To move a website from GoDaddy or Crazy Domains, first work out exactly what you’re moving: the website, the email, the DNS and the domain are usually four separate things. Take your own backup, copy every DNS record, build and test the site on the new host, then switch. Cancel the old services only after everything has worked for a week or two.
Key takeaways
- Big hosts sell the website, email, DNS and domain as separate products, and each one moves differently.
- Email is the part most likely to go wrong, especially Microsoft 365 bought through GoDaddy.
- Copy your DNS records before you change anything. Missing records break email and verifications.
- A website builder plan may not give you files to move. Check what you’re on first.
- You can move hosting now and transfer the domain later. They don’t have to happen together.
Why do businesses leave GoDaddy and Crazy Domains?
Both are big names in Australian domains, so many businesses end up hosting there by default. In our experience, the reasons for leaving are usually the same: renewal prices that climbed after the first term, add-ons for things like backups or SSL, slow sites and support that’s hard to reach. If you’re weighing it up, our guide on when it’s time to switch web host covers the warning signs.
This playbook isn’t a criticism of either company. It’s about the traps that come from how large hosts bundle their products, so your move goes smoothly.
What exactly am I moving?
Log in to your account and list every active product. Most businesses find some mix of these four:
Which type of plan is my website on?
This decides how the website moves. Look at the product name in your account.
| Plan type | How it moves |
|---|---|
| Web hosting with cPanel | Files and databases copy across. The most straightforward move. |
| Managed WordPress | The WordPress files and database copy across, usually with a migration plugin or direct access. |
| Website builder (such as GoDaddy’s Websites + Marketing) | Usually no files to move. Plan for a rebuild, keeping your content and images. |
The builder row catches people out. A drag-and-drop builder runs on the provider’s own system, so the design can’t be lifted onto ordinary hosting. If that’s you, talk to a web designer before you cancel anything, and save your text and photos now.
How do I back up my site before I leave?
Take your own copy, even if the new host is doing the move. On cPanel plans, the Backup Wizard can download your home directory, MySQL databases and email forwarders and filters separately. Note that cPanel’s own documentation says you can’t automatically restore a full backup file in cPanel; that needs the host’s server tools (cPanel). Partial backups are easier to work with.
On a managed WordPress plan, a migration plugin export or a copy of the files and database does the same job. Store the copy somewhere outside the old host, such as your computer or cloud storage.
What happens to my email when I move?
Find out where your email really lives. There are three common set-ups:
- Email on the hosting account (cPanel mail): mailboxes disappear when the hosting is cancelled. Copy them to the new provider first.
- Microsoft 365 bought through GoDaddy: the account is managed by GoDaddy. Microsoft says to follow GoDaddy’s official process to “defederate” it, and warns that unofficial methods can break sign-in to mailboxes and SharePoint (Microsoft Learn). Allow time for this.
- Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 bought directly: email isn’t tied to the host at all. You only need to copy its DNS records exactly.
If you’re on hosting-based email, this is a good moment to choose a dedicated email service. Our guide to setting up a business email address compares the options.
How do I keep DNS from breaking?
DNS records tell the internet where your website and email are. Large hosts often run DNS for you without you noticing. Before you touch anything, export or screenshot every record: A, CNAME, MX, TXT (including SPF, DKIM and verification codes) and any SRV records.
Next, lower the TTL on the records you’ll change, a day or two ahead. TTL controls how long other servers cache a record, so a longer TTL means changes take longer to take effect (Cloudflare). A short TTL makes the switch quick and easy to undo.
Many owners take the chance to move DNS to a provider that will look after it properly. That’s part of our domain and DNS management.
Do I need to transfer my domain at the same time?
No. Your domain can stay with its current registrar while the website moves. You simply point its DNS at the new host. Transferring the domain is a separate job you can do later, ideally close to renewal. Our step-by-step guide to moving your domain away from GoDaddy or Crazy Domains covers transfer codes and timing.
What’s the right order for the move?
- List everything. Write down every product, renewal date and login, including email and DNS.
- Back up. Download your own copy of the site, database and mailboxes.
- Copy DNS. Save every record, then lower the TTL on the ones you’ll change.
- Build and test. Set up the site on the new host and check it on a temporary address before anyone sees it.
- Move email. Copy mailboxes, then update the MX and email records.
- Switch the website. Point the A record at the new server and confirm SSL works.
- Wait, then cancel. Keep the old hosting for a week or two, check nothing still uses it, then turn off auto-renew and cancel.
For the technical detail of each step, see our full checklist to migrate a WordPress site.
Should I do it myself or have it done for me?
A simple brochure site with email elsewhere is a fair DIY job. Add hosting-based email, a shop or Microsoft 365 through GoDaddy, and the risk climbs quickly. Our free website migration moves your site, tests it before the switch and helps you plan the email and DNS changes. It’s included with all of our hosting plans, on Australian servers. Before you accept any host’s offer, check what a free website migration includes.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to move a website from GoDaddy?
The website itself usually moves in a day. Allow a week or more overall, because email moves, DNS changes and testing take time. Microsoft 365 bought through GoDaddy can take longer, since it has its own process to follow before the mailboxes are free to move.
Will my website go down during the move?
It shouldn’t. The new site is built and tested while the old one stays live. When DNS switches, visitors gradually reach the new server, and both copies show the same site. Lowering the TTL beforehand keeps that changeover short.
Will I lose my emails when I leave Crazy Domains?
Not if they’re copied first. Hosting-based mailboxes are deleted when the hosting is cancelled, so move the mail to the new provider, check it, and only then cancel. If your email runs on Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 bought directly, it isn’t affected by the hosting move.
Can I keep my domain with GoDaddy and host somewhere else?
Yes. Many businesses do. You update the DNS records or nameservers so the domain points at your new host. You can transfer the domain later if you’d like everything in one place.
When should I cancel my old hosting?
After the new site and email have worked normally for a week or two, and you’ve confirmed nothing still points at the old server. Turn off auto-renew early so you aren’t charged again, but don’t cancel until you’re sure.
Sources
- Backup Wizard, cPanel & WHM Documentation
- Defederation process for Microsoft 365 admins using GoDaddy, Microsoft Learn, 2026
- Time to Live (TTL), Cloudflare Docs