How to migrate to InMotion Hosting

Choosing a Plan Based on Performance Needs

InMotion's shared hosting tiers (Launch, Power, Pro) all offer identical hardware specs: 4GB RAM and 2 vCPU cores. The price jump at renewal is steep — Launch renews at $13.99/mo (180% increase), Power at $17.99/mo (200% increase), Pro at $24.99/mo (127% increase). Since performance is identical, choose based on your budget tolerance for the renewal price, not the intro rate.

Our measurements show a 97ms North American response time and 329ms fully loaded page time — use these as benchmarks when testing your migrated site. If your current host averages under 100ms server response (InMotion clocks 104ms), expect minimal performance change.

Pre-Migration Prep: Backups and DNS TTL

1. Back up everything — files, databases, email configurations. InMotion offers a 90-day money-back window, but data recovery is your responsibility if you cancel.
2. Lower DNS TTL to 300 seconds (5 minutes) at least 24 hours before migration. This ensures faster DNS propagation when you cut over.
3. Note current performance metrics — especially time-to-first-byte (TTFB). InMotion averages 161ms TTFB on desktop; if your current host is significantly faster (sub-100ms), prepare to optimize post-migration.

Moving Files and Testing on a Temporary URL

1. Upload your site files via FTP or the file manager.
2. Import databases using the provided tools.
3. Test functionality on the temporary URL (e.g., youraccount.inmotionhosting.com/~username). Verify:
   • Database connections
   • HTTPS (free SSL is included)
   • Form submissions
   • Plugins/themes requiring specific PHP versions

Compare TTFB and fully loaded times against your pre-migration benchmarks. InMotion’s 31ms TCP connect and 36ms TLS handshake times indicate efficient network routing — if your test site is slower, check for unoptimized assets.

Cutting Over DNS and Post-Migration Checks

1. Update DNS records (A, CNAME, MX) at your registrar.
2. Monitor for:
   • DNS propagation delays (use dig or online tools)
   • HTTPS errors — force SSL via .htaccess if needed
   • Email delivery (MX records can take longer to propagate)
3. Support channels: Live chat, phone, and tickets are available if you hit snags.

After 48 hours, re-check global response times. InMotion’s 2ms DNS lookup and 35ms server processing times suggest stable infrastructure — if your site underperforms, investigate caching or CDN options.