How to Migrate Your WordPress Site to Web60 — With Minimal Downtime and Less Hassle

The Hosting Problem That Shows Up at Renewal Time

Here's a story you might recognise. A few years ago, you set up a WordPress site for your business. The hosting was cheap, the setup was grand, and you got on with running the actual business. Then the renewal notice landed. Double what you paid last year, maybe more. The site has been getting slower. Support takes days to reply, and when they do, they suggest clearing your cache as if that fixes everything.

You're not alone. Renewal prices are often significantly higher than introductory offers, which is one reason many businesses start reviewing their hosting after year one. And many site owners delay switching because migration sounds risky and technical. The kind of thing that breaks your site and your email on the same afternoon.

That fear is understandable. It used to be justified, too.

This piece walks through what a WordPress migration actually involves, what can genuinely go wrong, and how to figure out whether switching hosting provider is worth your time. Whether you end up moving to Web60 or somewhere else entirely, you'll finish with a practical checklist that works either way.

Who this guide is for: Small Irish business websites, brochure sites, lead-gen sites, and most WooCommerce stores. If you run a large custom platform, a multisite network, or a highly bespoke setup, migration may need a more tailored review, but the checklist and preparation advice still applies.

Why WordPress Sites Slow Down (It's Usually Not WordPress)

When a WordPress site feels sluggish, the instinct is to blame WordPress itself: too many plugins, theme too heavy, database bloated. Sometimes that's part of it. But more often than not, the real bottleneck is the server underneath.

Most affordable hosting plans run on shared servers. That means your site shares processing power, memory, and bandwidth with dozens or even hundreds of other websites. It works fine when traffic is light and your neighbours are quiet. But when someone else's site gets a traffic spike, or when the server is simply overloaded, every site on that machine suffers. In the hosting world, they call this the noisy neighbour problem, and it's one of the most common reasons business sites slow down on shared hosting.

This matters commercially. Google's own research shows that 53% of mobile visitors will leave a site that takes longer than three seconds to load. Core Web Vitals (Google's measurement of how your site performs for real users) are a confirmed ranking signal. On overloaded shared hosting, mobile load times can become slow enough to affect both user experience and conversions. That's visitors leaving before they see what you offer, and search rankings dropping as a result.

The fix isn't a faster theme or fewer plugins (though those help). The fix is hosting built for WordPress: servers configured for how WordPress actually works, with resources that aren't shared across hundreds of unrelated sites. Purpose-built WordPress hosting keeps your database queries fast, your pages cached properly, and your site responsive when traffic picks up.

What Actually Happens During a WordPress Migration

The Old Way

Traditionally, migrating a WordPress site meant rolling up your sleeves. You'd export the database through phpMyAdmin, download all your files via FTP, upload everything to the new server, edit wp-config.php to point at the new database, run a search-and-replace on URLs in the database (carefully, because a normal find-and-replace can break serialised data), update your DNS records, and then wait up to 48 hours hoping nothing fell over.

If that sounds like a job for a developer, it was. Some hosting providers still expect you to do this yourself, or they'll charge an hourly rate for someone to do it manually. The fear people have about migration breaking things? It came from this process. It was genuinely fiddly, and mistakes were easy to make.

How Web60's Migration Tool Works

Web60's approach is more straightforward. You enter the details of your existing site (where it's hosted, your login credentials) and the migration tool copies your files and database to Web60's servers. It then runs your site on the new server in a test state so you can check that everything looks and works correctly before anything changes publicly.

Your site stays live on your old host the entire time. There's no gap, no "site under maintenance" page, no holding your breath. Once you've confirmed the new copy is working properly, the tool handles the DNS changeover. Visitors are gradually directed to the new server as DNS propagates, and both the old and new copies serve your site during that window. The result is typically no noticeable downtime for visitors.

It's a tool that does a practical job well. It won't write your content or redesign your homepage, but it will get your site from A to B without the manual heavy lifting.

A few honest caveats: very large sites take longer to copy. Sites with unusual server configurations may need a quick review after migration. And if you're running a particularly complex setup (multi-site networks, custom caching layers, non-standard file structures), the migration might need a bit of hands-on attention. For the vast majority of Irish business sites, though, it's a clean, automated process.

You can try the migration tool at web60.ie.

What We Check After Every Migration

Once your site is copied and running on Web60, we verify the following before anything goes live:

• All pages load correctly with no broken layouts
• Images and media files transferred completely
• Forms, contact pages, and checkout flows work as expected
• SSL certificate is active and configured
• Database URLs are updated (serialisation-safe replacement)
• MX records preserved, email untouched
• PHP version matched or upgraded
• Caching and performance baseline confirmed

You review the test copy yourself before DNS switches. Nothing changes publicly until you say so.

Email, DNS, and the Things That Actually Worry People

Let's address the big one first: "Will I lose my email?"

Not if it's handled correctly. Here's why.

Email and web hosting are separate services, even when they're bundled together by the same provider. Your email is controlled by MX records in your domain's DNS settings. Your website is controlled by A records. Moving your website to a new host means changing the A record. As long as nobody touches the MX records, your email keeps working exactly as it did before.

If you're using Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or any dedicated email service, your email doesn't live on the web server at all. Migration won't affect it in the slightest. Web60's migration process is designed to preserve your existing MX records, specifically to avoid disrupting email.

Where it gets slightly more nuanced is if your email is bundled with your current hosting. In other words, your current host also runs your mail server. In that case, you need to make sure email is either moved to a standalone service before migration, or that the MX records continue pointing to the old provider's mail server. This is solvable, but it's worth thinking through before you start rather than discovering it after.

DNS propagation (the time it takes for the internet to recognise your new server address) can technically take up to 48 hours. In practice, most visitors will be reaching the new server within a few hours, and often faster. During propagation, both the old and new servers are live, so no visitor hits a dead end regardless of which server they reach.

The short version: email migration anxiety is the most common reason people delay switching hosts, and it's almost always avoidable with a small amount of preparation.

What Can Go Wrong — and How to Prevent It

Most WordPress migrations are straightforward, especially for typical business sites. But some complications are worth knowing about before you start.

Hardcoded URLs are the classic migration pitfall. WordPress stores full URLs in the database, and some of that data is serialised, meaning a simple find-and-replace can corrupt it. Web60's migration tool handles this with serialisation-safe URL replacement, so it's dealt with automatically. If you're migrating manually elsewhere, make sure whatever tool you use supports serialised data.

Large media libraries don't cause problems, they just take longer. A site with thousands of high-resolution images or video files will need more time to transfer. Most Irish SME sites are well under 2GB, so the copy takes minutes rather than hours.

Custom server configurations deserve a check after migration. If your site relies on specific .htaccess rules, a particular PHP version, custom redirects, or server-level cron jobs, these may need to be reviewed and adjusted on the new server. Most sites don't have anything exotic here, but it's worth a look.

Active e-commerce sites have an extra consideration: orders and customer data are being written to the database in real time. If someone places an order on the old server after the database has been copied but before DNS has fully switched, that order could be missed. The practical solution is to coordinate migration during a low-traffic window, such as early morning or late evening, to minimise this risk.

The vast majority of Irish SME WordPress sites migrate cleanly without any of these issues. But knowing what to watch for means you can handle the exceptions calmly if they arise.

Is Switching Hosting Provider Actually Worth It?

Honest answer: it depends on your situation. Switching costs you some time and attention, and there's always a small amount of coordination involved. So it's fair to ask whether the payoff justifies the effort.

Start with the money. If you're currently on shared hosting, look at what you're actually paying annually. Not just the hosting fee, but the total. Typical shared hosting in Ireland after the introductory period runs €130 to €180 per year for hosting alone. Then add the extras that many providers charge separately: SSL certificates, automated backups, security monitoring, a CDN for performance. When you total it up, €200 to €400 per year is common for what should be basic functionality.

Web60 costs €60 per year, and that includes SSL, daily backups, security monitoring, and WordPress-optimised hosting. There's nothing to add on.

Then consider performance. A faster site means visitors stay longer, and search engines rank you better. Automatic WordPress and plugin updates mean fewer security holes sitting open. WordPress-specific support means the person answering your question actually understands WordPress, not just hosting in general.

Security is worth a separate look. According to Patchstack's 2025 annual report, over 11,000 WordPress vulnerabilities were disclosed that year, with the vast majority found in plugins. Security monitoring isn't a luxury feature. It's basic hygiene, and it shouldn't be something you pay extra for on top of your hosting.

Web60 is hosted in Ireland, which can simplify GDPR data residency considerations. Your data stays in the jurisdiction, and there's no ambiguity about where it physically lives.

See full pricing at web60.ie.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I move my WordPress site without losing anything?

A proper migration tool copies your entire site (files, database, media, configurations) to the new server and lets you test it before anything changes publicly. Your old site stays live throughout. Once you've verified everything works, DNS is updated to point visitors to the new location. During propagation, both servers are active, so there's no window where your site is unavailable.

Is it worth switching hosting provider in Ireland?

If your renewal price has jumped significantly, your site loads slowly, or you're paying separately for SSL, backups, and security that should be included, then yes. The clearest way to decide is to calculate your true annual cost, including every add-on, and compare that to what you'd pay with the new provider for the same features included. If you're happy with your current speed, price, and support, there's no reason to move for the sake of it.

How long does it take to migrate a WordPress website?

The actual file and database copy typically takes anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of hours, depending mainly on how large your site is. Most Irish business sites are well under 2GB, so they're on the faster end. DNS propagation after migration can technically take up to 48 hours, though most visitors will reach the new server within a few hours. There's minimal disruption during the transition. Both the old and new servers handle visitors simultaneously, so most users won't notice a thing.

Before You Switch: A Practical Checklist

Whether you migrate your WordPress site to Web60 or anywhere else, this checklist applies. Print it, bookmark it, come back to it when you're ready.

Pre-Migration Checklist

• Back up your site independently. Don't rely solely on your current host's backups. Use a plugin like UpdraftPlus or download a manual backup of your files and database. Keep it somewhere you control.
• Screenshot your DNS records. Log into your domain registrar and capture all your DNS records: A records, MX records, CNAME records, TXT records. If anything goes sideways, this is your reference to restore things exactly as they were.
• List your plugins and themes. Note which are free, which are premium, and where your licence keys are stored. Premium plugins often need licence keys re-entered after migration.
• Confirm you have domain registrar access. Can you log in and update nameservers yourself? If your domain is registered through your current host, make sure you have independent access to manage it. If you're not sure, check now, not mid-migration.
• Decide what's happening with email. Are you on Google Workspace or Microsoft 365? Grand, nothing to do. Is your email bundled with your current hosting? You'll need a plan: move to a standalone email provider, or ensure MX records keep pointing to the old host's mail server.
• Note any custom configurations. Specific .htaccess rules, PHP version requirements, custom cron jobs, server-level redirects. Write them down so they can be replicated.
• WooCommerce or e-commerce sites: Plan the migration during a low-traffic window to avoid order conflicts. Early morning midweek tends to work well for Irish businesses.

Things That Affect Migration Time

• Site size: Most Irish SME sites are under 2GB and transfer quickly. Media-heavy sites take longer.
• Plugin complexity: Sites with many plugins that store data in custom database tables may need a moment longer to verify.
• DNS propagation: Technically up to 48 hours, practically a few hours for most visitors.
• Email configuration: Simple setups (external email provider) need no extra work. Bundled email needs a plan.
• E-commerce activity: Live transactions during migration require coordination.

Questions Worth Asking Any Hosting Provider

These apply whether you're considering Web60 or anyone else:

• What is the renewal price? Not the introductory price, but the price you'll pay next year. Get it in writing.
• Is SSL included? It should be. If it's an add-on, factor that into the real cost.
• How are backups handled? How often? How long are they retained? Can you restore with one click, or do you need to file a support ticket?
• Where is your data physically hosted? This matters for GDPR. "The cloud" is not an answer.
• Is support WordPress-specific or general hosting support? There's a meaningful difference between someone who knows WordPress and someone reading from a generic troubleshooting script.
• What happens to my email during migration? If they can't answer this clearly, that's a red flag.
• Is there a migration tool, or is it DIY? And if they offer migration, is it automated or is someone doing it manually on a Tuesday afternoon?

Ready When You Are

Switching hosting provider is a practical decision, not an urgent one. If your site is slow, your costs have crept up, or you're just tired of the runaround, Web60 is here when you're ready.

You can try the migration tool at web60.ie and see for yourself how the process works. There's no commitment involved in starting.

And if now isn't the right time, bookmark that checklist above. It'll be just as useful in six months.

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About Web60 | Web60 is built and run by SmartHost.ie, an Irish hosting company. We built Web60 because we saw too many Irish businesses stuck on slow, overpriced WordPress hosting with nowhere simple to go. Our team manages the infrastructure, handles the security, and keeps things running so you don't have to. If you have questions, you can reach us at hello@web60.ie.