How to Migrate Hosting From Cloudways to Bluehost 

Key highlights 

• Cloudways runs on a pay-as-you-go model that gets expensive as your site grows. Bluehost gives you predictable, fixed-price WordPress hosting with no surprise bills at the end of the month. 

• Before you begin, back up your Cloudways server, confirm your domain registrar and review your billing cycle to avoid being charged for an extra month after you switch. 

• This guide covers two migration paths: the Bluehost site migration tool for users who want a fast, code-free transfer and manual migration via FTP and phpMyAdmin for those who prefer hands-on control. 

• After your files and database are on Bluehost, update your nameservers and allow up to 48 hours for DNS propagation. Your Cloudways site stays live throughout the entire process. 

• Bluehost includes free site migration and a free domain for the first year, with straightforward fixed pricing that removes the server management complexity Cloudways puts on your plate. 

Cloudways gives you a lot of control. But at some point, that control starts feeling like a second job. You are managing server sizes, monitoring bandwidth, troubleshooting configurations and still getting a bill that changes every month. 

If you just want your WordPress site to run reliably without the overhead, it is time to move on. 

This guide covers everything you need to migrate hosting from Cloudways to Bluehost. You will learn how to prepare your site, which migration method works for your setup and how to get your site live on Bluehost without losing anything along the way. 

Why migrate from Cloudways to Bluehost? 

Cloudways works well for developers who want granular control over their cloud infrastructure. But for most WordPress site owners, that level of complexity comes at a cost that goes beyond the monthly bill. 

Here is how the two platforms compare: 

Feature	Cloudways	Bluehost
Starting price	$14/mo*	$3.99/mo*
Pricing model	Pay-as-you-go	Fixed monthly
Uptime guarantee	99.99%	99.99%
24/7 support	Live chat + ticket	Live chat + phone
Free domain	Not included	Included (first year)
Free migration	Not included	Yes, free
Email hosting	Not included	Available
WordPress pre-installed	Yes	Yes

*Note: Please note that pricing is subject to change. Refer to the website for the most up-to-date details.

Here is why WordPress site owners choose to migrate hosting from Cloudways to Bluehost: 

• Predictable pricing: Cloudways bills you based on server usage, which means your costs shift with traffic. Bluehost charges a fixed rate so you always know what you are paying 

• No server management: On Cloudways, you configure and maintain your own server environment. Bluehost handles the infrastructure so you can focus on your site 

• Email hosting included: Cloudways does not provide email hosting. Bluehost gives you professional email accounts as part of your hosting plan 

• Free migration and free domain: Moving to Bluehost does not cost extra and your first year domain registration is included, two things you do not get  

How to prepare before migrating from Cloudways to Bluehost 

Rushing into migration without prep is the fastest way to run into problems mid-transfer. Set aside 30 minutes to work through these steps before you begin and you will avoid the most common issues that slow people down. 

Back up your Cloudways site 

Cloudways makes backups straightforward from the platform dashboard. Go to your application, open the Backup And Restore tab and create a manual backup before you do anything else. Download a local copy of your files and database so you have a version that exists completely independent of Cloudways. 

If anything goes wrong during migration, this is what you fall back on. 

Confirm where your domain is registered 

Cloudways is a hosting platform, not a domain registrar. Your domain is likely registered with a third party such as GoDaddy, Namecheap or Google Domains. Log into each to confirm which registrar holds your domain. 

You will need access to your domain’s DNS settings after migration to update your nameservers and point your domain to Bluehost. 

Check your email setup 

Cloudways does not provide email hosting. If you are using a third-party email provider like Google Workspace or Zoho Mail, your email will not be disrupted by the migration. That said, check your email DNS records before you start. When you update your nameservers after migration, you want to make sure those records carry over correctly. 

Note your Cloudways billing cycle and cancellation terms 

Cloudways bills on a pay-as-you-go model, which means you are charged for every hour your servers are running. Do not terminate your Cloudways servers the moment migration is complete. Keep them active until your Bluehost site is fully live, DNS has propagated and you have verified everything is working. Only then should you delete your Cloudways application and stop the billing. 

Set up your Bluehost hosting account 

Sign up for a Bluehost WordPress hosting plan before you begin the migration. Once your account is active, log into your Bluehost portal. The site migration tool is available from your dashboard and ready to use as soon as your account is set up. 

How to migrate from Cloudways to Bluehost: step by step 

There are two ways to migrate hosting from Cloudways to Bluehost. The first uses Bluehost’s built-in migration tool and requires no technical experience. The second is a manual process that gives you direct control over every file and database record that moves. Choose the method that fits your comfort level and site setup. 

Method 1: Migrate using the Bluehost site migration tool (recommended) 

Bluehost’s free migration tool connects directly to your existing WordPress site on Cloudways and handles the file and database transfer automatically. Here is how to use it: 

1. Log into your Bluehost portal 

2. Click Add Website 

3. Select Transfer WordPress Website 

4. Wait while Bluehost prepares your account, then click Start Transfer 

5. Enter the URL of your current Cloudways site and click Connect 

6. Click Yes, Continue to Login, you will be redirected to your existing WordPress site on Cloudways 

7. Log in with your WordPress username and password 

8. Click Yes, I approve this connection 

9. Wait while Bluehost connects to your site, the status will change from Connecting to Connected 

10. Your files and database transfer automatically from this point 

11. You will receive a confirmation email when migration is complete. Click Go to site to verify everything has transferred correctly 

Pro tip: Do not make any changes to your Cloudways site while the transfer is in progress. Any edits made during migration may not carry over to Bluehost. 

Method 2: Manually migrate from Cloudways to Bluehost 

Manual migration gives you complete control over every file and database record that moves to Bluehost. It is best suited for Cloudways sites with custom server configurations that require direct handling of files and databases, or when Bluehost support recommends this path for your specific setup. While it involves working with FTP, phpMyAdmin and your WordPress database directly, it ensures everything transfers on your terms, including your custom server environment settings and site-specific configurations. 

Step 1: Transfer your website files 

Use an FTP client like FileZilla to connect to your Cloudways server. You will find your SFTP credentials under your application’s Access Details tab in the Cloudways dashboard. Download your entire WordPress installation, including the wp-content folder, wp-config.php and all core files, to your local machine. Once downloaded, connect to your Bluehost server via FTP and upload the files to the public_html directory. 

Step 2: Export your WordPress database 

Log into your Cloudways dashboard, navigate to your application and open phpMyAdmin from the Access Details tab. Select your WordPress database, click Export, choose the Quick export method and save the .sql file to your local machine. 

Step 3: Create a new database on Bluehost 

Log into your Bluehost control panel and open MySQL Databases. Create a new database, create a new database user and assign that user full permissions to the new database. Note the database name, username and password as you will need these in Step 5. 

Step 4: Import your database 

In your Bluehost control panel, open phpMyAdmin and select the new database you just created. Click Import, upload the .sql file you exported from Cloudways and run the import. 

Step 5: Update your wp-config.php file 

Open the wp-config.php file you transferred to Bluehost in Step 1. Locate the database configuration section and update the following values to match your new Bluehost database credentials: 

define('DB_NAME', 'your_new_database_name');  

define('DB_USER', 'your_new_database_username');  

define('DB_PASSWORD', 'your_new_database_password');  

define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');

Save the file and re-upload it to your Bluehost public_html directory via FTP. 

Step 6: Fix your permalinks 

Log into your WordPress dashboard on Bluehost. Go to Settings, then Permalinks. Without changing anything, click Save Changes. This refreshes your .htaccess file and ensures your URLs resolve correctly on the new server. 

Step 7: View your site 

Before updating your nameservers, preview your migrated site on Bluehost using a temporary URL or by editing your local hosts file. Confirm your pages, posts, images and plugins are all intact before pointing your domain to Bluehost. 

Bluehost site migration tool vs manual migration 

Not sure which method suits your situation? Here is a quick comparison: 

Factors	Bluehost site migration tool	Manual migration
Technical skill needed	None	Intermediate to advanced
Time to complete	Under 2 hours	2 to 4 hours
Risk of error	Low	Higher without prior experience
Best for	Most WordPress site owners	Developers who want full control
Cost	Free	Free

For most users following this Cloudways to Bluehost migration guide, the site migration tool is the faster and lower-risk path. Use manual migration only if your Cloudways setup has custom configurations that require hands-on handling. 

Final steps after migration 

Your files and database are on Bluehost. Before you call the migration done, there are two things left to take care of: pointing your domain to Bluehost and verifying your site is running correctly. 

Point your domain to Bluehost 

To make your site live on Bluehost, you need to update your domain’s nameservers. Where you do this depends on where your domain is registered. 

Log into your domain registrar’s account, find your domain’s DNS settings and replace the existing nameservers with Bluehost’s nameservers: 

ns1.bluehost.com  
ns2.bluehost.com 

Save the changes. DNS propagation can take anywhere from a few hours to 48 hours to complete globally. During this window, some visitors may still see your Cloudways site while others land on Bluehost. This is normal and temporary. 

Pro tip: Keep your Cloudways servers active until propagation is fully complete. Deleting your Cloudways application before this point risks taking your site offline before Bluehost is fully serving it. 

Test your migrated site 

Once your domain is pointing to Bluehost and propagation is complete, run through this checklist before considering the migration closed: 

Homepage and key pages: Open your site and click through your main pages to confirm content and layout are intact  

Images and media: Check that images load correctly across pages and posts  

Forms and plugins: Submit a test form and verify your active plugins are functioning as expected  

SSL certificate: Confirm your site loads on https and the padlock is showing. Bluehost includes a free SSL certificate on all plans  

Site speed: Run a quick speed check using Google PageSpeed Insights to confirm performance on the new server  

Redirects: If you had any 301 redirects configured on Cloudways, confirm they are working correctly on Bluehost 

If everything checks out, your migration is complete. You can now delete your Cloudways application and stop the billing. 

Final thoughts 

Cloudways gives you a lot of flexibility, but flexibility comes with complexity. If you have been spending more time managing your hosting than building your site, making the switch was the right call. 

Migrating hosting from Cloudways to Bluehost gives you a platform built for WordPress, with fixed pricing, free migration and support available around the clock. Follow the steps in this guide and your site will be live on Bluehost with nothing left behind. 

Ready to make the move? Get started with Bluehost WordPress hosting today and bring your site over for free. 

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