Published timings
| Provider and method | Published timing | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Kinsta standard migration | Usually completed within one business day; for ecommerce and membership sites Kinsta says most take 1 to 3 hours plus 1 to 3 hours of review | Monday to Friday only, no weekend migrations |
| Kinsta expedited migration ($49 per site) | Target within 8 hours, 9 AM to 11 PM UTC, Monday to Friday; fee refunded if missed | Sites over 10GB or complex requirements may take longer |
| SiteGround manual transfer (paid) | Up to 5 business days | Depends on site size, old host limitations and connectivity |
| WP Engine migration (published FAQ) | Smaller sites under an hour; large or high-traffic sites several hours | Site stays accessible while DNS updates |
| KnownHost paid WordPress migration | Most finish in under an hour | Billed at $35 per hour, 1-hour minimum |
| DNS change | Kinsta: typically around 1 hour; WP Engine: up to 24 to 72 hours globally | Depends on the TTL that resolvers cached |
Why DNS is the hardest part to predict
Resolvers cache a record for its TTL. Cloudflare's TTL reference notes that a longer TTL means updates take longer to go into effect, that its default Auto TTL is 300 seconds, and that local caches can still lag beyond that. Kinsta's migration documentation recommends lowering TTL to 300 seconds 12 to 24 hours before migrating to reduce downtime.
The practical rule: the lower TTL only helps once the old, longer TTL has expired everywhere. If your record had a TTL of 86,400 seconds (one day), lower it at least a day before cutover. That is why the published 1 hour and 72 hour figures can both be true for different sites.
Timeline by site size and method
The ranges below combine the published copy times with the fixed waits around them. The planning allowances for testing are our editorial recommendation, not vendor figures; adjust them to the number of critical flows on your site.
| Site | Method | Copy time (published basis) | Total calendar time to plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small brochure or blog site | Migration plugin | Under an hour per WP Engine | 1 to 2 days including TTL lead time and a basic check |
| Course or membership site under 10GB | Host-assisted (Kinsta standard) | Within one business day | 3 to 5 business days including scheduling, review and testing logins, payments and email |
| Large site over 10GB or with a big database | Host-assisted or manual | Several hours or more; Kinsta notes sites over 10GB may take longer | 1 to 2 weeks including a rehearsal migration |
| Any site via a paid manual transfer at SiteGround | Host staff | Up to 5 business days | Plan at least a week plus testing |
Planning template for a membership site
| Day | Task | Exit criterion |
|---|---|---|
| Day -7 | Inventory plugins, cron jobs, email DNS records, payment webhooks; book the migration slot | Written list and confirmed slot |
| Day -5 | Rehearsal copy to the new host on a temporary URL | Site loads and admin works |
| Day -3 | Test logins, lesson progress, checkout in test mode, transactional email | All critical flows pass |
| Day -1 | Lower DNS TTL to 300 seconds, or earlier if the current TTL is longer | New TTL visible on public resolvers |
| Day 0 | Maintenance mode, final sync, switch DNS | New host serves the domain over HTTPS |
| Day 0 to +3 | Watch errors, payments and email; keep old host running | No failed payments or missing emails |
| Day +7 or later | Cancel old host after final backup | Backup stored off both hosts |
What stretches timelines
- Weekend requests: Kinsta does not migrate on weekends.
- Access problems: Kinsta says delays occur if its team cannot access the site or backup, and hosts with two-factor authentication require adding the migrations email or disabling 2FA temporarily.
- Multisite: Kinsta migrates a network only as a whole, SiteGround says its Migrator is not suitable for moving Multisite installations, and WP Engine's plugin requires the destination to be converted to multisite first.
- Work not included: Kinsta says pointing your domain, configuring third-party services such as a CDN, and setting up email are not included in its migration.
- Content changes during the copy: Kinsta notes changes made after migration starts do not carry over, so membership sites should use maintenance mode until DNS is updated.
Questions before you decide
How long should I keep the old host after switching DNS?
Long enough for cached DNS to expire and for you to confirm payments and email on the new host. WP Engine cites up to 24 to 72 hours for global DNS updates, so a week is a reasonable buffer.
When should I lower my DNS TTL?
Kinsta recommends lowering it to 300 seconds 12 to 24 hours before migrating. If your current TTL is longer than that, lower it at least one current-TTL period ahead.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- Kinsta Docs: Migrating to Kinsta Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- SiteGround: How to transfer an existing website Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- SiteGround KB: Could you transfer my website for me? Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- WP Engine: Migrate WordPress Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- WP Engine: How to migrate sites with the plugin Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- KnownHost: Migration assistance Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- Cloudflare: Time to Live (TTL) Accessed 29 Oct 2026
- SiteGround: WordPress Automatic Migrator tutorial Accessed 29 Oct 2026
Sources link directly to providers. Product buttons may use separately labeled affiliate links. Read our disclosure.