HostGator uses cPanel, so the migration to CanSpace is a straightforward cPanel-to-cPanel restore. Files, databases, email, and DNS zones all move over together. This article covers both the let-us-do-it approach and self-serve.
Option A: Let us handle it
- Sign up for a CanSpace hosting plan.
- Open a support ticket with your HostGator cPanel URL, username, and password (or an already-generated backup).
- We handle the restore, verification, and coordinate the nameserver switch with you.
Option B: Migrate yourself
Step 1: Sign up with CanSpace
Order your hosting plan.
Step 2: Generate a backup from HostGator
- Log in to your HostGator Customer Portal at portal.hostgator.com.
- Click Manage next to your hosting package, then cPanel.
- In cPanel, search for backup and open Backup.
- Click Download a Full Account Backup.
- Leave destination as Home Directory, click Generate Backup.
- Download the
.tar.gzfile when it's ready.
Step 3: Send us the backup
Attach to a ticket (under 50 MB), share a download link (Drive, Dropbox, WeTransfer), or upload to your CanSpace cPanel directly. We restore it.
Step 4: Verify on a temporary URL
See How to preview your site before updating DNS. Catching issues before switching DNS means no downtime for your visitors.
Step 5: Update nameservers
In HostGator's portal, update the nameservers for your domain to the CanSpace pair from your "New Account Information" email.
HostGator-specific things to watch for
- HostGator's QuickInstall / Softaculous apps. Installed WordPress/Joomla/etc. carry over fine — they're just PHP files and databases, no HostGator-specific dependency.
- "HostGator Gator Website Builder" sites. If your site was built with HostGator's proprietary Gator Builder, it can't be exported. You'd need to rebuild — SiteJet (included free with us) or WordPress are good options.
- Free SSL from HostGator. After the migration, we'll issue a fresh SSL certificate on our end once the domain points to our servers. Nothing to carry over.
A full cPanel backup includes email accounts with their passwords and message history (IMAP). After migration, update your email clients' incoming/outgoing server hostname to ours — the "New Account Information" email has the details.
Common issues
- Backup fails to generate on sites over about 5 GB. Contact HostGator support to generate a manual backup, or migrate in pieces (files via FTP, databases via phpMyAdmin).
- Site loads but WordPress redirects to the old HostGator URL. The
homeandsiteurloptions in the database may have been stored as HostGator's temporary URL. See Change and Update WordPress URLs in the Database. - Addon domains missing. On some HostGator setups, addon domains weren't properly tracked. Re-add them via cPanel → Domains on our side after restore.
Related articles
- What's included in our free website migration
- How to preview your site before updating DNS
- How do I transfer a domain to CanSpace?
Ready to leave HostGator? Open a migration ticket
