Find a guide for your next change
Planning a launch
Start with the hosting guide and make a list of the software and resources your site will use.
Changing your setup
Read the DNS and migration guidance before editing records or switching your hosting account.
Trying to resolve an error
Check the Knowledgebase for the exact message and use Support if the issue continues.
Website guides
Check your hosting requirements, connect a domain, or get ready to move a live site.
How to choose a web hosting plan
Use your website’s software, files, and expected traffic to compare hosting plans.
Start by writing down what the website needs to run. A portfolio may only have pages and images, while a store may need a specific PHP version, a database, a checkout, and scheduled tasks. Check the requirements of the platform or plugins you plan to use before comparing packages.
Estimate how much space your files and database take up today. If you already have a site, look at the largest files, database growth, and how much traffic it gets on busy days. Check whether mailboxes and backups count toward the same limit before deciding how much room you need.
Compare the published storage, billing term, and the features you will use. Check how renewal works and whether you can restore a backup yourself. For a site you are moving, test a copy on the new account before directing visitors to it.
How to connect a domain without disrupting email
Keep your mail records intact while pointing your website to new hosting.
Find out where your domain’s DNS is managed and save a copy of its records. Write down the website records for the root domain and www, plus the MX and TXT records used by your mail provider. If you change nameservers, confirm that the records you need are present with the new DNS provider before switching.
Use the website records supplied by your host. Your setup might use an A record, an AAAA record, or a CNAME for www. Follow the host’s instructions for the root domain. If the mail provider stays the same, keep its MX and email authentication records in place.
After making the change, open the website over HTTPS on both addresses. Send a message to an external mailbox and reply back to your domain to confirm that sending and receiving still work. If something fails, compare the live records with the copy you saved before making another change.
A checklist for moving an existing website
Prepare your backup, test the new hosting, and verify the switch.
List the parts of your current setup that must keep working. Include site files, the database, scheduled tasks, email, DNS, and any third-party services. Take a backup of the files and database, save the DNS records, and keep a copy somewhere you can access even if the old site goes offline.
Restore a copy on the new hosting and use a private preview or another test method the host provides. Open the important pages and try a login, a form submission, and a test checkout if you run a store. If the live site can still receive orders or edits, plan how you will copy any changes made after the first backup.
Schedule the DNS switch for a quieter period and verify the site once it points to the new host. Check HTTPS, forms, recent content, and mail. Keep the old hosting and backup available while you monitor the new setup, especially if some visitors are still reaching the old server.