How to Move Your Website Off Hostinger Without Downtime
Migrating away from Hostinger with no downtime is entirely possible — if you follow the right sequence. This guide walks you through every step: backing up your site, staging it on CM Cloud, and cutting DNS over only after your site is confirmed live on the new server.
No surprise renewals. No locked-in pricing. Just a clean migration.
Why People Are Leaving Hostinger
Hostinger’s advertised price ($2.99/mo) requires a 48-month commitment. Renewal rates jump significantly — often 2–3x the intro price. African businesses also report slow support response times and limited local payment options.
CM Cloud offers transparent, lock-in-free pricing starting at $3.99/mo (XAF 2,500 / €3.70) on NVMe storage — no 4-year contracts required.
What You Need Before You Start
- Access to your Hostinger control panel (hPanel)
- Your domain registrar login (wherever your domain is registered)
- A CM Cloud account — sign up and pick a plan at cmcloudhosting.com/pricing
- About 30–60 minutes depending on site size
Step 1: Back Up Your Site on Hostinger
Back up everything before you touch DNS. Log in to hPanel → Backups → Download a full backup (files + database). You want:
- A
.zipof yourpublic_htmlfolder - A
.sqlexport of your MySQL database
If you run WordPress, the Duplicator or All-in-One WP Migration plugin can bundle both into a single archive — easier to restore.
Step 2: Set Up Your New Hosting on CM Cloud
Create your CM Cloud account and choose the plan that fits your site:
| Plan | USD | XAF | EUR | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shared Starter | $3.99/mo | XAF 2,500 | €3.70 | NVMe SSD |
| Shared Business | $7.99/mo | XAF 5,000 | €7.40 | NVMe SSD |
| Shared Pro | $12.99/mo | XAF 8,000 | €12.00 | NVMe SSD |
| Managed WP Starter | $6.99/mo | XAF 4,500 | €6.50 | NVMe SSD |
| Managed WP Business | $12.99/mo | XAF 8,000 | €12.00 | NVMe SSD |
For WordPress sites, consider Managed WordPress — CM Cloud handles server-level optimisation so you don’t have to. See the full plan breakdown at cmcloudhosting.com/pricing.
Once your account is active, add your domain to the CM Cloud panel — but do not change DNS yet.
Step 3: Upload Your Files and Import Your Database
Upload your site files to CM Cloud via the File Manager in your control panel or via FTP. Place them in the public_html directory (or equivalent).
Create a new MySQL database in your CM Cloud control panel. Import your .sql backup into it using phpMyAdmin or the import tool in the panel.
If you’re on WordPress, update wp-config.php with the new database name, username, and password.
Step 4: Preview Your Site on CM Cloud Before Touching DNS
This is the critical no-downtime step. Preview your site on the new server using a temporary URL or by editing your local hosts file.
Option A — Temporary URL
CM Cloud may assign a staging subdomain. Use it to test your site fully — navigation, forms, images, checkout if applicable.
Option B — Edit Your hosts File
On your local machine, temporarily map your domain to CM Cloud’s IP address:
# Add to /etc/hosts (Mac/Linux) or C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts (Windows)
1.2.3.4 yourdomain.com www.yourdomain.com
Replace 1.2.3.4 with your CM Cloud server IP (visible in your control panel). Your browser will now show the CM Cloud version of your site — your visitors still see Hostinger during this phase.
Test everything: pages, images, contact forms, login, speed. Only proceed when satisfied.
Step 5: Lower Your DNS TTL (Do This 24 Hours Early)
Log in to wherever your domain’s DNS is managed (Hostinger, your registrar, or a separate DNS provider). Lower the TTL (Time To Live) on your A record to 300 seconds (5 minutes).
Do this at least 24 hours before you plan to switch. Lower TTL means DNS changes propagate faster worldwide when you cut over — minimising the window where some visitors hit the old server.
Step 6: Point DNS to CM Cloud
Once your site is confirmed working on CM Cloud and TTL is low, update your A record to point to CM Cloud’s server IP.
If your domain is registered at CM Cloud (we offer the cheapest domain registration prices on the market — cheaper than GoDaddy and Namecheap), you can do this directly in your CM Cloud portal.
| Registrar | .com Registration | XAF | EUR |
|---|---|---|---|
| CM Cloud | Cheapest on market | XAF live pricing | EUR live pricing |
| GoDaddy | ~$12.99/yr (then higher renewal) | N/A | ~€11.99 |
| Namecheap | ~$9.98/yr | N/A | ~€9.20 |
CM Cloud’s domain pricing is updated live in the portal — always lower than the major registrars.
Step 7: Activate SSL on CM Cloud
Every CM Cloud plan includes a free SSL certificate. Once DNS propagates, go to your CM Cloud control panel and activate SSL for your domain — this takes about 2 minutes.
Your site will be live on https:// with no additional cost.
Step 8: Monitor for 24–48 Hours
DNS propagation can take up to 48 hours in some regions, though with a low TTL it’s usually under 30 minutes. During this window:
- Keep your Hostinger account active (do not delete it yet)
- Check your site from different networks and devices
- Verify email is working if you have email hosting set up
Once you’re confident all traffic is hitting CM Cloud, you can let your Hostinger subscription lapse.
CM Cloud vs Hostinger: Quick Comparison
| Provider | Starter Price (USD) | XAF | EUR | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CM Cloud | $3.99/mo | XAF 2,500 | €3.70 | NVMe, no long lock-in, AI credits |
| Hostinger | $2.99/mo* | N/A | €2.79* | *48-month commitment; renews higher |
| GoDaddy | $5.99/mo* | N/A | €5.99* | *Intro price; renews much higher |
*Promotional/intro rates. CM Cloud pricing is consistent — no bait-and-switch renewals.
Do You Need Business Email Too?
Business email is sold separately from web hosting at CM Cloud — it is never bundled. If you want professional mailboxes at your domain, add Business Email Hosting at $1.99/user/mo (XAF 1,250 / €1.85), or the bundle of 5 mailboxes for $4.99/mo (XAF 3,000 / €4.60).
This also unlocks the Email Signatures add-on at $0.99/mo per domain — a flat fee regardless of how many staff you have, unlike competitors who charge per mailbox.
Common Migration Mistakes to Avoid
- Changing DNS before testing on the new server — always preview first
- Forgetting to update database credentials in config files — your site will error
- Deleting the Hostinger account immediately — keep it live during the TTL window
- Not lowering TTL early — propagation can be slow with high TTL values
- Skipping SSL activation — browsers will warn visitors if HTTPS is missing
Ready to Make the Move?
Migrating away from Hostinger with no downtime takes under an hour when you follow the sequence above. CM Cloud gives you NVMe hosting, transparent renewal pricing, AI credits included on all plans, and local payment options in XAF for Cameroon and West Africa.
Compare plans and start your migration at cmcloudhosting.com/pricing →
Have questions about moving a specific site type — WooCommerce, a custom PHP app, or a Node.js backend? CM Cloud support is available to help you through the process.