressed .tar.gz file that contains everything Hostinger's migration tool needs. No third-party software required.
Visit →Step 3: Start the Migration Process Inside Hostinger hPanel
Now it's time to move your files to Hostinger. Log into hPanel and click on 'Websites' in the top navigation. You should see your domain listed — click 'Manage'. Look for the 'Migration' option or find 'Migrate a Website' in the onboarding wizard if you're setting up for the first time. Click 'Upload WordPress website backup' (this also works for Joomla and other CMS platforms). Enter your destination domain name in the field provided. Then upload the .tar.gz file you downloaded from SiteGround by dragging it into the upload box or browsing to the file on your computer. If Hostinger asks for a separate SQL database file, upload the .sql file you exported from phpMyAdmin. Review the migration summary carefully — it should show your domain name, the uploaded files, and the database. Once everything looks correct, click 'Submit request'. Hostinger's team will process the migration. This typically takes between a few hours and up to 20 hours. Your live SiteGround site stays fully active during this entire time, so your visitors won't experience any downtime. To track progress, go to hPanel, click 'Websites', then 'Migrate website', and check 'Manage migration requests'. You'll also get email updates. Use Google Chrome for uploading large files — it handles big uploads more reliably than other browsers.
Pro Tip: If you don't want to handle file uploads yourself, Hostinger offers a completely hands-off free migration service. Just provide your SiteGround login credentials to Hostinger's support team after signup, and they'll do everything for you. Contact their 24/7 live chat to request this.
Hostinger Free Migration Service
Hostinger's free migration service is handled by their technical team and requires zero effort from you beyond sharing your credentials. It's the safest option for beginners who are nervous about uploading large backup files manually.
Visit →Step 4: Test Your Website on Hostinger Before Going Live
Once Hostinger confirms your migration is complete — you'll see a success status in hPanel under 'Manage migration requests' — don't flip the switch on DNS just yet. First, test your site using Hostinger's temporary URL. In hPanel, go to 'Websites', click 'Manage' for your domain, and look for a temporary preview URL (sometimes listed as a subdomain like yoursite.hostinger-preview.com). Open this URL in your browser and check the following: your homepage loads correctly, images appear, internal links work, contact forms submit properly, and if you have an e-commerce store, the checkout process runs without errors. Also log into your WordPress dashboard via the temporary URL to confirm your admin access, all plugins are active, and no error messages appear. Pay special attention to any pages that were recently updated — make sure the content matches your live SiteGround version. If you spot broken links or missing images, it may indicate a URL mismatch in the database. In that case, use a plugin like Better Search Replace to update old URLs to the new Hostinger environment. This testing step is essential before you point your domain, because once DNS changes are live, you can't easily roll back without another delay.
Pro Tip: Write down a simple checklist of 5 to 10 key pages and features to test before changing DNS. Include your homepage, a blog post, a contact form, and any payment or booking pages. A quick 10-minute check here can save hours of troubleshooting later.
Better Search Replace (WordPress Plugin)
This free WordPress plugin lets you find and replace old SiteGround URLs with your new Hostinger URLs in your database with just a few clicks — no coding required.
Visit →Step 5: Add Custom DNS Records Before Switching Nameservers
Before you change your domain's nameservers, you need to recreate any custom DNS records in Hostinger's DNS Zone Editor. This is the step most beginners skip, and it's the one that causes the most problems. If you use a custom email address (like hello@yoursite.com) through Google Workspace, Zoho Mail, or any other email provider, those services rely on MX records stored in your DNS. If you switch nameservers without adding those records to Hostinger first, your email will stop working. Log into hPanel, go to 'Domains', click on your domain, and select 'DNS / Nameservers'. Then click 'DNS Zone Editor'. Now open your SiteGround Site Tools and go to 'Domain' then 'DNS Zone Editor'. Write down or screenshot every custom record — especially MX records, TXT records (used for email verification and Google Search Console), and any CNAME records for subdomains. Re-enter each one manually inside Hostinger's DNS Zone Editor. Take your time here — a typo in a DNS record can break your email for hours. Once all records are added, double-check them against the originals. This preparation ensures a seamless switch when you update your nameservers in the next step.
Pro Tip: Take a screenshot of your entire SiteGround DNS Zone Editor before making any changes. Save it alongside your backup files. This gives you a reference document you can quickly check if something breaks after the nameserver switch.
Hostinger DNS Zone Editor (inside hPanel)
Hostinger's DNS Zone Editor lets you add, edit, and delete DNS records in a clean interface. It's free to use inside hPanel and supports all common record types including A, CNAME, MX, and TXT.
Visit →Step 6: Point Your Domain to Hostinger's Nameservers
With your DNS records safely added to Hostinger and your migration tested, it's time to make the final switch. Log into whichever registrar holds your domain — common ones include GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains, or Cloudflare. Look for a 'DNS' or 'Nameservers' section in your domain management area. Change your current nameservers to Hostinger's nameservers. The exact nameservers for your account are listed in hPanel under 'Domains' — they typically look like ns1.dns-parking.com and ns2.dns-parking.com, but always confirm the exact values in your own hPanel because they can vary by account. Save the changes. DNS propagation — the time it takes for the internet to recognize the switch — can take anywhere from 1 hour to 48 hours. During propagation, some visitors will still see your SiteGround site and others will see your Hostinger site. Both should look identical since you migrated everything. To monitor propagation progress, go to WhatsMyDNS.net, enter your domain, and check whether the nameservers have updated globally. Once propagation is complete, your Hostinger site is officially live. Hostinger will automatically install a free SSL certificate via Let's Encrypt — you'll see the padlock icon appear in your browser once it activates.
Pro Tip: Before changing nameservers, write down your current SiteGround nameservers somewhere safe. If something goes wrong after the switch, you can revert quickly without searching for the old values.
WhatsMyDNS.net
This free online tool shows you in real time whether your domain's nameservers have propagated across servers worldwide. It's the easiest way for beginners to confirm the migration switch is complete.
Visit →Step 7: Verify Everything Works and Cancel SiteGround
Once WhatsMyDNS.net confirms full propagation, do one final round of testing on your live Hostinger site. Visit your domain in a fresh browser window or in an incognito tab. Check your homepage, run through your navigation menu, submit a test contact form, and if you have email configured, send yourself a test email to confirm it arrives. Check your SSL certificate is active — you should see 'https://' and a padlock in the address bar. If you run Google Analytics or any tracking scripts, verify they're still firing by checking your real-time analytics dashboard. Log into WordPress and check that all plugins are active and no warnings are showing under 'Dashboard' then 'Updates'. If everything looks and functions correctly, you can now log into your SiteGround Client Area and cancel or downgrade your plan to avoid being charged for two hosting accounts. Before canceling, keep SiteGround active for at least 48 to 72 hours after propagation completes — just as a final safety buffer. Once canceled, your migration from SiteGround to Hostinger in 2026 is fully complete.
Pro Tip: After migration, clear your browser cache and any WordPress caching plugins on Hostinger (like LiteSpeed Cache, which is free and pre-installed on many Hostinger plans) to make sure visitors are seeing the freshest version of your site and not cached SiteGround content.
LiteSpeed Cache (WordPress Plugin)
LiteSpeed Cache is a free WordPress plugin built specifically for Hostinger's LiteSpeed servers. It dramatically speeds up your site post-migration and includes a one-click cache purge feature to clear old content immediately.
Visit →Common Mistakes to Avoid
Downloading an incomplete backup that only includes files but not the database
Fix: Always verify your SiteGround backup contains both website files and the database before uploading to Hostinger. If unsure, also export your database separately from phpMyAdmin as a .sql file and upload both during migration.
Changing nameservers before migration is confirmed complete in hPanel
Fix: Wait for Hostinger to show a 'Migration successful' status in your hPanel dashboard before touching any DNS settings. Switching too early can cause visitors to land on an empty or broken site.
Forgetting to add email MX records to Hostinger before switching nameservers
Fix: Always check your SiteGround DNS Zone Editor for custom MX and TXT records and copy them into Hostinger's DNS Zone Editor before changing nameservers. Missing this step will break your custom email addresses.
Not clearing the cache after migration, causing visitors to see outdated content
Fix: After migration and DNS propagation, clear the cache on your Hostinger site using LiteSpeed Cache or your preferred caching plugin. Also clear your browser's own cache before testing your live site.
Canceling SiteGround immediately after submitting the migration request
Fix: Keep your SiteGround account active until DNS has fully propagated and you've confirmed the Hostinger site works correctly. Cancel only after at least 48 to 72 hours post-propagation to avoid any accidental data loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
The actual migration processing by Hostinger typically takes between a few hours and 20 hours depending on your site's size. On top of that, DNS propagation after you change your nameservers can take anywhere from 1 hour to 48 hours. In total, budget around 4 to 24 hours of active steps plus up to 2 days for propagation. Your SiteGround site stays live the entire time, so there's no forced downtime.
Yes, Hostinger offers free website migration for most sites as part of their hosting plans in 2026. You can either upload your own backup file through hPanel or contact Hostinger's 24/7 live chat support and ask them to handle the migration hands-off using your SiteGround credentials. There are no hidden fees for standard migrations, though very large or complex sites may require a manual review by their team first.
No, your SiteGround website stays fully live during the entire migration and file transfer process. The only potential brief interruption can happen during DNS propagation after you switch nameservers, where some visitors might briefly see one host or the other. However, since both sites have identical content, this transition is seamless in practice. To minimize any risk, test everything on Hostinger's temporary URL before changing nameservers.
No technical skills are required. Hostinger's hPanel has a guided migration wizard that walks you through the upload process step by step, and their free hands-off migration service means you can hand the entire job over to their support team. The most technical task in this process is copying DNS records, and this guide explains exactly how to do that without any coding or command-line knowledge.
Your domain name stays exactly the same — you don't need to transfer it to Hostinger unless you want to. You simply update the nameservers at your current domain registrar (such as GoDaddy or Namecheap) to point to Hostinger's servers. Your visitors will still reach your site using the same URL they've always used. If you do want to transfer your domain to Hostinger for convenience, that's an optional extra step that can be done anytime after the hosting migration is complete.
Conclusion
Migrating from SiteGround to Hostinger in 2026 is genuinely beginner-friendly, especially with Hostinger's free migration service doing the heavy lifting. The key steps are simple: back up your SiteGround site, upload to Hostinger, copy your DNS records, then switch your nameservers. The whole process typically wraps up within 24 to 48 hours. Once live, you'll benefit from Hostinger's LiteSpeed servers, lower pricing, and a clean hPanel dashboard. Take it one step at a time and you'll have your site moved smoothly.