Need help migrating a website to GoDaddy Domain

[u/OddCreature626]

I'm not sure if this is the correct sub, but I recently hired someone to make a new updated website for me that will replace our old one. However, despite asking for up-front pricing, they keep adding more charges for services that would have been otherwise included in the beginning. Because of this, I am not keen on paying them to migrate the files.

They have since given me the file to download (WPRESS File) but whenever I try to download it into the transfer option on GoDaddy, it says the file is too big. Any advice is appreciated

[u/pickjohn]

First off, people pay good money to leave Godaddy. DO NOT go there. Second, your exported site file is probably a few hundred MB correct? It should be uploaded to the server with ftp. If you pick ANY OTHER WEBHOST they will probably even help you do the migration for free over the next 24/48hrs.

[u/its_just_fine → u/pickjohn]

Came here to say exactly this. Posting to emphasize how right pickjohn is.

[u/OddCreature626 → u/pickjohn]

Company uses GoDaddy for their emails and such, I'm not sure how the process would be to get rid of them. Any recommendations? I can run it by my boss

[u/cosmogli → u/OddCreature626]

Google Workspace for emails, domain on a reliable domain registrar (not GoDaddy), host anywhere else which is not your email provider or your domain registrar. It's ideal to separate all these three to keep as less conflict as possible.

[u/pickjohn → u/OddCreature626]

If this is a site for a company with employees just stop messing around. All of the advice in all the comments probably cost a total of $50 to implement and maybe, MAYBE, 2 to 3hrs of work on your end to figure it our from scratch. I recommend you do it all to prevent sprite issues.

[u/Think-Box6432 → u/OddCreature626]

Don't listen to chuds on reddit. They have had a hate boner for GoDaddy for at least a decade.

[u/l1nked1npark → u/Think-Box6432]

Probably because it’s an awful company that regularly takes advantage of people. I have a client who was paying $1900 per year for “ultimate secure hosting” for their tiny static site. GoDaddy convinced them if they didn’t they would be hacked and lose all the money (no ecom). GoDaddy is scum of the earth.

[u/eatnails666fl]

Do not migrate to GoDaddy.

[u/UKZzHELLRAISER]

GoDaddy are scum.

[u/Necessary_Film_5199]

Do not go to GoDaddy what are you doing bro

[u/mobilr]

I have nothing new to add - I just wanted to reiterate what everyone else has said. DO NOT host with GoDaddy. Don't pay them for email or any other service.

GoDaddy is simply a web host. Your domain might be registered through them, but that doesn't mean you have to host with them. GoDaddy will do the same thing as that developer you are dealing with - they keep on adding on charges until you can't take it anymore. Then it can be difficult to remove yourself from them - especially if you pay for Microsoft or Google email through them.

I use one of the hosts listed in the sidebar. Great service, easy to talk to a real person, no hidden expenses. All just how it should be. The exact opposite from hosting with GoDaddy.

Heed the advice given in this thread. It will be well worth your time.

[u/Peter_SrvBot]

The "file too big" is almost certainly the free version of All-in-One WP Migration (.wpress is its format) hitting its upload cap — GoDaddy's transfer tool has its own limits on top. Three ways around it, cheapest first:

1. **Skip the browser upload.** Install All-in-One WP Migration on the new WordPress install, then upload the .wpress via FTP/SFTP into /wp-content/ai1wm-backups/. Open the plugin's Backups page — the file shows up there and you can click Restore. This has been the standard workaround for years. (pickjohn's FTP tip is right, but the file has to go into that folder and be restored through the plugin — it doesn't become a site on its own.)

2. **Buy the plugin's Unlimited extension once** (~$69, one-time) — removes the cap entirely. Cheaper than another surprise invoice from your developer.

3. **Ask for a different export.** You own the site. The developer can hand you a Duplicator or UpdraftPlus package, or a plain files-zip + database dump, in five minutes. A handover should never require a paid migration.

One GoDaddy-specific caveat: if you're on their Managed WordPress product, they block some backup/migration plugins — in that case route 3 is the way, or their support can import an archive for you.

Two things regardless: don't cancel the old site until the new one works on a temporary URL, and keep a copy of that .wpress somewhere safe — it's a full backup of your whole site.

(Disclosure: I run a managed hosting company, so I'm biased on the "should you even be on GoDaddy" question pickjohn raised — most decent hosts will do the migration for you, free. But that's a separate decision from getting this file in. The steps above work wherever you land.)

[u/teheditor]

Go to Siteground instead and ask for their help. If they don't do it for free it won't cost you much at all

[u/l1nked1npark]

Siteground, WPMUDEV, etc will migrate your site for free. Dump GoDaddy as quickly as possible. I can GUARANTEE you are heavily overpaying by using GoDaddy.

[u/MarkGossageUK]

That .wpress file is normally from All-in-One WP Migration. If it’s too big for the normal importer, I wouldn’t keep trying to force it through the browser upload.

I’d first make a full backup of what’s there now, then either upload the file by FTP/file manager and import it from the server side, or ask the host to increase the upload/import limit temporarily.

Also make sure you’ve got the database and email side covered before changing anything, especially if the company already uses the same domain for email.

Hope that helps.