Switching hosting providers? Questions every business should ask first

A poorly planned migration can disrupt your website, email, and online services. Before making the move, there are important questions worth asking to avoid unnecessary downtime, unexpected costs, and loss of access to business-critical data.

Start with your current hosting provider

First, establish what you're working with. Why are you moving, and what exactly needs to be transferred? Your checklist should include websites, databases, email accounts, subdomains, SSL certificates, contact forms, and third-party integrations.

Find out when your contract ends, what notice is required, and whether cancellation fees or lost prepaid months apply. Ask how to download a complete backup of your website files, databases and emails, and whether your domain is registered through your current host.

Domain ownership deserves particular attention. Your domain should be registered in your business name, with your business retaining control of its management account and DNS settings. If you need to transfer it, ask for the EPP or authorisation code.

Also establish what happens to your email when you cancel. If your mailboxes are hosted with your current provider, they need to be migrated, and the relevant MX records updated before the old account closes.

Put prospective hosting providers to the test

Don't choose a new host based on an introductory price or a long list of features alone. Ask each provider the same questions and compare their written answers.

Key considerations include:

• Does the provider offer website and email migration, and what does it include?
  
• Is uptime backed by a written Service Level Agreement (SLA) and service credits?
  
• How frequently are backups made, where are they stored, and can you restore them yourself?
  
• What server-level security measures are included?
  
• What support channels are available, and during which hours?
  
• What resource limits apply to supposedly unlimited packages?
  
• Where is your data hosted?
  
• What will hosting cost at renewal, and which services cost extra?
  
• How easily can you retrieve your data and transfer your domain if you leave?

Vague answers about backups, security, uptime, and cancellation should raise concerns. So should hidden renewal costs, unclear resource limits and backups stored only on the same server as your website.

Plan the move before cancelling

Once you've chosen a provider, agree on who will handle the migration, what is included, and when it will happen. Avoid switching during busy trading periods, month-end, or major marketing campaigns.

Most importantly, keep your existing hosting account active until the new website and email have been migrated, tested and confirmed working. DNS changes can take time to propagate, so cancelling too early could leave your business without access to important services.

A hosting provider should offer more than server space. Look for transparency, reliable support, and clear answers about your data, costs, and control.

At Domains.co.za, businesses can ask our team anything about Web Hosting, our free primary website migration service, the daily off-site backups we do and anything about our hosting data center in Johannesburg.