How to Migrate Hosting From GreenGeeks to Bluehost 

Key highlights 

• You can migrate a WordPress site from GreenGeeks to Bluehost in under 30 minutes using Bluehost’s free self-service migration tool. 

• GreenGeeks’ Lite plan renews at $13.95/mo after the intro rate. Bluehost’s entry plan renews at $9.99/mo with no single-site cap. 

• Before you start, back up your GreenGeeks site, disable auto-renew to avoid an unexpected charge and confirm where your domain is registered. 

• You have two migration paths: the Bluehost Site Migration Tool (recommended for most users) or a manual migration via cPanel and phpMyAdmin. 

• Your GreenGeeks site stays live throughout the migration. It only switches to Bluehost after you update your nameservers. 

GreenGeeks makes a genuine case for eco-conscious hosting. The 300% renewable energy match, the tree planted per account, the EPA Green Power Partner badge – for a lot of WordPress site owners, that’s why they signed up. 

But sustainability credentials don’t fix a single-site entry plan. They don’t offset a renewal price that more than triples from the rate you signed up at. And they don’t replace WordPress-specific infrastructure and support on the plan you’re actually paying for. 

When the practical gaps start to outweigh the values alignment, moving to a host built specifically for WordPress performance is the right call. This guide covers the complete migration from GreenGeeks to Bluehost: what to prepare before you start, which method fits your setup and how to verify everything is working before you make the final switch. 

Ready to start your migration? Move to Bluehost today. 

Why migrate from GreenGeeks to Bluehost? 

GreenGeeks positions itself on two things: eco-credentials and low intro pricing. Both are real. The limitations show up when your site grows past what the entry plan can support, when your renewal hits and when you need WordPress-specific help at 11pm on a Sunday. 

Feature	GreenGeeks	Bluehost
WordPress.org recommended	No	Yes, since 2005
Free SSL	Included	Included on every plan
Free domain	First year included	First year included
Sites on entry plan	1 (Lite plan only)	10
24/7 WordPress support	Standard support on Lite; Priority 24/7 on Pro/Premium only	Included on every plan; premium support plan available
Malware scanning	Enhanced security included	Real-time malware scanning included on all plans
Free site migration	Included	Free via self-service tool
Money-back guarantee	30 days	30 days
Best for	Eco-conscious entry-level hosting	WordPress and WooCommerce hosting

Here are the most common reasons users make the switch from GreenGeeks to Bluehost: 

• The renewal math doesn’t hold up: GreenGeeks’ Lite plan advertises $2.95/mo but renews at $13.95/mo. The Pro plan renews at $18.95/mo and Premium at $30.95/mo. Bluehost’s entry plan starts at $3.99/mo and renews at $9.99/mo. 

• The Lite plan traps you at one site: GreenGeeks’ entry plan allows a single website. If you try to add a second site – a portfolio, a side project, a staging environment on a separate domain – you’re forced to upgrade before you can proceed. Bluehost’s entry plan supports up to 10 websites from the start. 

• Priority support costs extra on GreenGeeks: On GreenGeeks’ Lite plan, you get standard support. Priority 24/7 support is reserved for Pro and Premium subscribers. At Bluehost, every plan holder gets the same 24/7 WordPress-trained support team, with an average response time under 2 minutes. 

• WordPress performance is not GreenGeeks’ core focus: GreenGeeks runs a shared environment across multiple CMS types. Bluehost servers are built specifically for WordPress, with 5X faster speed and a 99.99% uptime SLA. WordPress.org has recommended Bluehost since 2005. 

Note: Pricing referenced in this article is as of May 2026. For the latest pricing, visit the official website. 

How to prepare before you start migrating from GreenGeeks to Bluehost?

Each item below takes under five minutes to check. Missing any one of them is the most common reason migrations require a do-over. 

• Back up your GreenGeeks site: Export a full backup from GreenGeeks’ cPanel — files and database together. GreenGeeks does not guarantee backups on VPS environments, and even on shared plans, restoring from their backups during a migration window is not reliable. Store your backup locally, not just on GreenGeeks’ servers. 

• Disable auto-renew before your next billing date: GreenGeeks has auto-renew enabled on all accounts by default, and renewal charges are non-refundable after 30 days. Log in to your GreenGeeks account, click Manage and turn off auto-renew now — before you forget. You can cancel the account properly after your Bluehost migration is confirmed.  

• Confirm where your domain is registered: Your domain may be registered at GreenGeeks, or it may be registered elsewhere and pointed at GreenGeeks hosting. This affects your post-migration DNS steps. Log in to your GreenGeeks account and check under Domains to confirm. 

• Check your email setup: GreenGeeks provides email accounts through cPanel. Migrating your hosting does not automatically move your email. Decide in advance whether you’ll migrate email to Bluehost or keep it at GreenGeeks and update MX records accordingly. 

• Set up your Bluehost hosting account: You need an active Bluehost account before migration begins. If you don’t have one yet, purchase here and return to this guide once your account is ready. 

With these five items confirmed, the migration itself becomes a one-direction process with no backtracking required. 

You can also refer to the Bluehost website migration checklist for a broader pre-migration reference. 

How to migrate hosting from GreenGeeks to Bluehost: step by step 

Follow the method that fits your setup. If you are unsure, start with Method 1. The manual route is there if your site has a custom configuration that needs direct file and database handling. 

Method 1: Migration using the Bluehost Site Migration Tool (recommended) 

This method uses the free self-service migration tool, powered by InstaWP. It transfers your WordPress files, database and content automatically without requiring any cPanel access. 

Step 1: Log in to your Bluehost portal: Go to bluehost.com and log in to your account. 

Step 2: Add your website: In the left-hand menu, click “Websites,” then click “Add Website.” 

Step 3: Select “Transfer WordPress Website”: On the Add Website screen, click “Transfer WordPress Website.” This initiates the migration workflow. 

Step 4: Wait for account preparation: Bluehost prepares your account for the import. This takes a few seconds. Do not close or refresh the page during this step. 

Step 5: Click Start Transfer: Once your account is ready, click “Start Transfer” to continue. 

Step 6: Connect your GreenGeeks site: Enter the full URL of your current WordPress site on GreenGeeks (for example: https://[yoursite].com). Click “Connect.” 

Step 7: Continue to login: Click “Yes, Continue to Login.” You’ll be redirected to your GreenGeeks WordPress admin login screen. 

Step 8: Log in with your WordPress credentials: Enter your WordPress username and password — not your GreenGeeks account credentials. Click “Log In.”

Pro tip: If you’ve forgotten your WordPress login, use the “Lost your password?” link on the login screen before starting this process. Resetting it mid-migration adds unnecessary friction. 

Step 9: Authorize the connection: Click “Yes, I approve this connection.” This gives Bluehost permission to access your site’s files and database. 

Step 10: Wait for the transfer to complete: The status moves from Connecting to Connected as Bluehost pulls your files and database. You’ll receive a confirmation email when the migration is complete. 

Step 11: Verify your migrated site: Click “Go to site” in the confirmation email and review your site on Bluehost’s servers before updating your DNS. 

If the migration tool shows an error, contact Bluehost support before starting over. Our team can review the issue and guide you to manual migration if needed. 

Method 2: Manual migration from GreenGeeks to Bluehost 

Use this method if Bluehost support recommends a manual path, or if your site has a custom configuration that needs direct file and database handling. Manual migration gives you more control but requires cPanel, phpMyAdmin and WordPress database updates. 

For a detailed technical reference, see the Bluehost WordPress manual migration guide. 

Step 1: Transfer your website files: Log in to GreenGeeks cPanel, open File Manager and navigate to public_html. Select all files, compress them into a ZIP archive and download to your local machine. Then log in to Bluehost cPanel, navigate to public_html, upload the ZIP and extract. 

Step 2: Export your WordPress database: In GreenGeeks cPanel, open phpMyAdmin. Select your WordPress database, click “Export,” choose Quick export in SQL format and download the .sql file. 

Step 3: Create a new database on Bluehost: In your Bluehost portal, go to “MySQL Databases.” Create a new database, create a new database user, assign the user to the database with all privileges and note the database name, username and password. 

Step 4: Import your database: In your Bluehost portal, open phpMyAdmin, select your new database, click “Import,” upload the .sql file from Step 2 and run the import. 

Step 5: Update your wp-config.php file: In Bluehost File Manager, locate wp-config.php in public_html. Update the following lines with your new Bluehost database credentials: 

define('DB_NAME', 'your_bluehost_db_name'); 
define('DB_USER', 'your_bluehost_db_user'); 
define('DB_PASSWORD', 'your_bluehost_db_password'); 
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost'); 

Step 6: Fix your permalinks: Log in to your WordPress admin on Bluehost. Go to “Settings > Permalinks” and click “Save Changes” without making any edits. This regenerates your .htaccess file and fixes any broken URL structures. 

Step 7: Preview your migrated site: Before updating DNS, preview the site on Bluehost’s servers using a temporary URL or by editing your local hosts file to confirm everything looks correct. 

Bluehost Site Migration Tool vs. manual migration: which should you use? 

Comparison criteria	Bluehost Site Migration Tool	Manual migration
Technical skill needed	None; guided UI	Intermediate; requires cPanel and phpMyAdmin access
Time to complete	20-30 minutes	1-2 hours
What it moves	Files, database, content	Files, database (separate steps)
Best for	WordPress sites on any host	Sites with custom configurations or large databases
Risk level	Low; automated with support fallback	Medium; manual steps, more room for error
Cost	Free	Free

Use the Bluehost Site Migration Tool unless you have a specific reason to migrate manually. For most GreenGeeks WordPress users, the tool handles everything in one automated pass. 

Final steps after the migration 

Your site is now on Bluehost’s servers. These two steps make it live on your domain and confirm everything transferred correctly before you cut over permanently. 

1. Point your domain to Bluehost 

Once you’ve confirmed the migration looks correct, update your domain’s nameservers to point at Bluehost. 

If your domain is registered at GreenGeeks: 

1. Log in to your GreenGeeks account and navigate to the Domains section. 

2. Select your domain and open DNS settings. 

3. Locate the Nameservers field and click to edit. 

4. Replace existing nameservers with:  
   • NS1.BLUEHOST.COM 
   • NS2.BLUEHOST.COM 

5. Save changes. 

If your domain is registered at a third-party registrar, log in there and make the same nameserver update. 

DNS propagation typically takes 24-48 hours. During this window, some visitors may reach your GreenGeeks site and others your Bluehost site, which is why verifying your migration before updating nameservers is critical. 

2. Test the migrated site 

After DNS propagation completes, run through this checklist: 

Front-end checks: 

• Homepage loads correctly 

• Internal links and images work 

• SSL certificate shows as active (padlock in browser) 

Functionality checks: 

• Contact forms submit successfully 

• WooCommerce checkout works (if applicable) 

• Email delivery is functioning 

If any item fails, reach out to Bluehost’s 24/7 support team to diagnose the issue without any downtime. 

Final thoughts 

GreenGeeks made sense at signup. The eco-positioning is genuine and the intro pricing is hard to argue with. But a platform built around sustainability credentials is a different thing from a platform built around WordPress performance — and once the renewal hits, those two things are no longer easy to keep separate. 

Bluehost is built for what WordPress sites actually need: servers optimized for WordPress from day one, 24/7 expert support on every plan, real-time malware scanning included across the board and a 99.99% uptime SLA backed by Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. No tier gates, no renewal surprises, no single-site caps. 

Start your migration today, risk-free. Every Bluehost WordPress Hosting plan is backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. If anything doesn’t meet your expectations, you’re covered. 

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