How’s it going? Victor here, I’ve been building WordPress sites for clients for over 10 years now. I wanted to share some real experiences I’ve had using different migration plugins to move client websites. I take a ton of factors into account to choose the right tool for each project.

9 Best WordPress Migration Plugins Statistics

Duplicator ProUpdraftPlus PremiumJetpackAll-in-One WP MigrationMigrate GuruSolid BackupsMigrate DB ProBluehost MigratorSiteGround Migrator
Easy to Use-How easy is it for new usersHas an easy step-by-step migration wizard for beginners ๐Ÿ‘ (5/5)Simple process for those already using it for backups โœ… (4/5)Restoration is easy with 1-click site restore ๐Ÿ†— (4/5)More complicated with size limits and manual installs โ˜น๏ธ (2/5)Easy wizard connects to hosting directly ๐Ÿ‘ (4/5)More complex restore and migration process ๐Ÿ˜• (3/5)Not as beginner friendly with more advanced features ๐Ÿค“ (2/5)Super easy with auto transfers after entering token ๐Ÿคฉ (5/5)Super easy with auto transfers after entering token ๐Ÿคฉ (5/5)
Migrate Database-Ability to move databaseMigrates full database with URL updates ๐Ÿ”€ (5/5)Full database migration capabilities ๐Ÿ’ฏ (5/5)Restores complete database backups ๐Ÿ’พ (4/5)Migrates full database ๐Ÿ’พ (4/5)Handles full database migration and updates URLs ๐Ÿ”€ (5/5)Full database backup and restore ๐Ÿ’พ (4/5)Specializes in migrating databases between installs ๐Ÿ—„ (5/5)Transfers full database to Bluehost ๐Ÿ’พ (4/5)Transfers full database to SiteGround ๐Ÿ’พ (4/5)
Migrate Media Files-Transfer files and mediaCan transfer all media files and content ๐ŸŽž๏ธ (5/5)Migrates all files and media ๐ŸŽž๏ธ (5/5)Restores full site including media ๐ŸŽž๏ธ (4/5)File transfer requires paid extension ๐Ÿ’ฐ (2/5)Does not transfer media files โŒ (1/5)Backs up and restores all files ๐ŸŽž๏ธ (4/5)File transfer requires paid addon ๐Ÿ’ฐ (3/5)Transfers all media and files to Bluehost ๐ŸŽž๏ธ (4/5)Transfers all media and files to SiteGround ๐ŸŽž๏ธ (4/5)
Migrate Plugins/Themes-Move addons and themesMigrates all plugins, themes, and content ๐ŸŽจ (5/5)Migrates all plugins, themes, and content ๐ŸŽจ (5/5)Restores complete site including plugins/themes ๐ŸŽจ (4/5)Can transfer plugins and themes ๐ŸŽจ (3/5)Does not migrate plugins or themes โŒ (1/5)Backs up and restores plugins and themes ๐ŸŽจ (4/5)Plugin/theme transfer requires paid addon ๐Ÿ’ฐ (3/5)Transfers all plugins and themes to Bluehost ๐ŸŽจ (4/5)Transfers all plugins and themes to SiteGround ๐ŸŽจ (4/5)
Multisite Support-For WordPress networksPaid plans support full WordPress multisite migration ๐ŸŒ (4/5)Supports WordPress multisite networks ๐ŸŒ (4/5)Does not support WordPress multisite โŒ (1/5)Requires separate paid extension ๐Ÿ’ฐ (2/5)Limited multisite support ๐Ÿคท (2/5)Does not support WordPress multisite โŒ (1/5)Does not support WordPress multisite โŒ (1/5)Does not support WordPress multisite โŒ (1/5)Does not support WordPress multisite โŒ (1/5)
Remote Storage-Backup to cloud servicesCan backup to remote storage like Google Drive, Dropbox, etc โ˜๏ธ (5/5)Stores backups in remote locations like Google Drive, Dropbox, etc โ˜๏ธ (5/5)Stores all data in the cloud โ˜๏ธ (4/5)Requires paid extension for cloud storage ๐Ÿ’ฐ (2/5)Does not offer cloud storage โŒ (1/5)Can store backups in cloud storage services โ˜๏ธ (4/5)Does not offer cloud storage โŒ (1/5)Does not offer cloud storage โŒ (1/5)Does not offer cloud storage โŒ (1/5)
Scheduler-Automated backupsCan schedule automated backups โฑ (5/5)Can schedule automated backups โฑ (5/5)Incremental backups help save resources โฑ (4/5)Does not include a backup scheduler โŒ (1/5)Does not include a backup scheduler โŒ (1/5)Can schedule automated backups โฑ (4/5)Does not include a backup scheduler โŒ (1/5)Does not include a backup scheduler โŒ (1/5)Does not include a backup scheduler โŒ (1/5)
Total Score34/3533/3526/3517/3515/3524/3517/3521/3521/35

My Story

Just helped Sally move her food blog last week. It’s pretty simple – just recipes, some photos, real basic stuff. Duplicator Pro was perfect for her needs. With the step-by-step guide, she migrated it herself without me having to touch it. At 50 bucks a year, Sally felt it was totally fair for how easy Duplicator made it.

On the flip side, I used Migrate DB Pro recently for Jeff’s auto parts e-commerce site. Dude has a massive product catalog, all kinds of custom fields and variables. The advanced developer tools let me safely migrate all of Jeffโ€™s complicated product databases and whatnot. Yeah, itโ€™s $189 a year, but for ensured uptime during huge sales quarters, Jeff was cool with it.

My girl Samantha already uses Jetpack for security and backups. When it came time to migrate hosts, I had Sam stick with Jetpackโ€™s tools since it was already integrated. Saved her from paying for YET another plugin just for migrations. But between you and me, even I found Jetpack’s setup process kind of convoluted. For 60 bucks a year, eh I feel like there are better options unless you already have Jetpack.

Duplicator Pro Multisite is a lifesaver for complex networks. Used it recently for Jamesโ€™ agency website with a dozen linked sites. Migrating that manually wouldโ€™ve been a freakinโ€™ nightmare dude. James had no problem with the $200 yearly price tag given how flawlessly it migrated his intricate network.

If clients are moving specifically to Bluehost or SiteGround, I advise them to leverage the free migration plugins from those hosts. It makes total sense right? Moving Kateโ€™s biz site to Bluehost last month, their plugin made it a total breeze. She didnโ€™t have to mess with manually moving anything.

So in summary, I pick migration tools based on the client’s specific needs and site complexity. Simple sites? Duplicator. Massive ecommerce catalog? Migrate DB Pro. Already using Jetpack? Stick with it. Complex network? Duplicator Multisite. Moving to BH or SG? Use their free plugins! Goal is making your migrations smooth and headache-free.