cPanel-to-cPanel transfers explained

If your current host also runs cPanel, moving to Maxinodes is the easiest kind of migration: we restore a full cPanel account onto your new service, so your files, databases and most settings come across in one go. Two things deliberately do not travel with the account — your live DNS and your email — and this article explains why, plus exactly what to check once the move is done.

Applies to: All plans. Migration is free on every plan — on both Self-Managed and Managed we do it for you at no charge.

Before you start: you need your old host's cPanel login (URL, username and password) or a full cPanel backup file, the domain you are moving, and your Maxinodes client area and cPanel logins.

What a cPanel-to-cPanel transfer is

A full cPanel account is a single package: the website files, the databases, and a bundle of account settings. When your old host uses cPanel too, that whole package can be exported as one backup and restored onto your new account here — no rebuilding by hand. It is the cleanest way to move, and on this platform it is the route we recommend whenever your current host supports it.

To hand it to us, open a ticket in your client area -> Support with your old host's cPanel details (or a full backup) and the domain you are moving. We restore it onto your Maxinodes account and test it before you change anything live. See What we need from you to migrate (checklist).

What carries over

A full account restore brings across the things stored inside the cPanel account:

Website files — everything under your document root (usually public_html), including .htaccess rules.
Databases — your MySQL/MariaDB databases, database users and their data.
FTP/SFTP accounts and their credentials.
Subdomains and addon domains configured in cPanel.
Cron jobs (scheduled tasks).
DNS zone data as a copy — your old zone file comes in the backup, but it does not become your live DNS here (see below).

Result: Your site, its databases and its account settings run on Maxinodes, ready to test before you switch your domain over.

What does NOT carry over

Two parts of your old setup are handled separately, by design.

Email does not move with the account. Maxinodes does not host mailboxes on the hosting server — there is no cPanel webmail, and no mail accounts in cPanel. Email is resold Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, per seat. So any mailboxes on your old cPanel server are not migrated. What you do instead:

Already on Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace? Nothing moves with the website. Just keep your existing MX record pointing at your provider when you set up DNS here.
Want Professional Email from us? Order seats in the client area store, or add the Add Professional Email add-on, then move your mail into the new mailboxes. On Managed we handle the email move and configure SPF, DKIM and DMARC for you. See How email works at Maxinodes and How to migrate your email to Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace.

Live DNS is not the cPanel zone editor. Your DNS here is managed by us, on our own nameservers, and lives in the client area, not in cPanel. The zone copied in your backup is inert on our platform. Manage all your records — A, CNAME, MX, TXT and so on — in the client area instead. See How to manage DNS records in your client area.

Cut over when you are ready

Your old site keeps serving visitors until you repoint your domain, so there is no surprise downtime. When the copy looks right:

Point your domain at our nameservers at your registrar: ns1.maxinodes.com and ns2.maxinodes.com. See How to point your domain to Maxinodes.
Re-create any email DNS records (especially MX) in your client area so mail keeps flowing. The exact values always come from the Microsoft 365 admin centre or the Google Workspace setup wizard — see The DNS records your email needs.
DNS changes propagate over a few hours (occasionally up to 24–48), governed by your record TTL. Free AutoSSL issues your HTTPS certificate automatically once the domain points to us.

For a full switch-over plan, see What to expect on go-live day (cutover checklist).

What to check afterwards

Once the account is restored and your domain points to us, run through these:

Browse the site — pages, images, logins and contact forms all load.
Database connection — apps that use a database (such as WordPress) connect; if your old config pointed at a hard-coded database host, set it back to localhost.
Email flow — send and receive a test message; your MX and SPF/DKIM/DMARC records are correct in the client area.
HTTPS — the padlock shows and there is no "Not secure" or mixed-content warning. See Free SSL (AutoSSL) and how to force HTTPS.
Plan limits — your databases and disk usage fit your plan; if not, the path is to upgrade. See Understanding your hosting account's limits.

Note: Customer websites are served over both IPv4 and IPv6 (dual-stack). When your domain uses our nameservers, the zone we create contains both the A records pointing at 185.185.49.198 and the AAAA records pointing at 2a00:7c80:0:286:c::10, for your domain, www, cpanel and ftp — you do not have to add anything. AutoSSL (Let's Encrypt) covers both addresses.

Troubleshooting this task

Mail stopped after cutover: your old MX pointed at the previous host. Re-create the correct MX (and SPF/DKIM/DMARC) in the client area using the values from your email provider. See Email isn't sending or receiving.
DNS edits in cPanel do nothing: the cPanel zone editor does not control live DNS here. Make the change in the client area instead.
"Error establishing a database connection" after the move: the app's database host or credentials are wrong. Point the host at localhost and confirm the database name, user and password. See Database connection errors.
Account too big for your plan: if disk usage or database count exceed your plan, upgrade before or right after the move. See How to upgrade or downgrade your plan.