Switching hosting panels has always been painful. Manual file transfers, broken databases, lost email accounts, DNS downtime — the migration process alone keeps thousands of server administrators locked into panels they have outgrown. We built the Panelica Universal Migration Tool to change that.
Whether you are running cPanel, Plesk, DirectAdmin, CyberPanel, HestiaCP, Webmin, ISPConfig, VestaCP, CloudPanel, or any other control panel — Panelica can bring your entire server over. One connection, live progress tracking, automatic rollback on failure, and zero data loss.
What Gets Migrated — Everything
The migration tool does not just copy files. It transfers your complete server environment:
| Component | What Transfers | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Websites & Files | All website files, document roots, .htaccess rules | Rsync-based transfer with integrity verification |
| Databases | MySQL/MariaDB databases, users, privileges | Password hashes preserved — users keep their existing credentials |
| Email Accounts | Mailboxes, forwarders, autoresponders | Full Maildir transfer including folder structure |
| DNS Records | All zone records (A, AAAA, MX, CNAME, TXT, SRV) | Automatic zone file creation |
| SSL Certificates | Existing certificates and private keys | New Let's Encrypt certificates issued if originals are near expiry |
| FTP Accounts | FTP users and directory mappings | Recreated with matching permissions |
| Cron Jobs | Scheduled tasks | Converted to Panelica's cron manager |
| PHP Configuration | PHP version, extensions, php.ini settings | Per-site PHP version matching |
Key principle: Configuration files likewp-config.php,.env, and application settings are never modified during migration. Your applications work exactly as they did before.
Supported Source Panels
The Universal Migration Tool uses intelligent discovery to detect and extract data from any source panel. Here is the current status of each adapter:
| Source Panel | Status | Sites | Databases | DNS | SSL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panelica | Stable | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| cPanel / WHM | Beta | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Plesk | Beta | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| DirectAdmin | Planned | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — |
| CyberPanel | Planned | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — |
| HestiaCP | Planned | — | — | — | — | — |
| CloudPanel | Planned | — | — | — | — | — |
| Webmin / Virtualmin | Planned | — | — | — | — | — |
| ISPConfig | Planned | — | — | — | — | — |
| VestaCP / MyVesta | Planned | — | — | — | — | — |
| RunCloud | Planned | — | — | — | — | — |
| ServerPilot | Planned | — | — | — | — | — |
| Froxlor | Planned | — | — | — | — | — |
| No Panel (bare server) | Planned | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — |
This tool is in active development. The Panelica-to-Panelica adapter has completed all test cycles. cPanel and Plesk adapters are functional and in beta testing. We are actively expanding support for every panel on this list — and your feedback directly shapes our development priorities. If your current panel is not yet fully supported, let us know and we will prioritize it.
How the Migration Works
The entire process runs from your Panelica dashboard. No command line, no manual file copying, no guesswork.
Step 1: Connect to the Source Server
Enter the source server's IP address and SSH credentials. The migration tool establishes a secure connection and automatically detects which panel is installed, how many sites exist, and what services are configured.
Step 2: Discovery and Planning
Panelica scans the source server and presents a complete inventory:
- Number of domains and subdomains
- Database count and sizes
- Email accounts and mailbox sizes
- Total disk usage and estimated transfer time
- PHP versions in use
- SSL certificate status
You can review everything before the migration starts. Nothing is transferred until you confirm.
Step 3: Live Migration with Progress Tracking
Once you start the migration, every phase reports progress in real time:
- User creation — System accounts with matching permissions
- Domain provisioning — Web server configuration, PHP-FPM pools, document roots
- File transfer — Rsync with progress percentage, speed, and ETA
- Database import — Table-by-table progress with size information
- Email migration — Mailbox transfer with message counts
- DNS and SSL — Zone creation and certificate provisioning
Step 4: Verification
After transfer completes, the tool runs automated checks:
- File integrity verification (checksum comparison)
- Database connectivity tests
- Website accessibility checks
- SSL certificate validation
Why Server Migrations Usually Fail
We studied hundreds of failed migrations across the hosting industry before building this tool. Here are the most common failure points — and how Panelica handles each one:
| Common Failure | Why It Happens | Panelica's Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Database user passwords break | Password hashes are regenerated during import, locking out applications | We transfer the original hash directly — no password change needed |
| File permissions are wrong | UID/GID mismatch between source and destination | Files are re-owned to the correct system user after transfer |
| Email is lost during DNS propagation | MX records point to old server while new server is not ready | Email accounts are fully configured before DNS changes |
| .htaccess rules break | Apache modules differ between servers | Compatible web server configuration with all common modules |
| PHP version mismatch | Application requires a specific PHP version not available on destination | Panelica includes PHP 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, and 8.4 — per-site version selection |
| SSL certificates expire during migration | Nobody remembers to transfer or renew certificates | Automatic Let's Encrypt issuance for all migrated domains |
| Partial transfer with no rollback | Migration fails midway, leaving both servers in broken state | Checkpoint-based migration with automatic rollback on failure |
Migration from cPanel and WHM
cPanel is the most widely used hosting control panel, and migrating away from it is one of the most common requests we receive — especially after recent cPanel price increases and licensing changes.
The Panelica migration tool connects to your cPanel server via SSH, reads the account structure, and transfers everything:
- All cPanel accounts with their home directories
- MySQL databases and users (including remote database access settings)
- Email accounts, forwarders, and autoresponders
- Addon domains and subdomains
- DNS zone files
- Cron jobs
- SSL certificates (AutoSSL and custom certificates)
Beta notice: The cPanel migration adapter is currently in beta. Core functionality — sites, databases, email, DNS, and SSL — is working and tested. We are refining edge cases based on real-world migrations. If you encounter any issues, our team will work with you directly to resolve them.
Migration from Plesk
Plesk users migrating to Panelica benefit from a similar automated experience. The tool reads Plesk's subscription and domain structure and maps it to Panelica's user and domain model.
Supported Plesk migration components:
- Subscriptions mapped to Panelica user accounts
- Websites with all files and configurations
- MySQL and PostgreSQL databases
- Email accounts and mail settings
- DNS zones and records
- SSL certificates
Beta notice: The Plesk adapter is in beta alongside the cPanel adapter. It handles standard Plesk configurations reliably. Advanced Plesk extensions and custom configurations may require manual attention — we document anything that needs a follow-up after migration.
Migration from DirectAdmin, CyberPanel, and Others
We are building dedicated adapters for every major hosting panel. Each adapter understands the source panel's unique directory structure, configuration format, and service layout.
Planned adapters include:
- DirectAdmin — User/reseller structure, domain configuration, email
- CyberPanel — OpenLiteSpeed sites, MariaDB databases, email via Postfix
- HestiaCP — Nginx/Apache sites, Exim email, BIND DNS
- CloudPanel — Nginx sites, MySQL/MariaDB, Node.js applications
- Webmin/Virtualmin — Apache virtual hosts, Postfix/Dovecot email
- ISPConfig — Multi-server setups, client structure
- VestaCP/MyVesta — Nginx/Apache, Exim, BIND
- RunCloud/ServerPilot — Nginx, PHP-FPM, MySQL
- Bare servers (no panel) — Direct file and database import via SSH
Our goal is straightforward: if your data is on a Linux server, Panelica should be able to bring it over — regardless of what panel (or no panel) is currently managing it.
Panelica-to-Panelica Migration
Moving between Panelica servers is the most polished migration path. This adapter uses Panelica's own External API for a seamless, authenticated transfer with full data fidelity.
Use cases:
- Server upgrades — Move from a smaller to a larger server
- Geographic relocation — Move closer to your user base
- Provider changes — Switch hosting providers without switching panels
- Load distribution — Split a busy server across multiple machines
The Panelica-to-Panelica adapter has passed all integration tests and handles the complete migration pipeline including user accounts, domains, databases, email, DNS, SSL, FTP accounts, and cron jobs.
What Makes This Different from Other Migration Tools
| Feature | Manual Migration | Third-Party Scripts | Panelica Migration Tool |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automation level | Fully manual | Partial | Fully automated |
| Live progress | None | Log files | Real-time dashboard with percentage, speed, ETA |
| Rollback | Manual cleanup | Rarely available | Automatic checkpoint-based rollback |
| Multi-panel support | N/A | Usually single-panel | Universal — any panel to Panelica |
| Database passwords | Often broken | Often broken | Hash-level preservation — zero breakage |
| Email continuity | Risk of lost mail | Risk of lost mail | Full mailbox transfer before DNS switch |
| SSL handling | Manual certificate copy | Sometimes | Automatic — transfer existing or issue new |
| Post-migration verification | Manual checking | None | Automated integrity checks |
How Long Does a Migration Take?
Migration time depends primarily on data volume and network speed between servers:
| Server Size | Typical Data | Estimated Time |
|---|---|---|
| Small (1–5 sites) | Under 10 GB | 5–15 minutes |
| Medium (5–20 sites) | 10–50 GB | 15–45 minutes |
| Large (20–100 sites) | 50–200 GB | 1–3 hours |
| Enterprise (100+ sites) | 200 GB+ | 3–8 hours |
The file transfer phase (rsync) accounts for most of the time. All other phases — user creation, domain provisioning, database import, email setup — typically complete in seconds per account.
Before You Migrate: Checklist
- Verify SSH access to the source server (root or sudo access required)
- Check disk space on the destination — you need at least as much free space as the source data
- Note your DNS provider — if using Cloudflare or external DNS, you will update records after migration
- Back up the source server — Panelica does not modify the source, but backups are always wise
- Plan your DNS TTL — Lower TTL values before migration reduce propagation time
- Inform your users — Email delivery may have a brief delay during DNS propagation
After Migration: What to Expect
Once the migration completes and verification passes:
- Update DNS records — Point your domains to the new server's IP address
- Monitor for 24–48 hours — Watch for any DNS propagation issues
- Test email delivery — Send test emails to verify mail flow
- Check SSL certificates — Panelica will auto-renew Let's Encrypt certificates
- Keep the old server running for 48–72 hours as a safety net
We Build This Together
The Universal Migration Tool is our most ambitious infrastructure project, and we are building it with direct input from our users. Every panel has unique quirks — undocumented directory structures, non-standard database configurations, custom email setups. Real-world migrations surface edge cases that testing alone cannot find.
That is why your feedback matters. If you migrate to Panelica and encounter anything unexpected — a file in the wrong place, a database permission that did not carry over, an email forwarder that was missed — tell us. Every report makes the tool better for everyone.
Our commitment: supporting migration from every Linux-based hosting panel is not a stretch goal — it is the plan. The adapters for cPanel and Plesk are in beta today. DirectAdmin and CyberPanel are next. And we will keep going until the answer to "Can I migrate from X?" is always yes.
Ready to try it? Start your migration from the Migration section in your Panelica dashboard, or contact us if you need help planning a large-scale migration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does migration cause downtime for my websites?
The migration itself runs in the background with zero downtime. Your source server continues to operate normally throughout the process. The only brief interruption occurs during DNS propagation after you update your domain records to point to the new server — typically a few minutes to a few hours depending on TTL settings.
Will my WordPress sites work immediately after migration?
Yes. The migration tool transfers wp-config.php without modification, preserves database credentials, and maintains file permissions. WordPress sites typically work immediately after DNS propagation completes.
What happens if the migration fails halfway through?
The migration tool uses a checkpoint system. If any phase fails, it automatically rolls back to the last successful checkpoint. Your source server is never modified, so there is zero risk to your existing setup.
Can I migrate a server with hundreds of accounts?
Yes. The tool processes accounts sequentially with per-account progress tracking. Large migrations (100+ accounts) are supported and have been tested. The primary bottleneck is network transfer speed for file data.
Do I need to install anything on the source server?
No. The migration tool connects via SSH and uses standard system commands (rsync, mysqldump, tar) that are available on virtually every Linux server. Nothing is installed on the source.
Is the source server modified during migration?
No. The migration is a read-only operation on the source server. No files are changed, no configurations are modified, no services are restarted. Your source server continues to operate exactly as before.
Can I migrate only specific accounts instead of the entire server?
Yes. After the discovery phase, you can select which accounts, domains, or databases to migrate. You are not required to transfer everything.
What if my current panel is not listed as supported?
Contact us. We actively prioritize adapter development based on user requests. If your panel uses standard Linux services (Apache/Nginx, MySQL/MariaDB, Postfix/Dovecot), we can likely build support for it quickly. In many cases, the bare server adapter can handle the migration even without a panel-specific adapter.