GoDaddy to Cloudways Migration — What Breaks and How to Fix It

Last Verified: April 2026  |  Author: FBWH Editorial Team

Data in this article is sourced from Cloudways official documentation, GoDaddy support pages, and direct testing. We do not use competing affiliate/review sites as sources.

Moving from GoDaddy to Cloudways is one of the highest-leverage migrations you can make. The speed difference is real, the support is genuinely better, and you stop paying renewal price traps. But this is not a five-minute job. GoDaddy's shared environment has quirks — PHP version locks, caching layers, addon domain structures — that create specific problems when you land on Cloudways. This guide covers them all.

Before You Touch Anything: Pre-Migration Checklist

Every bad migration starts by moving too fast. Do these before you log into Cloudways at all.

• Export a full backup from GoDaddy — cPanel File Manager + phpMyAdmin, or All-in-One WP Migration plugin if you're on their managed WordPress
• Note your current PHP version in GoDaddy (cPanel → PHP Selector or Software)
• List every plugin that touches email: WP Mail SMTP, Contact Form 7, WooCommerce order emails
• Screenshot your current DNS records — GoDaddy DNS manager, every record including SPF/DKIM
• Identify any cron jobs set up via GoDaddy cPanel
• Check whether you're using GoDaddy's built-in CDN (Sucuri-powered) — it adds a layer you'll need to replace
• Note any custom php.ini or .htaccess rules you've manually added

Step 1 — Spin Up Your Cloudways Server

Log into Cloudways and create a new server. For a site that was surviving on GoDaddy shared hosting, a 1GB DigitalOcean or Vultr droplet is usually enough to start. You can scale vertically later without downtime on Cloudways — that's one of the core advantages over shared hosting.

When adding a WordPress application, Cloudways provisions PHP, MySQL, Nginx, Varnish, and Memcached automatically. You don't configure a stack — you get a working one. Choose your PHP version at this step: match GoDaddy's version first, then upgrade after the migration is confirmed stable.

Step 2 — Migrate the Files and Database

You have two practical paths here.

Option A — Cloudways Migrator Plugin (Recommended)

Install the free Cloudways WordPress Migrator plugin on your GoDaddy WordPress site. It handles file transfer and database migration directly to your new Cloudways server. You'll need the migration key from your Cloudways application dashboard. This is the lowest-friction method and works for most sites under 2GB.

Option B — Manual Migration

If the plugin fails (large sites, restrictive GoDaddy environments, or managed WordPress without plugin access), do it manually:

1. Export database via phpMyAdmin on GoDaddy → download as .sql
2. Download all files via FTP/SFTP or GoDaddy File Manager → zip the public_html folder
3. Upload files to Cloudways via SFTP (credentials in Application → Access Details)
4. Import the database via Cloudways' built-in phpMyAdmin (Application → Database Manager)
5. Update wp-config.php with the new DB name, user, and password from Cloudways

What Actually Breaks — And How to Fix Each One

This is the section most migration guides skip. GoDaddy has a specific shared hosting environment that creates predictable problems on Cloudways. Here's what to check immediately after your site loads on the staging URL.

1. Email Stops Working

This is the number one post-migration complaint. GoDaddy's shared hosting includes a local mail server — your site sends email through it automatically. Cloudways servers have no local mail server. Any plugin that uses PHP's mail() function (which is most of them by default) will silently fail.

Fix: Install WP Mail SMTP and connect it to a transactional email provider. Cloudways recommends Elastic Email — there's a one-click integration in the Cloudways dashboard under Application → Email. Alternatively, SendGrid and Mailgun both work. Set up, send a test email, then test Contact Form 7 and WooCommerce order notifications specifically.

2. File Permissions Errors

GoDaddy shared hosting typically runs under a user model where file permissions are more permissive. Cloudways uses a stricter model. After migration you may see WordPress unable to write to wp-content/uploads, plugin updates failing, or theme file editor errors.

Fix: SSH into your Cloudways server and run:

find /path/to/app/public_html -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;
find /path/to/app/public_html -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;
chown -R www-data:www-data /path/to/app/public_html

The exact path is shown in your Cloudways Application → Access Details panel.

3. Caching Conflicts

GoDaddy managed WordPress uses a proprietary caching layer. If you were using a caching plugin (W3 Total Cache, WP Super Cache, WP Rocket) alongside GoDaddy's own cache, you likely had conflicts already. On Cloudways, the stack includes Varnish + Memcached. Running a page caching plugin on top of that is redundant at best, conflicting at worst.

Fix: On Cloudways, disable or remove any page caching plugin. Use Cloudways' own Breeze plugin (free, built for their stack) or configure Varnish correctly. If you're using WP Rocket for its asset optimization features (CSS/JS minification, lazy load), keep it — but disable its page caching module specifically.

4. Hardcoded URLs in the Database

If your GoDaddy site was accessed via HTTP and your Cloudways site forces HTTPS (it should), or if you used a staging URL during migration, your database will have hardcoded old URLs in post content, widget data, and option rows. This causes mixed content warnings and broken images.

Fix: Run a search-replace using WP-CLI or the Better Search Replace plugin:

wp search-replace 'http://yourdomain.com' 'https://yourdomain.com' --all-tables

Also replace any staging URLs (Cloudways gives your app a temporary URL like something.cloudwaysapps.com) before you point your real domain.

5. Custom php.ini Rules Ignored

GoDaddy allows custom php.ini or .user.ini files in your web root. Cloudways doesn't read those the same way — PHP configuration is managed at the server level. Common GoDaddy customizations that stop working: increased upload_max_filesize, custom max_execution_time, memory_limit overrides.

Fix: In Cloudways dashboard → Server → Settings & Packages → PHP Settings. You can set memory limit, max upload size, execution time, and other directives there. No file editing required.

6. .htaccess Rules That Don't Apply

Cloudways uses Nginx, not Apache. Standard WordPress .htaccess rewrite rules don't apply to Nginx. GoDaddy shared hosting is Apache-based, so if you had custom rewrite rules — security headers, redirect chains, plugin-generated rules — they do nothing on Cloudways.

Fix: Check your .htaccess for any custom rules beyond the standard WordPress block. Common ones to convert:

• Redirect rules → recreate in Cloudways' Nginx Vhost configuration or use a redirect plugin like Redirection
• Security headers (X-Frame-Options, CSP, etc.) → add via Cloudways' Nginx configuration or a security plugin
• Block hotlinking → recreate in Nginx config
• Password-protected directories → use Cloudways' built-in Basic Auth option under Application → Security

7. Addon Domains and Subdomains

On GoDaddy cPanel you might have multiple addon domains or subdomains all pointing to folders under one hosting account. Cloudways works differently — each application (WordPress install) is a separate entity. You can run multiple applications on one server, but there's no shared cPanel-style addon domain model.

Fix: Create a separate Cloudways application for each domain. They can all run on the same server — you're just paying for the server, not per site. Point each domain to its application in Cloudways' Domain Management panel.

8. GoDaddy SSL vs Cloudways SSL

GoDaddy sells SSL certificates. If you bought one, it's tied to GoDaddy's environment and does not transfer. Cloudways provides free Let's Encrypt SSL certificates that auto-renew. You don't need to bring your GoDaddy SSL.

Fix: After pointing your domain to Cloudways (DNS change), go to Application → SSL Certificate → Let's Encrypt → install. It takes about 60 seconds. If the certificate fails to install, it usually means DNS hasn't fully propagated yet — wait 30 minutes and try again.

DNS Cutover — Do This in the Right Order

The DNS change is what takes your site live on Cloudways. Done wrong, you get downtime. Done right, you get a seamless switch.

1. Before changing DNS, lower your TTL to 300 seconds (5 minutes) on your existing GoDaddy DNS records — do this 24 hours before cutover so the lower TTL is propagated
2. Confirm your site works fully on the Cloudways staging URL before touching DNS
3. Add your domain in Cloudways Application → Domain Management and install SSL first
4. Change your A record (and CNAME for www) to point to the Cloudways server IP — found in Server → Credentials
5. Keep GoDaddy hosting active for 48 hours after cutover — your safety net if anything goes wrong
6. Monitor email immediately — this is the most common failure point in the first hour

Performance After Migration — What to Expect

Most sites see meaningful improvement in Time to First Byte (TTFB) within the first 24 hours, once Varnish caches warm up. The biggest gains are on sites that were on GoDaddy's economy shared hosting — the server resource contention on those plans is significant.

If your site is not noticeably faster after 48 hours, check these in order: Varnish is enabled for your application (Cloudways dashboard → Application → Varnish), your caching plugin isn't conflicting, and your page builder isn't generating excessive render-blocking scripts. Cloudways removes the server bottleneck — if it's still slow, the issue is in your WordPress configuration.

Ongoing — What's Different About Running WordPress on Cloudways

A few operational differences to be aware of once you're settled in.

Server updates are your responsibility

GoDaddy managed WordPress handles PHP and server patches. On Cloudways, you control when to update PHP versions and server packages. Cloudways notifies you but doesn't auto-update. Check every 6 months at minimum.

Backups are configurable, not automatic by default

Cloudways offers automated backups, but you need to enable them. Go to Server → Backups → enable and set frequency. Don't assume they're running.

Staging is a first-class feature

Cloudways has a one-click staging environment. Use it. Every plugin update, theme change, or configuration experiment should go through staging first. GoDaddy's managed WordPress has staging too, but Cloudways' implementation is cleaner and doesn't cost extra.

Is Cloudways Right for Your Site?

Cloudways is a strong fit if you're a WordPress or WooCommerce site owner who wants managed hosting without paying WP Engine prices, and you're comfortable with slightly more configuration than pure managed WordPress. The Cloudways dashboard abstracts the hard parts — you're not managing a raw VPS.

It's less ideal if you want zero-touch managed WordPress with automatic plugin updates and a built-in CDN out of the box. For that profile, Kinsta or Rocket.net fits better — at a higher price point. See how Cloudways stacks up in our Kinsta vs Cloudways comparison.

FAQ

Does Cloudways offer free migration from GoDaddy?

Cloudways offers one free migration via their team for new accounts. Alternatively the Cloudways Migrator plugin handles most WordPress sites without needing their support team. Check current offer details on their site — it changes periodically.

Will my GoDaddy email stop working after migration?

If you're using GoDaddy's email hosting (@yourdomain.com mailboxes), email itself won't stop working as long as your MX records stay pointing to GoDaddy's mail servers. What will stop working is outgoing WordPress email (form notifications, WooCommerce order emails) — fix that with WP Mail SMTP as covered above.

Can I keep my domain registered at GoDaddy?

Yes. Domain registration and hosting are separate. Keep your domain at GoDaddy, just update the A record to point at your Cloudways server IP. There's no reason to transfer the domain unless you want to consolidate everything.

How long does the migration take?

A typical WordPress site under 500MB takes 2–4 hours including testing. Larger sites, WooCommerce stores with big product databases, or sites with restrictive GoDaddy environments take longer. Budget a half day and don't start on a Friday.

What if something breaks after I switch DNS?

Keep GoDaddy hosting active for 48 hours. If anything critical fails, you can switch the DNS A record back — and because you lowered TTL beforehand, it propagates in 5 minutes. Always have a rollback path.

Does Cloudways support WooCommerce?

Yes. Cloudways is a solid WooCommerce host — it's one of the main use cases. The Redis and Memcached object caching handles session data and cart performance well. For very high-volume WooCommerce (200+ orders/day), also look at Kinsta and Rocket.net.

Can I run multiple WordPress sites on one Cloudways server?

Yes. You can add multiple applications to one server. All sites share the server's resources. This is cost-efficient for agencies or developers managing several sites — much cheaper than separate managed WordPress plans per site.

Related Reading

• Best Hosting for WooCommerce Stores Processing 200+ Daily Orders
• Cloudways Full Review — 2026
• All Migration Guides

Image Credits & Data Sources

Cloudways dashboard screenshots and configuration references: cloudways.com/docs. PHP configuration and application settings: cloudways.com/blog. GoDaddy hosting structure references: godaddy.com/help. All information verified April 2026.