Research method:We reviewed Kinsta’s unlimited migration announcement, migration documentation, and current plan limits on July 24, 2026.
Update policy:Migration steps vary with ecommerce, membership data, DNS, email, reverse proxies, and nonstandard WordPress configurations. Follow the migration team’s instructions for the specific site.
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Bottom line: separate the site copy from the production cutover
Free migration does not remove launch planning
Kinsta describes WordPress migrations as free and unlimited, with the number of installs in the selected plan acting as the practical limit. Orders, bookings, comments, and user changes can create a data gap while the old site remains live.
- Migration cost
- Free migrations documented
- Credentials
- Admin, SFTP, database
- Critical risk
- Dynamic data gap
- After launch
- SSL, forms, analytics
Information to prepare
- Current hosting control panel
- WordPress administrator access
- SFTP, SSH, and database credentials
- DNS provider and change authority
- CDN, WAF, caching, or reverse-proxy configuration
- Email hosting and MX-record location
Migration and launch sequence
- 1.Request the migration in MyKinsta and share credentials securely.
- 2.Test the temporary Kinsta environment, WordPress admin, PHP, and plugins.
- 3.Schedule a content freeze or final sync for ecommerce and membership sites.
- 4.Lower DNS TTL in advance and communicate the cutover window.
- 5.Change DNS and verify SSL, redirects, and the canonical hostname.
- 6.Test forms, payments, notifications, analytics, and crawl access.
Dynamic sites need a final-data plan
Orders, reservations, registrations, and comments created after the initial copy can be missed. Define a freeze period or a final synchronization process before switching DNS.
Brochure sites
- Short content freeze
- More time for preview testing
- Limited data divergence
Dynamic sites
- Orders and user records change continuously
- Sessions and caches require validation
- Cutover timing matters
Post-launch checklist
| Area | Checks |
|---|---|
| Rendering | Key pages, images, CSS, JavaScript, 404 handling |
| WordPress | Login, posts, plugins, cron, REST API |
| Network | HTTPS, redirects, www choice, DNS propagation |
| Conversion | Forms, payments, bookings, email notifications |
| Measurement | GA4, GTM, Search Console, advertising tags |
FAQ
Are Kinsta migrations free?
Kinsta documents free, unlimited WordPress migrations, subject to the number of WordPress installs available in the plan.
Does Kinsta handle DNS?
Treat migration and DNS authority separately. Confirm who controls the DNS zone and cutover.
When should the old hosting account be canceled?
After DNS, forms, email, payment flows, analytics, and backups have been verified.
More Kinsta guides for your decision
Official sources reviewed
- Kinsta — Unlimited free migrationsScope and practical limits of free migrations
- Kinsta Docs — Updating a migrated siteOptions for updating changes before launch
- Kinsta — WordPress Hosting PricingWordPress install allowances by plan
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