Three ways to move cPanel accounts
| Route | What you need | Notes from the documentation |
|---|---|---|
| KnownHost migration team | Root access preferred; SSH minimum | Free between cPanel, DirectAdmin and Plesk; files, email, databases; most WordPress moves under an hour |
| WHM Transfer Tool | Root or sudo on the source; port 2087 open between servers | Copies accounts, packages and configuration; Live Transfer on by default |
| Transfer or Restore a cPanel Account | A cpmove archive, or the remote account's username and password | Last resort if you lack root on both; needs free disk space of twice the archive size |
| KnownHost paid work | Custom stacks, no panel access, consolidations | $35 per hour, 1-hour minimum |
How the WHM Transfer Tool works
cPanel's documentation describes the Transfer Tool as copying one or more cPanel accounts, packages and configurations from a source server to a destination. It requires root or sudo access, strongly recommends that both servers can talk over port 2087, and needs at least one IPv4 address on the destination; IPv6-only servers are not supported. Do not run a transfer during a system update.
Live Transfer is enabled by default. cPanel says it updates A records and nameservers, updates MX records, redirects web and mail traffic, re-copies mailbox data, and suspends the account on the source. That is convenient if both servers are yours; if the old server belongs to another host, understand that suspension behaviour before you start. If a database name already exists on the destination, the incoming database is renamed. cPanel also warns that turning off the source server before DNS zones and mail routing exist on the destination can permanently lose custom records that lived only there.
What moves and what does not
cPanel's transfer documentation lists what is not carried over: two-factor authentication settings, which each user must set up again; custom DNS zone templates, which are ignored in favour of defaults; and FrontPage files. From Plesk, email addresses with a plus sign and FTP usernames with an underscore do not transfer. DNS zones are replaced on the destination only when Update DNS Zone is enabled and the servers share a DNS cluster.
The cPanel transfer pages cited here do not say whether cron jobs or SSL certificates are included. Treat both as items to check, not assumptions.
| Item | Documented outcome | Check after transfer |
|---|---|---|
| Accounts, packages, configuration | Copied | Package limits match the source |
| Mailboxes | Copied; Live Transfer re-copies and updates MX | Send and receive on each address |
| Databases | Copied; renamed if the name already exists | wp-config.php or app config uses the right name |
| DNS zone | Replaced only with Update DNS Zone and a shared cluster | Compare records with the source |
| Two-factor authentication | Not transferred | Each user re-enrols |
| Custom DNS zone templates | Not transferred | Re-add custom records |
| Cron jobs, SSL certificates | Not stated in the cited cPanel pages | List crontab and certificate status for each account |
Restoring from a cpmove archive
If you only have cPanel-level access on the old host, ask it for a full account backup, or create one, and restore it in WHM under Transfers > Transfer or Restore a cPanel Account. cPanel says the archive must sit in a directory such as /home or /root with an accepted name like cpmove-USER.tar.gz, and the server needs at least twice the archive size in free disk space. Restricted Restore is on by default, and cPanel labels it experimental; it skips parts of the archive with security issues, does not restore parked or addon domains, and allows only noshell or jailshell.
cPanel's Backup Wizard documentation confirms why this matters: a full backup cannot be restored automatically from inside cPanel, only through WHM, which you have on a KnownHost VPS.
Sizing the VPS before you transfer
KnownHost's managed VPS page lists Basic at $43.25 per month with 4 cores, 6 GB RAM and 100 GB NVMe, Standard at $63.25 with 6 cores, 10 GB and 200 GB, and Professional at $83.25 with 8 cores, 12 GB and 300 GB, each starting prices. It says cPanel, DirectAdmin or Plesk come preinstalled and fully licensed. JetBackup is an add-on at $8.95 per month or $107.40 per year.
Add up the disk usage of every account you will move and allow for the restore process needing twice the archive size of the largest account while it unpacks.
After the copy: verification checklist
- Compare account lists, disk usage and database counts between source and destination.
- List crontab entries per account on both servers and recreate any that are missing.
- Check SSL status per domain and issue certificates where needed before DNS changes.
- Preview each site with a hosts-file entry or KnownHost preview URL, as KnownHost describes.
- Send and receive mail for each domain, including forwarders and filters.
- Re-enable two-factor authentication for each cPanel user.
- Change DNS last, then keep the old server until mail and sites have run for a few days.
Questions before you decide
Does KnownHost charge to migrate cPanel accounts?
KnownHost says migrations between cPanel, DirectAdmin and Plesk are free, covering files, email and databases. Custom environments, sites without panel access and consolidations are $35 per hour with a 1-hour minimum.
What does the WHM Transfer Tool not copy?
cPanel documents that two-factor authentication settings and custom DNS zone templates are not transferred, along with FrontPage files and some Plesk email and FTP names.
Can I use the Transfer Tool without root on the old server?
The Transfer Tool needs root or sudo access. Without it, use Transfer or Restore a cPanel Account with a cpmove archive or the remote account login.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- cPanel Docs: WHM Transfer Tool Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- cPanel Docs: Transfer or Restore a cPanel Account Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- cPanel Docs: Backup Wizard Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- KnownHost: Migration assistance Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- KnownHost: Managed VPS hosting Accessed 30 Oct 2026
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