Migrating from Shared Hosting to VPS: Step-by-Step Guide (2026 Update)

By Hamza · Web Developer · 12 min read · January 29, 2026

Upgrading from shared hosting to a Virtual Private Server (VPS) is one of the smartest moves for growing websites and online businesses in 2026. Shared hosting works fine for small projects, but as traffic increases, performance bottlenecks, security concerns, and limited control can hinder growth.

VPS hosting gives your website dedicated resources, enhanced control, and better security—all essential for modern websites, apps, and e-commerce stores. This guide will take you step by step through the migration process, covering planning, backups, file transfers, database import, DNS updates, and post-migration checks.

We’ll also highlight the best VPS provider for 2026—Retzor—for smooth, reliable hosting with excellent performance.

Why Migrate from Shared Hosting to VPS?

Shared hosting has inherent limitations: multiple users share the same server, which can slow down performance during traffic spikes. VPS provides solutions to these issues:

Dedicated Resources: Isolated CPU, RAM, and storage mean your site isn’t affected by others.
Full Server Control: Root access allows you to configure the server, install software, and choose your operating system.
Enhanced Security: Your site is isolated; hacks on other accounts don’t affect you.
Scalability: Easily upgrade CPU, RAM, or storage as your website grows or during seasonal traffic spikes.

Shared Hosting vs. VPS Hosting: Quick Comparison

Feature	Shared Hosting	VPS Hosting
Resource Allocation	Shared among multiple users	Dedicated partitions; scalable
Performance	Limited; affected by others	High performance; consistent
Security	Shared vulnerabilities	Isolated environment
Server Control	Minimal; no root access	Full root access; custom OS/software
Cost	Low	Moderate; more affordable than dedicated
Scalability	Basic; often requires migration	Easy upgrades; automatic failover
Best For	Small blogs, hobby projects	Growing businesses, high-traffic sites

Preparing for Migration

Assess Your Current Usage: Check CPU, RAM, storage, and bandwidth usage to ensure your VPS meets your needs.
Select the Right VPS Plan: Retzor VPS is ideal in 2026 for performance, uptime, and support.
Choose a Control Panel: Use Virtualmin or cPanel for easier server management.
Managed vs. Unmanaged: Managed VPS provides support; unmanaged offers full control for advanced users.

Step 1: Back Up Your Website Files and Databases

Log in to your shared hosting control panel, create a full website archive (backup-site.tar.gz), and export your database (backup-db.sql.gz). Store locally for easy transfer.

Pro Tip: Ensure your backups include all plugins, themes, and configuration files.

Step 2: Set Up Your VPS Server

Log in to your VPS (Retzor provides a setup wizard).
Choose Linux OS, e.g., Ubuntu 24.04 LTS.
Install a control panel like Virtualmin.
Configure security: strong passwords, permissions, firewall.

Tip: Avoid running heavy antivirus on small VPS (<2GB RAM) during setup.

Step 3: Transfer Website Files

Connect via SSH, navigate to public_html, download and extract backups, then set proper ownership:

wget http://example.com/backup-site.tar.gz
tar -xvf backup-site.tar.gz
chown user:user -R *

Step 4: Import Your Database

wget http://example.com/backup-db.sql.gz
gunzip backup-db.sql.gz
mysql -u username -p database_name < backup-db.sql

Step 5: Final Configuration & DNS Update

Update configuration files with new database credentials.
Update DNS A records to point to VPS IP; allow 24h for propagation.
Keep old hosting active 48h to prevent downtime.

Optimizing Your VPS Post-Migration

Enable caching & CDNs.
Monitor server resources (htop, Nagios, or Retzor tools).
Keep software & plugins updated.
Set up automated backups.

Why Retzor Is the Best VPS Choice in 2026

High performance: dedicated CPU, NVMe SSDs, fast networking.
Ease of migration with pre-configured templates.
Built-in firewalls, automatic updates, 99.99% uptime.
Scalable resources without downtime.
24/7 live support.

Common Migration Challenges & Solutions

Downtime during DNS propagation: Keep old hosting active.
Database connection errors: Check credentials & host values.
File permission issues: Use proper chown commands.
Missing plugins/themes: Ensure backups include all files.

Next Steps After Migration

Test all site functionality thoroughly.
Implement monitoring & automated backups.
Scale VPS resources as needed.
Cancel old hosting after confirming everything works.
Optimize for speed: caching, CDNs, image compression.

Conclusion

Migrating from shared hosting to a VPS is no longer daunting in 2026. With proper planning, backups, and step-by-step execution, your website gains dedicated resources, full server control, enhanced security, and scalability.

Retzor VPS is the top choice for smooth, reliable, high-performance migration, ensuring minimal downtime and a fully optimized environment ready for modern web demands.