Breaking Down Migration Fees Hosting: Why Per-Site Transfer Costs Hurt Agencies Most
What Are Migration Fees and How Do They Impact Multi-Site Agencies?
As of April 2024, agencies managing multiple WordPress sites face a surprising challenge: unexpected charges for moving client websites that pile up quickly. Migration fees hosting providers charge aren't always obvious upfront, but when you're juggling 20 or more client websites, those per-site transfer costs can turn into a significant line item in your budget. This is no minor detail, I've seen agencies get stuck paying hundreds or even thousands purely for migration alone, long after they've chosen their hosting plan.
The migration fee usually covers manually copying the site's files, databases, and sometimes configurations to the new server. Some companies promise “free migration,” but often this only applies to a single site with restrictions concealed in the fine print (like caps on site size or plugin types). For agencies with dozens of client sites, these hidden migration charges add up swiftly.
JetHost, Bluehost, and Hostinger all offer migration, but their policies differ significantly. For example, Bluehost’s advertised “free migration” quietly excludes eCommerce platforms unless you pay extra. JetHost charges about $50 per site transfer, which might surprise agency owners used to more transparent all-in-one packages. Hostinger, however, provides a DIY-friendly control panel (hPanel) but charges for managed migrations, a tradeoff some appreciate but others find frustrating when time is tight.
What stands out is that migration fees can erode the perceived value of a hosting plan. In my experience, chasing cheap monthly rates without considering migration costs is like buying a bargain car that comes with a $5,000 “shipping fee.” You only realize the full cost when it’s too late.
Agencies’ Mistake: Overlooking Per-Site Transfer Costs During Hosting Selection
I'll admit it, I once led an agency that switched hosts mid-project and failed to read the fine print about migration fees. The $50 per site fee seemed manageable at first. Yet, for our 15 client sites, it became an extra $750 bill on top of hosting fees. We delayed migration, trying to avoid the charges, which caused downtime and frustration for clients. That taught me the hard lesson to scrutinize these fees prior to choosing a host.
Migration costs can differ wildly depending on whether it’s automated, manual, or remote assisted by support teams. Some providers bundle migrations but cap at three or five sites for “free” , beyond that, per-site transfer costs apply. Others let you migrate unlimited sites at no extra charge, but their servers slow to a crawl or limit SSH access, making those “free” migrations feel anything but.
For agencies focused on scalability, it’s essential to ask hosts these questions:
- Are migration fees truly waived for multiple sites? Or is it limited? What control panel is used, cPanel, hPanel, or something custom? Control panels can affect ease of migration. Is SSH access granted for developer-driven transfers? Without it, automated tools may not work.
Ignoring these factors tends to result in surprises, especially with “unlimited” hosting plans that feel throttled during migrations.
Hidden Migration Charges: How JetHost, Bluehost, and Hostinger Stack Up for Agencies
JetHost Migration Fees and Developer Tools
JetHost’s model is straightforward yet sometimes frustrating. They charge roughly $50 per site transfer when you request their migration team’s help. That said, you get solid SSH access and decent control over the process, so saaspirate skilled developers can manage transfers themselves if they want to avoid fees. This makes JetHost a decent pick for teams comfortable with command line work.
However, JetHost's migration service doesn’t include website optimization or troubleshooting, so if your sites have unusual configurations or large databases, expect extra fees for troubleshooting post-transfer. Their cPanel hosting environment is standard but feels outdated compared to the slick, lightweight hPanel preferred by some competitors. While cPanel is classic, it sometimes feels bloated and slow, especially during busy agency hours when multiple migrations occur.
Bluehost: Free Migration Myths and Renewal Surprises
With Bluehost, the promise of “free migration” sounds great on paper but has notable caveats. They offer no-cost migration only for one WordPress site, and ecommerce or custom CMS platforms will cost you $99 or more per site. Support agents I've talked to in early 2024 admit this can confuse agencies managing multiple client stores.
Also worth noting: Bluehost uses cPanel but adds proprietary features. This can be a double-edged sword since it sometimes complicates automated migrations, pushing agencies to rely on Bluehost's migration team, which charges per-site fees beyond the free quota.
Renewal pricing is another pitfall. Bluehost’s low introductory rates climb steeply after the first year, and add-ons like backups or security can feel overpriced when combined with migration fees. Oddly, their 24/7 support sometimes falls short when you need urgent migration help during weekends, which means delays are not unheard of. If you’re growing fast and need rapid transfers, Bluehost may slow you down.
Hostinger's DIY Focus and Migration Pricing
Hostinger offers a clean, developer-friendly experience with its in-house hPanel, which many in developer communities prefer over cPanel for its simplicity and speed. However, while Hostinger advertises some free migration services, their free tier is strictly limited in scope, all complex sites or multiple transfers require paid migration teams charging around $49 per site.
I’ve seen agencies use Hostinger effectively when they have internal technical resources, thanks to strong SSH support and clearly documented APIs. But for those who want fully managed migrations without hidden fees, the pay-per-site approach quickly adds up. And while their servers deliver surprisingly good load times, migration delays can cause frustration, especially when your client is counting on a smooth transition.
Hostinger also offers strong uptime guarantees, but migration-related downtime can undermine that promise if the transfer process involves manual intervention and coordination with support teams who respond slowly. So the tradeoff is clear: DIY or pay for convenience.
- JetHost: Transparent $50 fee per site, good for dev teams who can DIY Bluehost: Free for one site only, expensive for ecommerce or multiples, support issues Hostinger: Developer favorite hPanel, cheap base hosting, but migration fees add up
How Migration Fees Affect Scalability and Performance: Real-World Agency Insights
Scalability Challenges When Each Site Migration Costs Extra
Let’s be honest: managing 20+ WordPress sites is tough enough without sneaky migration fees throwing budgets off. One agency I worked with last March struggled because their hosting provider charged $50 per site transfer and capped “free” migrations at two sites per year. Whenever they onboarded new clients or moved projects between environments, the migration fees quickly became the highest line item after hosting itself.
These fees stall growth. Agencies dread migrating client websites once the costs stack up, resulting in delayed moves or worse, forcing clients to stay on legacy hosts despite poor uptime or slow loading speeds. One case involved a client stuck on a slow Bluehost plan because the agency feared the $600 migration bill for 12 sites.
Beyond budget, performance can suffer when migration limits force clunky workarounds like manual transfers or partial site migrations. I've seen team members waste entire weekends troubleshooting failed automated transfers only to find out a plugin or custom database excluded from migration triggered errors. The delays highlight how some hosts don’t support or clarify migration complexity.
Aside: Why SSH and Control Panels Matter for Faster, Low-Cost Transfers
The reality is, utilizing SSH and choosing hosts with simple, developer-centric control panels can slash reliance on costly migration teams. For example, Hostinger’s hPanel paired with SSH access allows devs to run tools like WP-CLI to script and automate multiple site transfers efficiently. JetHost's standard cPanel can feel clunky for this but grants root-level access too.
In contrast, some hosts restrict SSH access unless you jump to expensive VPS or dedicated plans, forcing agencies to outsource migration and pay more. So understanding your host’s migration ecosystem, support, tools, fee structures, is critical.
Performance Testing: Why Overpaying for Migration Doesn’t Always Guarantee Speed
I’ve tested the real load times post-migration for clients moved from Bluehost, JetHost, and Hostinger in 2023 and 2024. Surprisingly, Hostinger's optimized servers consistently edged out the competition on pure page speed, while Bluehost lagged during peak hours. JetHost held steady but wasn’t outstanding.
That said, paying a premium migration fee doesn't buy speed directly. The key is choosing hosts that don’t throttle or oversell their shared hosting plans, something Bluehost is notorious for despite fancy marketing. Migration fees are just one piece; the actual hosting infrastructure and resource allocation post-migration have a bigger impact.
Strategies to Avoid or Minimize Hidden Migration Charges Hosting Providers Mask
you know,Negotiating with Providers to Waive or Discount Transfer Fees
Some agencies have scored discounts by negotiating migrations in bulk or bundling site transfers with other services. For example, last December, a boutique agency convinced JetHost to waive half their $50-per-site fees for an initial 15-site migration by committing to a 2-year contract. Timing and willingness to negotiate can pay off, but it's rarely advertised.
Choosing the Right Control Panel for DIY Migration Success
Don’t underestimate the difference between control panels. Technical team preference often skews towards hPanel for clarity and speed versus standard cPanel, which feels cluttered and outdated. Hostinger nails this, but remember their migration team charges per site. For agencies that want tight control, picking hosts with SSH access and intuitive panels can dramatically cut migration costs by enabling in-house transfers.
When to Accept Migration Fees and When to Walk Away
Sometimes paying migration fees is unavoidable and worth it, especially if it saves headaches or downtime. But what annoys me, and probably you, is hosts hiding these fees until the last minute or charging fees that seem inflated (like $50+ when the actual work could be scripted). If a provider’s migration fees seem disproportionally high compared to their hosting plans, it's a red flag. Switch providers rather than getting stuck with hidden migration charges that keep scaling as your agency grows.
And one last thing, always get these fees in writing before signing up. Paying $50 per site might be reasonable for a handful of sites, but if you manage 50+ client sites, these charges become a budget killer fast.
Quick Comparison Table of Migration Fees and Panel Preferences
Hosting Provider Migration Fee Control Panel SSH Access Support Quality (Migration) JetHost $50 per site cPanel Available Good, but limited troubleshooting Bluehost Free 1 site; $99+ others cPanel variant Limited on shared plans Mixed, some delays Hostinger $49+ per site beyond free hPanel Available Responsive but packedPicking the right host for agency-scale site management isn’t just about monthly rates but the total cost of ownership, including these migration fees hosting companies tend to downplay or hide. Do you really want to pay $50 every time you onboard a new client site, or would you rather pick a host that lets you DIY with robust tools?
First, check your current or prospective host’s migration policy carefully. Look beyond the advertising to see if those “free transfers” have strings attached. Whatever you do, don’t start moving client sites without a clear plan and budget for these hidden migration charges. Your bottom line, and sanity, will thank you.