If your current Hostinger plan no longer matches your website's needs, migrating to Namecheap can give you a different combination of hosting features, control-panel tools, migration assistance, and long-term pricing.

Common reasons for migrating from Hostinger to Namecheap include:

• Long-term cost: Hostinger's introductory rates may require a longer billing commitment, so compare the total upfront cost and renewal rate rather than the promotional monthly price alone.
• cPanel access: Namecheap Shared Hosting uses cPanel, which can be preferable if you are familiar with cPanel-based website, database, email, and file management. Hostinger's managed shared hosting uses its proprietary hPanel control panel.
• Migration assistance: Namecheap includes free website migration with its Shared Hosting plans, providing an option to have the migration handled rather than transferring the website entirely on your own.
• Hosting requirements: Namecheap's Shared Hosting plans include features such as cPanel, Softaculous, unmetered bandwidth, free SSL, and different backup options depending on the plan, which may better match your current hosting requirements.

Hostinger vs. Namecheap

To help you choose the most suitable hosting plan, review the comparison table below. It highlights the main differences between Namecheap's Stellar Shared Hosting plan and Hostinger's Premium plan, including pricing, migration options, downtime guarantees, and customer support.

How to migrate from Hostinger to Namecheap Shared Hosting

Migrating a website from Hostinger to Namecheap involves moving your website files and database, updating your domain’s DNS settings, and verifying that everything works correctly after the switch.

Keep in mind that Hostinger uses hPanel as its hosting control panel, while Namecheap Shared Hosting uses cPanel, so the interface and some tools you use during the migration will be different.

Before starting the migration

1. Purchase a Namecheap hosting plan. Make sure the plan has enough resources for your website and that your hosting account is active before starting the migration.
2. Keep your Hostinger hosting active during the migration. Do not cancel your Hostinger hosting subscription until you have completed the migration and verified that your website works correctly on Namecheap. Keep the old hosting active for at least three days during the transfer process.
3. Back up your Hostinger website. Create a full backup of your website, including its files and database. Keep the backup until the migration is successful.
4. Choose a migration method.
5. Migration plugins for WordPress-based websites: Use a WordPress migration plugin if you want to transfer your website through a guided WordPress-specific process.
6. Manual migration: Transfer your website files and database manually if you prefer not to use a plugin or if your website is not built with WordPress.

Transfer of a WordPress website (plugin method)

Note: Since the plugins described below are third-party tools, we are not responsible for their functioning or the ability to properly migrate a website. If a plugin-generated backup fails or you are unable to restore your website using the plugin, you can use the manual backup to restore your website.

All-in-One WP Migration

All-in-One WP Migration is a versatile plugin built specifically for moving websites. It works with numerous WordPress hosting providers, operating systems (OS), and PHP versions, and it even handles older WordPress releases. Import size limits and hosting configuration may affect the migration process. Keep in mind, though, that the free edition caps the size of the data you can import.

If you plan to move your WordPress site from Hostinger to Namecheap Shared Hosting using All-in-One WP Migration, follow our step-by-step guide.

Duplicator

Duplicator lets you back up your site as a copy or clone it and deploy it directly to a new server. Its guided setup can simplify migration, although some technical knowledge may still be required. The plugin also runs website checks before and after the migration to confirm that everything transferred correctly.

If you plan to move your WordPress site from Hostinger to Namecheap Shared Hosting using Duplicator, follow our step-by-step guide.

Manual website migration

To migrate a website manually from Hostinger to Namecheap, complete these three main stages:

1. Back up and export your website files and database from your Hostinger hosting account.
2. Transfer your files and database to your Namecheap hosting account and adjust the necessary configuration settings.
3. Point your domain to the Namecheap hosting DNS system.

Download a WordPress website backup

To download a backup of your WordPress website files and its database, log in to your Hostinger hPanel account and navigate to Websites > Manage site. Then, locate and select Backups in the sidebar.

To download the backup of website files, navigate to the Restore and download tab > select Website backup > select the backup date from the drop-down > click on Download website:



After clicking Download website, a confirmation window will appear. Click Send link to email to receive download links for your website files and database at the email address registered with your Hostinger account.

Once you receive the email, follow the provided links to download the backups to your computer.

For detailed instructions on downloading a backup of a specific WordPress website, refer to Hostinger’s guide on downloading website backups.

Download non-WordPress website files and databases

If you’re going to migrate a non-WordPress-based website, you need to download its files separately using the Hostinger “File manager” menu.

1. In your Hostinger hPanel account, navigate to Websites > click on the website in question to open itsdashboard, then File manager:
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. In “File manager”, open the website's document root (usually domains/yourdomain.com/public_html). Check that it contains the files for the website you intend to migrate.
3. Select the required website files and folders, including hidden files such as .htaccess, and create an archive:
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Download the archive to your computer:
   
   
   
   
5. If your website uses a database, download it by following Hostinger’s guide on exporting a database with phpMyAdmin.

Upload website files

Once you have exported your website files and database, upload them to your Namecheap hosting account.

You can upload website files using cPanel’s File Manager, FTP, or SSH. For detailed instructions, see How do I upload my site?.

Restore and configure the website

After uploading your website files, extract them into the correct document root and configure the website on your Namecheap hosting account.

1. In Namecheap cPanel, open the “File Manager” menu and navigate to the destination domain's document root (typically public_html for the primary domain).


2. Select the uploaded website archive and choose “Extract”.


3. If your site uses a database, open cPanel > “MySQL Databases” (or “Manage My Databases”), create a database and user, assign the user to the database, and grant the required privileges. For detailed instructions, refer to Namecheap's guide on creating and managing MySQL databases in cPanel.


4. After the database and its user are created and connected, open cPanel > the “phpMyAdmin” menu, select the new database, select the database backup from Hostinger, and import it.
   
   Note: Hostinger database backups are commonly .sql.gz; if importing the compressed file fails, extract the .sql file and import it instead. Confirm that the import succeeds.


5. Open your site's application database configuration file in the “File Manager” menu, and replace the old database name, user, password, and host with the Namecheap database details (the database host is typically localhost on Shared Hosting). The file name depends on the application: for example, wp-config.php for WordPress, configuration.php for Joomla, or settings.php for Drupal.


6. Save the configuration file and test the website before changing DNS. Check page loading, images, database connections, login, and forms. Use a local hosts-file preview when appropriate.

For additional guidance and screenshots illustrating how to restore website files, import databases, and update configuration files in Namecheap cPanel, refer to our How to restore cPanel backups for addon domains. Partial cPanel transfer guide.

Please note that this guide uses a full cPanel backup as an example, so some steps may differ when restoring website files and databases exported separately from Hostinger.

Update your DNS settings

Before changing your DNS settings, preview the website on the Namecheap server and confirm that it works correctly. Once testing is complete, point your domain to the Namecheap hosting server by updating its nameservers or the relevant DNS records, depending on your DNS setup.

Note: DNS changes may take up to 24-48 hours to propagate globally. Keep your Hostinger hosting account active until you confirm that your website and other services work correctly on Namecheap.

Free migration assistance

If you would prefer assistance, Namecheap offers free hosting migration services. Our migration team will review your request and confirm the available transfer options.

Submit a migration request using the instructions linked here. Our team will review your request and contact you with the next steps.

Before submitting, make sure the following conditions are met:

1. You have an active Namecheap hosting account
2. Keep your Hostinger hosting account active for at least 3-7 days after submitting your migration request.
3. You are ready to provide our migration team with the necessary access to your website, such as FTP/SFTP and database credentials, or copies of your website files and database backups. For WordPress websites, WordPress administrator access may be sufficient, depending on the migration method.

Will I have downtime?

Downtime depends on the migration method, website configuration, and DNS changes. Namecheap's 24-hour completion and no more than 15-minute downtime guarantees apply to eligible full cPanel migrations. Hostinger uses hPanel instead of cPanel, so these guarantees do not automatically apply to Hostinger transfers. The migration team assesses each request individually and confirms the available options.

To minimize disruption, keep the original website active on Hostinger while transferring and testing the copy on Namecheap. Preview the new website before changing DNS, and avoid making changes to the old website during the final cutover unless you can synchronize them.

How to migrate from Hostinger to Namecheap Managed WordPress Hosting

Namecheap offers both Shared Hosting and EasyWP Managed WordPress Hosting for WordPress websites.

EasyWP is a managed hosting service designed specifically for WordPress. It provides a dedicated dashboard and simplifies common website management tasks, while Shared Hosting offers cPanel and supports a broader range of applications.

For a detailed comparison, see our guide to the differences between Managed WordPress Hosting and Shared Hosting.

If you choose EasyWP, you can use its “WordPress Migration Tool” to transfer an existing WordPress website. To get started, you need an active EasyWP subscription, your website URL, and administrator access to the existing WordPress installation.

Follow the EasyWP WordPress Migration Tool instructions to start the transfer and monitor its progress.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Namecheap cheaper than Hostinger after the first renewal?

It depends on the plans and billing terms. Compare the total cost over the same subscription period, including promotional rates, renewal prices, and add-on services. Do not compare a 48-month introductory rate with a monthly renewal rate.

How do I migrate my site from hPanel to Namecheap?

Download your website files and export the database from Hostinger's hPanel. Upload the files to Namecheap cPanel, create and import the database, update your site's database credentials, test the website, and then update DNS. WordPress users can alternatively use a migration plugin or request assistance.

Will my Hostinger email accounts transfer automatically?

No. Website files and database migration do not automatically move mailboxes or email messages. Arrange a separate email migration or retain your current mail provider, and check the relevant MX, SPF, and DKIM records before changing DNS.

How long does a Hostinger-to-Namecheap migration take?

The time depends on website size, complexity, and the transfer method. Namecheap aims to complete eligible migrations within 24 hours; hPanel-based transfers may require additional manual work. DNS propagation can take up to 24-48 hours.

Does Namecheap offer 24/7 support like Hostinger?

Yes. Namecheap provides 24/7 customer support through live chat and its ticket-based support system.