Inventory the custom server config first
A Droplet build accumulates settings that live in the operating system rather than in WordPress. Managed hosts do not import those settings, and some of them will break the site if they arrive inside wp-content. Run through this list on the Droplet before booking the move.
| Droplet item | Kinsta | WP Engine |
|---|---|---|
| System crontab calling wp-cron or WP-CLI | Own crontab per site over SSH; minimum interval 5 minutes; times in UTC | Alternate Cron checks wp-cron.php for due events every minute; WP Engine says it does not technically support true server crons |
| Redis or Memcached object cache drop-in | Redis add-on at $100 per month per site, 2 GB instance, uses the Redis Object Cache plugin | Object cache toggled per environment in the User Portal |
| Page cache plugin or web server cache | Banned caching plugins blocked; server-level caching instead | Caching plugins restricted because they conflict with platform caching |
| Backup plugin writing to the server | Several backup plugins on banned list | Backup plugins discouraged |
| Mail sent through an outside service | Transactional mail via MailChannels with daily limits; no mailboxes | DNS and email support limited; third-party email hosting recommended |
| Web server rewrite rules | Not imported; Kinsta lists setting up redirects as a post-migration step | .htaccess deprecated; use the Web Rules Engine |
Step 1: Remove or neutralise server-specific pieces
- Note every crontab line and what it calls; if wp-config.php sets DISABLE_WP_CRON, make sure the destination has a replacement before go-live.
- Remove object-cache.php from wp-content if it points at a Redis or Memcached server on the Droplet, unless the destination will provide the same backend.
- Remove caching and backup plugins that the destination bans; Kinsta blocks banned plugins on install, and WP Engine's migration plugin skips disallowed plugins.
- Copy any Nginx, Caddy or Apache redirect rules into a document so they can be recreated on the managed platform.
- Confirm how the site sends mail. Because DigitalOcean blocks SMTP ports 25, 465 and 587 on Droplets, it is likely already using an outside sending service; keep that configuration.
Step 2a: Kinsta route
Kinsta's standard migration is free, runs on weekdays only, and usually completes within one business day; expedited migration is $49 per site. Kinsta asks for the hostname, username, password and SFTP details of the current host, so create a temporary SFTP user on the Droplet and remove it afterwards. Backup migrations, where you provide the files and database by upload or link, are also accepted.
On arrival, add cron jobs to the bottom of the site's crontab over SSH, or ask Support to add a command you supply; Kinsta says its support is limited to uploading or editing jobs as you direct, so a developer has to write the command. Review in Site Preview before DNS.
Step 2b: WP Engine route
WP Engine's Site Migration plugin requires WordPress 5.0, PHP 7.4, MySQL 8.0 and the WP REST API on both sides. You click Install plugin on the destination environment's Automated migration tab in the User Portal, paste the connection details into the plugin on the Droplet, and choose a full or custom migration. A full migration copies the database and wp-content, skipping disallowed plugins, logs, backups and caches; only a custom migration includes root files. WP Engine notes .htaccess support is deprecated.
Run a second migration just before DNS to sync recent changes. Then enable Alternate Cron in the User Portal if you relied on a system cron; it adds DISABLE_WP_CRON to wp-config.php itself.
Step 3: Verify jobs and mail, not just pages
Pages loading is the easy part. The failures after leaving a Droplet are usually silent: a renewal that never fires, a cache that serves one member another member's data, or receipts that stop sending.
- Schedule a test event and confirm it ran at the expected time, remembering Kinsta servers use UTC.
- Log in as two different members and confirm each sees only their own account pages.
- Send a password reset and a receipt; on Kinsta, check your plan's daily transactional limit of 150, 1,000 or 3,000 messages.
- Request the old redirect URLs and confirm they return the intended destination.
- Take a final Droplet snapshot or backup before you destroy it.
Step 4: Cutover and decommission
Point the A record or add the domain in the destination's dashboard, following its documentation. Kinsta suggests lowering TTL to 300 seconds 12 to 24 hours beforehand. Keep the Droplet running until the site has served real traffic and the first scheduled jobs have run on the new host. DigitalOcean backups are stored in the same datacenter as the Droplet, so download a database dump you keep elsewhere before destroying it.
Questions before you decide
Can I keep my own cron jobs on Kinsta?
Yes. Kinsta gives each site its own crontab over SSH, with a minimum interval of 5 minutes, and Support can add a command you provide.
Does WP Engine support real server cron jobs?
WP Engine says it does not technically support true server crons. Its Alternate Cron checks wp-cron.php every minute and requires DISABLE_WP_CRON.
Will my Redis object cache move with the site?
Not as a server. Remove the drop-in unless the destination provides Redis; Kinsta sells a Redis add-on at $100 per month per site, and WP Engine toggles its own object cache per environment.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- Kinsta Docs: Migrating to Kinsta Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Kinsta Docs: Cron jobs Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Kinsta Docs: Redis cache add-on Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Kinsta Docs: Banned and incompatible plugins Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Kinsta Docs: Email Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- WP Engine: Site Migration plugin Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- WP Engine: WP-Cron and WordPress scheduling Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- WP Engine: Object caching Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- WP Engine: Disallowed plugins Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- WP Engine: Scope of support Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- DigitalOcean Docs: Why is SMTP blocked? Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- DigitalOcean Docs: Backups features Accessed 30 Oct 2026
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