Migrating a WordPress blog is a major undertaking with many steps to follow, so it takes some technical expertise to make sure everything gets done right without a hitch.
A well-done migration will ensure that your website is not going through any downtime, that all links are working properly, and that no data is missing. Automating the process is the best way to ensure that your website will be up and running quickly after the migration.
In this collection, we are going to offer some WordPress plugins which will help you make the migration with ease. Among the plugins that we are going to list you will find free plugins and premium plugins.
Before starting the list, let's take a closer look at the concept of migration.
The importance of migration
There are several reasons why you might need to migrate your WordPress blog, this is usually the case when you change web host, clone a website you work on locally, or while moving a website. local installation to a server.
While creating a WordPress blog is easy, migrating a website requires several steps, when done manually. You will need save data, copy the files in the order in which they are saved, to restore the database, to move and reactivate plugins and widgets, and finally to test everything so that the whole process ends without errors.
With a website that contains thousands of files and images, this process will take a very long time, and it is very likely that there are errors. Let's not forget that it is possible that there is some lost data.
Plugins can simplify this process by providing simple configuration, automatic data backup during migration, and confirmation that the data is intact. By using plugins to manage your blog migration, you will ensure data integrity, reduce the risk of errors and minimize disruption to your website.
But before, let's discover together How to Install a WordPress Blog in 7 Steps et How to search, install and activate a WordPress theme on your blog.
Then, back to why we are here.
1. Duplicator
With over five hundred thousand active installations and a global rating of 4,9 stars, Duplicator is one of the most popular WordPress migration plugins. We have already talked about him more than once here on BlogPasCher. The free version is available in the directory of the WordPress Plugin.org, but there is a premium version available from 49 $.
Created by the team Life in the Grid, Duplicator is an extremely powerful tool designed to allow a website administrator to duplicate, clone, backup, migrate and transfer an entire website from one location to another.
A three-step wizard helps you configure a package consisting of a single zip file and an installer. You will be able to customize the package by excluding certain specific directories, file types, and database tables.
Read also our article on How to migrate from Blogger to WordPress without losing your Google ranking
Detailed logs are available at each stage of your progress, as well as a logging tool which is useful for debugging issues with the plugin.
Download | Demo | Web hosting
2. UpDraftPlus
Also with more 500.000 active installations and an overall rating of 4,9 stars, UpDraftPlus is another popular migration plugin for WordPress websites. Like Duplicator, this plugin has already been part of our recommendations for quite a while. The free version is available in the directory of WordPress plugins.org, but there is a The premium version available for between $ 70 and 145 $.
UpDraftPlus, while free, is a powerful plugin that supports default cloud storage, automatic scheduled backups, and the latter splits compressed files into multiple parts when the website is very large. Creating a backup is all about choosing which files and directories you want to include in it. You can then restore a backup to an existing website; replace themes, plugins, add files and all this with a single click.
The premium version offers many more features, with additional storage locations, database encryption, multisite compatibility, premium customer support, and multiple operating licenses.
The Premium version also offers a tool that allows you to clone a website in one click and a migration functionality that allows you to move a website.
Download | Demo | Web hosting
3. WP DB Migrate
With more than 100.000 active installations and an overall rating of 4,8 stars, WP DB Migrate is another strong contender in this list of migration plugins. The free version is available in the directory of the WordPress Plugin.org, but there is also a The premium version available from 90 $ for a personal license.
WP DB Migrate takes a different approach to migration compared to the previous two plugins we've reviewed so far. Instead of export files, this plugin exports the website database that you save on your computer as an SQL file. In order to complete the migration, a database management tool is then necessary to import the file into an existing WordPress database, replacing its content.
Setting up the migration is simple, with options for automatically replace the website URL across the database for the new website URL, and exclude unnecessary data like spam comments, article reviews and cached data. Migration settings can be saved so that the process can be repeated several times in the future.
Download | Demo | Web hosting
4. All In One WP Migration
Like most plugins on this list, All In One WP Migration can create a backup of your files. It also clones your website and installs it in a new location. You will need to install this WordPress Plugin at both ends, before starting the migration. The plugin interface is easy to use, and you can clone everything on your website, files, database, themes and WordPress plugins.
The plugin allows you to specify the type of content you want to move or clone and then ask you for the final destination of the content. Once you've done that, just wait for the process to finish and when it's finished you just have to modify permalinks on new website. It is free for some features but offers a premium option if you want to go further.
See also 3 tips to facilitate the migration of your WordPress blog.
The premium option supports a higher size for uploading, enabling data export and storing at additional locations like Amazon S3, Dropbox, Google Drive. OneDrive. It also offers an extension that will help you in multisite migration. you will be able to make the whole website or a whole part of it with this extension.
Download | Demo | Web hosting
5. BackupBuddy
BackupBuddy is a premium WordPress plugin for easily migrating a website from one location to another, but which also serves well as a cloning tool. The Restore / Migrate page is the starting point for your cloning process. At the end of the process BackupBuddy will deliver a full version of your WordPress as a zip file.
You will have the option of just backing up the database or running a full backup, schedule automatic backups, set up different profiles for different backups, so you can work with the version you want.
In short, the WordPress BackupBuddy plugin allows you to download and upload – upload – files between the development environment and the live website, which is particularly useful for developers. However, it does not support multisite.
Read also our 8 WordPress BuddyPress plugins to boost your social network
It offers different packages for backups and prices range from $ 80 per year to a $ 297 lifetime payment.
Download | Demo | Web hosting
6. Migrate Guru: Migrate & Clone WordPress Free
If you want to migrate or clone your WordPress website, regardless of its advanced structure or size, Migrate Guru is the plugin you should consider using. Since it is offered by BlogVault Migrate Guru guarantees safe migrations of your website without needing to risk anything. And, as mentioned earlier, if you want to clone your website, Migrate Guru is the tool you can use.
Its main features are: the migration of your website in one click, does not require additional modules, compatibility with several suppliers web hosting.
8 WordPress plugins to add a live chat to your blog is a must read.
Migrate Guru Also keep you updated in real time with alerts and notifications regarding the migration or cloning process. In conclusion and to simplify the method, just four simple steps and the migration process will begin. It is also a simple to use tool that you will easily learn.
Download | Demo | Web hosting
7. Clone
Clone is one more plugin that can clone your WordPress website. It is specially designed to work in multisite networks. In short, you can use it to copy any part of your website or a single website and move it to another URL in the same network.
For security reasons, you can back up your entire website or copy only the part you want to move. And after that, you can just click on the Clone button and watch this WordPress plugin do all the work for you. You will be able to choose to clone only selected items and you can assign names to the cloned versions.
Also discover how Loading Time: Success Factor for e-Commerce
You will be able to create multiple templates and use them to quickly create websites. Backup copies of important websites can be kept. The website can also be overwritten to deploy the changes. The plugin integrates well with the multisite kernel and it is designed to withstand heavy loads. But you will need to pay $ 19 per month to download and use Cloner.
Download | Demo | Web hosting
8. ManageWP
ManageWP is not really a WordPress plugin. It is a WordPress maintenance service that helps you manage all your websites from a single dashboard. It can handle huge database and replace URL in serialized data after cloning. A new WordPress installation will be required.
ManageWP does not support the cloning of multi-site installations. It offers detailed tutorials to walk you through the cloning and migration process. The Cloning or Migration Assistant is only included in the Professional and Business packages.
Download | Demo | Web hosting
9. VaultPress
VaultPress is a premium plugin. The Free plugin listed on WordPress.org provides backup and sync features, but a subscription is required for the migration (From 9 $ per month). WordPress.org gives an indication of the popularity of this plugin, with more 20.000 installations and a rating of 4,7 stars.
This plugin is primarily designed to protect your website through backups and security scans by synchronizing all articles, comments, multimedia files and more. In addition, you can take advantage of the backup to restore it to a new domain with the functionality of migration to a new server.
With VaultPress, it's easy to navigate your backup history and download your database archives, files, themes and plugins. Backups can be restored over FTP or SSH connections either on the current website or another website.
Download | Demo | Web hosting
Other recommended resources
We also invite you to consult the resources below to go further in the grip and control of your website and blog.
- 10 Best Online Markets To Sell Your Creations
- 8 WordPress plugins to integrate a reduction system
- 10 WordPress plugins to customize the look of your website
- 5 tips for better web design
Conclusion
Here is! That's it for this list of the 9 WordPress plugins to migrate and clone your blog. Some offer premium options only, others are completely free, and others combine both options. However, the level of technical knowledge required may differ for plugins. But compare the functionality of these plugins exactly to find the perfect one for you.
However, you can also consult our resources, if you need more elements to carry out your projects of creation of Internet sites, by consulting our guide on the WordPress blog creation or the one on Divi: the best WordPress theme of all time.
Do not forget to tell us about your Comments, proposals and suggestions on this article. Mostly share this article on your different social networks.
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Hello,
I created a website in an OVH subdomain (multisite). I would like to copy paste it with this plugin on my "real" NDD. However my OVH database is not new, it hosts 2 other websites. With duplicator I saw that it was crushing it… Does the All in One WP migration plugin spare my database please?
I do not think so.
Thank you very much for taking the time to respond 🙂
Hello,
I have the same problem as you, I have to migrate a site developed on an OVH multisite to a site of my own. Duplicator visibly copies the entire database of all sites in the multisite. How to duplicate ONE site from a multisite to another site, or even integrate the base of this site into the base of another multisite, without overwriting everything ????
have you had a solution to your problem that looks, or is even the same as mine today?
Thank you
Hello,
I have never thoroughly tested duplicator. I recommend this plugin: https://premium.wpmudev.org/project/cloner/
Hello,
Thank you for your well researched article. Do you think that one of the products presented (and if so; which one?) Can export only part of a hosted WordPresse blog (... let's say all the articles of a given category, to put it simply) to another site WordPress ALREADY Contains Data?
Good evening, I think here we are in the present of a merger of two WordPress blogs. https://blogpascher.com/tutoriel-wordpress/comment-fusionner-deux-blogs-wordpress-sans-perdre-le-seo
Good evening Hervé
The only plugin that I have tested so far in your list is WP Clone which is childishly simple and amazingly fast.
And as for the problems that can be encountered, for my part they depend on the host and I encountered problems with the backup at the hosts 1and1 and One.com which prevent the creation of a compressed folder of the site, certainly to complicate the life of those who want to extricate themselves from their clutches.
But I've run into the same issue with other site migration solutions so it's not unique to WP Clone in my opinion.
Sincerely,
Bruno
WP clone is great for cloning from one web server to another but here I am trying to clone a site made locally on a web server and impossible it gives me an error, I do not know how to do it
Hello, yes what mistake does it make?