How to Migrate from GoDaddy to DeployBase: Complete Guide

You have decided to leave GoDaddy. Maybe it is the renewal price hikes, the SSH restrictions, the MySQL-only database limitation, or the constant upselling. Whatever the reason, migrating your website to a new host does not have to be painful.

This guide walks you through the complete process of migrating from GoDaddy to DeployBase — covering WordPress sites, PHP and Laravel applications, Node.js apps, database transfers, domain DNS updates, and email considerations. Every step uses real commands you can copy and run.

Before You Start: What You Need

Before beginning your GoDaddy migration, gather these items:

GoDaddy login credentials — Access to your GoDaddy hosting dashboard and cPanel
SSH access on GoDaddy — Available on Deluxe+ plans. If you are on the Economy plan without SSH, you will use cPanel's file manager and phpMyAdmin for exports
DeployBase account — Sign up at deploybase.io and create a hosting instance for your application type (WordPress, PHP, Laravel, or Node.js)
Your domain registrar login — To update DNS records. This may be GoDaddy itself or a separate registrar
A backup of everything — Always back up before migrating. Download a copy of your files and database to your local machine as a safety net

Step 1: Back Up Your GoDaddy Site

The first step in any migration is a complete backup. Never start a migration without one.

Option A: Backup via SSH (Deluxe+ Plans)

If you have SSH access on your GoDaddy plan:

# SSH into your GoDaddy hosting
ssh your-user@your-godaddy-server

# Back up all website files
tar -czf ~/site-backup.tar.gz -C /path/to/public_html .

# Back up your MySQL database
mysqldump -u db_user -p db_name > ~/database-backup.sql

# Download backups to your local machine (run from local terminal)
scp your-user@your-godaddy-server:~/site-backup.tar.gz ./
scp your-user@your-godaddy-server:~/database-backup.sql ./

Option B: Backup via cPanel (All Plans)

If you do not have SSH access:

Files: Log into cPanel → File Manager → Select all files in public_html → Compress → Download the zip file
Database: Log into cPanel → phpMyAdmin → Select your database → Export → Go (downloads a .sql file)

Option C: WordPress Backup via Plugin

For WordPress sites, you can use a plugin to create a portable backup:

# If you have WP-CLI access via SSH
wp db export wordpress-backup.sql

# Or install UpdraftPlus or All-in-One WP Migration from the WordPress admin
# These plugins create downloadable backup files including database and media

Store your backups locally. You now have a safety net regardless of what happens during migration.

Step 2: Create Your App on DeployBase

Log in to your DeployBase dashboard and create a new hosting instance. Choose the application type that matches your site:

WordPress — For WordPress sites. DeployBase provisions WordPress with one-click installation, a MySQL database, and PHP configured with the right extensions.
PHP — For custom PHP applications or frameworks other than Laravel.
Laravel — For Laravel applications. Provisions PHP with Composer and the extensions Laravel requires.
Node.js — For Express, Next.js, or any Node.js application.

Once created, you will have SSH credentials and a default DeployBase URL. Note these down — you will need them for the next steps.

Migrating a WordPress Site

WordPress is the most common migration type. Here is the complete process.

Step 3A: Set Up Fresh WordPress on DeployBase

When you create a WordPress app on DeployBase, WordPress is installed automatically via one-click setup. You start with a fresh installation that you will overwrite with your GoDaddy site's content.

Step 4A: Import Your Database

SSH into your DeployBase server and import your database backup:

# SSH into DeployBase
ssh your-user@your-app.deploybase.io

# Import your GoDaddy database backup
# First, upload the backup file via SCP (from local terminal):
scp database-backup.sql your-user@your-app.deploybase.io:~/

# Then import it (back on the DeployBase SSH session):
wp db import ~/database-backup.sql

Step 5A: Transfer Your Files

Upload your WordPress files — themes, plugins, uploads, and any custom files:

# From your local machine, upload the wp-content directory
# This contains themes, plugins, and uploads
rsync -avz --progress ./wp-content/ \
  your-user@your-app.deploybase.io:~/public_html/wp-content/

# Or upload specific directories
scp -r ./wp-content/themes/your-theme \
  your-user@your-app.deploybase.io:~/public_html/wp-content/themes/
scp -r ./wp-content/uploads/ \
  your-user@your-app.deploybase.io:~/public_html/wp-content/uploads/

Alternatively, use DeployBase's built-in file manager to upload files through your browser.

Step 6A: Update URLs

Your database still contains references to your old GoDaddy URL. Update them:

# Replace old domain with new domain in the database
wp search-replace 'your-site.godaddysites.com' 'yourdomain.com' --skip-columns=guid

# If you were using a custom domain on GoDaddy that stays the same,
# you may only need to update the protocol:
wp search-replace 'http://yourdomain.com' 'https://yourdomain.com' --skip-columns=guid

# Update the site URL
wp option update siteurl 'https://yourdomain.com'
wp option update home 'https://yourdomain.com'

# Clear all caches
wp cache flush

Step 7A: Verify Your WordPress Migration

# Check WordPress is working
wp core version

# Verify plugins are intact
wp plugin list

# Check for broken content
wp db check

# Test the site
curl -I https://your-app.deploybase.io

Visit your DeployBase URL in a browser and confirm your site loads correctly with all content, images, and functionality intact.

Migrating a PHP or Laravel Site

For custom PHP applications or Laravel projects, the process focuses on code, dependencies, and database.

Step 3B: Transfer Your Code

The cleanest approach is to clone from your Git repository:

# SSH into DeployBase
ssh your-user@your-app.deploybase.io

# Clone your repository
git clone https://github.com/youruser/your-app.git
cd your-app

# Install PHP dependencies (no dev packages in production)
composer install --no-dev --optimize-autoloader

If you do not use Git, upload your files via SCP:

# From local machine — upload your PHP files
rsync -avz --exclude='vendor' --exclude='node_modules' --exclude='.env' \
  ./your-app/ your-user@your-app.deploybase.io:~/your-app/

# SSH in and install dependencies
ssh your-user@your-app.deploybase.io
cd your-app
composer install --no-dev --optimize-autoloader

Step 4B: Set Up Your Database

Provision a database from the DeployBase dashboard. DeployBase supports both MySQL and PostgreSQL — if you were stuck with MySQL on GoDaddy but prefer PostgreSQL, now is the time to switch.

# Import your MySQL database
mysql -h your-db-host -u your_user -p your_database < database-backup.sql

# Or if migrating to PostgreSQL, you will need to convert your schema
# Tools like pgloader can automate MySQL-to-PostgreSQL migration:
# pgloader mysql://user:pass@host/db postgresql://user:pass@host/db

Step 5B: Configure Your Environment

Create your production .env file with DeployBase database credentials:

# Create production .env
cp .env.example .env
nano .env

# Update with DeployBase credentials:
APP_ENV=production
APP_DEBUG=false
APP_URL=https://yourdomain.com

DB_CONNECTION=mysql
DB_HOST=your-deploybase-db-host
DB_PORT=3306
DB_DATABASE=your_database
DB_USERNAME=your_user
DB_PASSWORD=your_password

# If using Redis (available on DeployBase)
CACHE_DRIVER=redis
SESSION_DRIVER=redis
QUEUE_CONNECTION=redis
REDIS_HOST=your-redis-host

Step 6B: Run Laravel Migrations and Optimization

# Generate application key (if fresh .env)
php artisan key:generate

# Run migrations (if your backup was schema + data via SQL import, skip this)
# php artisan migrate --force

# Cache configuration for production
php artisan config:cache
php artisan route:cache
php artisan view:cache

# Set file permissions
chmod -R 775 storage bootstrap/cache
php artisan storage:link

Migrating a Node.js Application

If you were running Node.js on a GoDaddy VPS, migrating to DeployBase simplifies your setup significantly — no more managing the underlying server.

Step 3C: Deploy Your Node.js App

# SSH into DeployBase
ssh your-user@your-app.deploybase.io

# Clone your repository
git clone https://github.com/youruser/your-api.git
cd your-api

# Install production dependencies
npm ci --production

# Set up environment variables
nano .env

# Start with PM2
pm2 start server.js --name "my-app"
pm2 save

Step 4C: Migrate Your Database

Provision a database from the DeployBase dashboard — MySQL, PostgreSQL, or Redis:

# If migrating a PostgreSQL database
pg_dump -h godaddy-host -U old_user old_db > db-backup.sql
psql -h deploybase-host -U new_user new_db < db-backup.sql

# If migrating MySQL
mysqldump -h godaddy-host -u old_user -p old_db > db-backup.sql
mysql -h deploybase-host -u new_user -p new_db < db-backup.sql

Step 5C: Update Environment Variables

# Update .env with DeployBase database credentials
DB_HOST=your-deploybase-db-host
DB_PORT=5432
DB_NAME=your_database
DB_USER=your_user
DB_PASS=your_password

REDIS_URL=redis://your-redis-host:6379

# Restart your app
pm2 restart my-app

Updating Your Domain's DNS

Once your site is working on DeployBase, point your domain to the new server. This is the step that makes the switch live.

If Your Domain Is Registered at GoDaddy

You do not need to transfer your domain away from GoDaddy to use DeployBase hosting. Simply update the DNS records:

Log into your GoDaddy account → My Products → Domains → DNS
Update the A record to point to your DeployBase IP address
Update or add a CNAME record for www

# DNS records to set
Type: A
Name: @
Value: [Your DeployBase IP from the dashboard]
TTL: 600

Type: CNAME
Name: www
Value: your-app.deploybase.io
TTL: 600

Use a short TTL (600 seconds) during migration. After confirming everything works, you can increase it to 3600.

If Your Domain Is at Another Registrar

The process is the same — update the A record and CNAME at your registrar (Namecheap, Cloudflare, Google Domains, etc.) to point to your DeployBase IP address.

Optional: Transfer Your Domain Away from GoDaddy

If you want to fully leave GoDaddy, you can transfer your domain to another registrar. The process:

Unlock your domain in GoDaddy (Domains → Domain Settings → Domain Lock → Off)
Get your authorization code (EPP code) from GoDaddy
Initiate the transfer at your new registrar using the EPP code
Confirm the transfer via email
Wait 5-7 days for the transfer to complete

Important: Domain transfers are separate from hosting migration. Your website will continue working on DeployBase regardless of where your domain is registered — as long as the DNS records point to DeployBase.

SSL Certificate Setup

DeployBase includes free SSL certificates on all plans. Once your domain's DNS records point to your DeployBase application, SSL is provisioned automatically. No manual configuration, no $120/year renewal like GoDaddy charges.

Verify HTTPS is working:

# Test SSL
curl -I https://yourdomain.com

# Should return HTTP/2 200 with no SSL errors

Email Considerations

GoDaddy often bundles email with hosting. Before migrating, check your email setup:

If You Use GoDaddy's Email (Microsoft 365)

GoDaddy's professional email is powered by Microsoft 365. If you are paying for it separately, it continues working regardless of where your hosting is. Your email is not affected by changing your hosting provider.

However, you may need to verify that your MX records still point to Microsoft 365 after updating your DNS for DeployBase hosting. Typically, you only change the A and CNAME records — leave MX records unchanged.

If Email Is Tied to Your Hosting Plan

If you have basic email included with your GoDaddy hosting plan, you will need a replacement when you cancel GoDaddy hosting. Options include:

Google Workspace — Professional email with your domain, starting at $7/month per user
Zoho Mail — Free plan for up to 5 users with your domain
Microsoft 365 — From $6/month per user with full Office suite
Fastmail — Privacy-focused email hosting from $5/month

For a detailed guide on email options, see our guide to setting up professional email with your domain.

Post-Migration Checklist

After your site is live on DeployBase, run through this checklist:

Site loads correctly — Check all pages, images, and functionality
SSL is active — Verify HTTPS works on your custom domain
Forms work — Test contact forms, login pages, and any form submissions
Database queries work — If your app is database-driven, verify data integrity
Email delivery works — Send a test email to confirm your email setup is intact
Redirects work — If you had any URL redirects on GoDaddy, recreate them on DeployBase
Cron jobs — Recreate any scheduled tasks (WordPress cron, Laravel scheduler, etc.)
Performance — Run a speed test to compare with your old GoDaddy hosting

When to Cancel GoDaddy

Do not cancel your GoDaddy hosting immediately after migration. Keep both hosts running for at least 48-72 hours to ensure:

DNS has fully propagated worldwide
No traffic is still hitting the old server
Everything works correctly on DeployBase
You have a fallback if anything goes wrong

Once you are confident the migration is complete, you can cancel your GoDaddy hosting plan. If your domain is still registered at GoDaddy, you can keep it there — domain registration is separate from hosting.

Migration Complete

You have successfully migrated from GoDaddy to DeployBase. Your site now runs on a platform with SSH access on all plans, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Redis databases, free SSL certificates, and no renewal pricing surprises.

If you hit any issues during migration, SSH into your DeployBase server and use the command line tools available to you — WP-CLI for WordPress, Composer for PHP, npm for Node.js, or Artisan for Laravel.

Get started with DeployBase and leave the pricing traps behind.