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How to Migrate from Kinsta to SiteGround

How to Migrate from Kinsta to SiteGround

If you’re considering making the switch from Kinsta to SiteGround, you’re in the right place. Perhaps you’ve heard about SiteGround’s exceptional customer support, top-tier security, and impressive speed and performance. And if you’re ready to take the leap, we’re happy to tell you that the process is easier than you might think.

If you’re still trying to decide if you’d like to make the change from Kinsta to SiteGround, then let’s touch quickly on why it’s a move you won’t regret.

SiteGround has a universal reputation for its exceptional website performance, top-tier security features, and highly competent and readily available customer support. We’re deeply committed to your business success, offering services designed to fuel your growth and help you scale with confidence—and all at an affordable price, so that you have access to the best speed, performance, and security without breaking the bank.

A promotional banner for SiteGround’s Managed WordPress Hosting, highlighting ease of use, speed, security and support.

How to Migrate Your Website From Kinsta to SiteGround

Since you’re already convinced, let’s get that site of yours migrated from Kinsta to SiteGround. Depending on your skills, and your desired level of involvement, there are a few ways to make this happen.

1. Use the SiteGround Migrator Plugin to Migrate Your WordPress Site

The most popular option for WordPress users is surely the SiteGround Migrator plugin, as it’s free, fast, and easy to use.

Here’s how it works:

1. Sign up for SiteGround Managed WordPress Hosting: Once you sign up, you’ll be guided through a registration process, at which point it will be necessary to provide your current website’s domain name. From there, you’ll create your SiteGround account.

2. Complete website creation and get a token: When you log into your account for the first time, a notification will be waiting for you on your account homepage. It will have a Set up site button, and, upon clicking, will begin the website creation process.

A screenshot of the initial welcome message and set up site button a user sees when they first log in to their SiteGround account

It’s also here where you’ll see the domain name that you submitted during the sign-up process. At this point, just confirm the domain is correct and proceed to the next step,, where you’ll need to click on Select under Migrate Website.

A screenshot of the second step of the setup wizard for adding a new website. Shows the option to either start a new site or migrate a website. The migrate option shows two sub-options - to use the SiteGround Migrator plugin or request a manual transfer.

This is where you’ll want to select the Superfast WordPress AutoMigration option, after which you can simply follow the steps as indicated. During this process, you’ll be provided the necessary token, which will be needed when it comes to using the SiteGround Migrator Plugin.

A screenshot of the message that shows when a user completes the website area setup. It says “You’re all set!” and shows the options to get the migrator plugin, copy the migration token or go to the hosting dashboard.

3. Install the plugin: Go back to your current WordPress dashboard (hosted on Kinsta) and log in. From there, go to Plugins, and search for the SiteGround Migrator, which you’ll want to install and then activate.

A screenshot of the Plugins page in the WordPress dashboard, highlighting the “Activate” button for the already downloaded SiteGround Migrator plugin.

4. Provide your token: Once it’s active, you’ll then need to provide the aforementioned token that you received in step 2.

5. Run the migration from Kinsta to SiteGround: All you have to do now is click Start Transfer. The plugin takes over, transferring all of your WordPress files and database from Kinsta to SiteGround.

A screenshot of the SiteGround Migrator plugin settings, highlighting the “Start Migration” button.

Keep in mind that this process may take some time. If you’d like to monitor it, though, you can do so via the plugin interface.

During this transfer, SiteGround generates a 48-hour version of your website, located at a temporary URL. This permits you to check the transferred site to make sure that everything appears and functions as it should.

A screenshot of the transfer progress page in the SiteGround Migrator plugin settings, where a user can see the current stage of an ongoing transfer.

If everything looks good, then the process is almost complete. Now you will just need to repoint your domain. To get this done, you need to switch your DNS settings to point to your SiteGround website. This means you’ll need to log into your domain registrar’s management panel, and then update your nameservers to ns1.siteground.net and ns2.siteground.net.

Important:

The result of changing your nameservers is that it moves your entire DNS zone to SiteGround. This means that if you are using any third-party DNS records (like email or other marketing services), they will be disconnected. If you have third-party DNS records, you’ll need to first add them in the DNS zone editor in Site Tools before you change the nameservers.

And you’re done—the migration from Kinsta to SiteGround has been completed successfully.

2. Allow SiteGround to Do the Website Migration for You

The plugin makes site transfers very easy, but there is actually an even simpler option: to have SiteGround do the whole process for you. This is a route worth considering if your site doesn’t run on WordPress, or if outsourcing the whole process to an expert works better for you. To have SiteGround manage the process you’ll want to:

1. Sign up for SiteGround: Simply select your optimal hosting plan, and create an account.

2. Submit a request: Once you access your SiteGround dashboard, then go to the Help Menu. Select View Help Center > Contact Us > Transfer or set up a new site > Transfer website.

3. Provide access details: Give SiteGround’s team access to your Kinsta account, thus allowing them to complete the transfer.

Having SiteGround manage the transfer from Kinsta is an ideal option for those who’d prefer not to stress about the process and would rather have it handled by professionals.

A screenshot of the manual website transfer request form in SiteGround’s Help Desk, with multiple fields where a client needs to provide access details such as the username, password and link to their current hosting provider.

3. Perform a Manual Website Migration On Your Own

Your final option is to manage the transfer from Kinsta to SiteGround yourself. Doing the manual migration of course gives you full control—but also full responsibility. Something to keep in mind since it requires substantial technical knowledge. That’s why we highly suggest the SiteGround Migrator (if you’re using WordPress), or a transfer by our team, as both options make the process a lot easier.

If you’re tempted to do the manual transfer yourself, then it’s likely your technical skills are pretty high. Even still, if you have any doubts, please don’t hesitate to explore our article on how to transfer a WordPress site manually.

The Takeaway On Your Migration From Kinsta to SiteGround

And that’s it! Your site has successfully been migrated from Kinsta to SiteGround—we’re excited to have you on board. Make sure your site is reaching its potential by doing regular testing, and by monitoring website metrics. You can also ensure its top performance and security by leveraging plugins such as SiteGround Speed Optimizer and Security Optimizer.

Switching to SiteGround is a great way to improve your website’s performance and security, and we’re here to help you succeed. By selecting from the migration options outlined above, you can choose the one that best fits your needs and fully take advantage of all the benefits SiteGround offers.

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