Can I move my website to another company if I am unhappy with my provider?
Yes. In almost every case you can move your website to another company — your domain name and your content (text and images) are yours to take with you. The one thing that may not transfer is the design itself if it was built on a closed platform like Wix or Squarespace, where you keep the domain and content but rebuild the look elsewhere. Before you switch, it's worth pinning down exactly what you're unhappy about, because the fix is sometimes smaller than a full move.
A website is really three separate things
When people ask whether they can move their website, they usually picture picking up one object and setting it down somewhere else. It helps to break it into three parts, because each one moves differently.
Once you know which part is causing the problem, the move gets much simpler — and sometimes you find you only need to move one piece, not all three.
- Domain name — your web address, like yourbusiness.com. This is portable and can point to any provider, as long as you are the registered owner.
- Content — your text, photos, logo, prices, and hours. This is yours; you can copy it and reuse it anywhere.
- Hosting and design — the platform your site runs on and how it looks. This is the part that may or may not travel, depending on how the site was built.
Start with the domain — make sure you actually own it
The domain name is the piece that matters most, because it is your address and often your email too. The key question is whose name the domain is registered in. If it is registered to you or your business, you are in control and can move freely. If your current provider registered it inside their own account 'for you,' you may need to ask them to release it.
To move a domain you normally unlock it at the current registrar, get an authorization code (also called an EPP or transfer code), and hand that to the new provider. Under ICANN's rules there is usually a 60-day lock right after a domain is first registered or transferred, so plan around that. You can look up who a domain is registered to through a public WHOIS lookup, though some registrant details are now hidden for privacy.
- Confirm you are listed as the registrant, not your provider.
- Ask for the login to the domain account, or an authorization (EPP) code to transfer it.
- If a provider refuses to release a domain you paid for, treat that as a warning sign worth resolving before you go further.
Whether the design moves depends on how the site was built
Your content is always yours, but the design — the actual layout and code — is a different story, and it comes down to the type of platform.
Custom-built sites and WordPress sites are generally portable: the files can be handed over and hosted almost anywhere. Closed all-in-one builders are the opposite. Wix, Squarespace, and GoDaddy's website builder do not let you export the finished design to another host. With those, you keep your domain and your content and the new provider rebuilds the look. That is usually less work than it sounds, because the content — the part that took the most effort — comes with you.
- Portable: custom-coded sites and WordPress — files and database can move.
- Not portable: Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy builder — you rebuild the design elsewhere but keep your domain and content.
- If a freelancer or agency built it, ask upfront whether you get the source files and who controls the hosting.
Work out why you're unhappy before you move
Moving is real work, so it is worth being specific about what is actually wrong. Sometimes the honest answer is that you do not need to move at all — and sometimes it is that you should have moved a while ago.
A few common reasons people are unhappy, and what usually fixes each one:
- Changes are slow or expensive — worth comparing directly. Some agencies and freelancers charge per change or by the hour; most DIY builders like Wix and Squarespace leave every edit to you; and some hand-built providers include unlimited edits, where you send the change and they make it (fivedaylaunch works this way). If edits are your main frustration, compare providers on that point specifically.
- It costs more than you need — for a very small local business, a free Google Business Profile plus one simple page sometimes covers most of what customers actually look for.
- You just want a fresh look — a redesign with your current provider may be cheaper and faster than a full migration.
- You cannot get access or control — if you cannot reach your domain or content, that is the strongest reason to move somewhere you own outright.
How to move without breaking your site
The safest migrations follow the same order: get the new site fully ready before you touch anything on the old one. Never cancel the current site or hosting until the new one is live and tested.
- Save a copy of all your content — text, images, logo, and service or product details.
- Confirm you own the domain and obtain the authorization (EPP) code.
- Build and preview the new site before switching anything over.
- Point the domain (update DNS) or transfer it to the new provider once the new site is ready.
- Sort out email — if your email uses your domain, plan the switch so you do not miss messages.
- Keep the old site live until the new one is confirmed working, then cancel.
- If any page URLs change, set up redirects so links and search rankings carry over.
Frequently asked
Will moving my website hurt my Google ranking?
Usually not, if you keep the same domain and content and avoid downtime. Rankings can dip temporarily if URLs change without redirects or the site is offline during the move, which is why you keep the old site live and redirect any changed pages. Google publishes guidance on site moves for exactly this reason.
Can I keep my domain name and email if I switch companies?
Yes. Your domain is separate from whoever builds or hosts the site, so you can transfer it or simply point it at the new provider. Email that uses your domain can move too, but plan it carefully so you do not lose incoming messages during the switch.
Can I move a Wix or Squarespace site to another company?
You can move the domain and your content, but you generally cannot export the design itself from these closed builders. In practice that means the new provider rebuilds the look while you keep your web address and all your text and images.
Does my current provider have to let me leave, and are there fees?
Check your contract for notice periods, cancellation terms, and — most importantly — who owns the domain and whether the design files are included. A provider can effectively hold your domain if it is registered in their account, so resolve that first. Keep paying for the old site until the new one is live to avoid a gap.
Sources
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