How to Move a Website From DirectAdmin to cPanel (or cPanel to DirectAdmin)
A complete beginner-friendly migration guide for switching between hosting control panels safely
Introduction
Most shared hosting accounts use either cPanel or DirectAdmin. Both control panels provide similar features — email, file management, DNS, FTP, database access — but they do not use the same backup format. This means you cannot simply download a cPanel backup and upload it directly to DirectAdmin. The process requires different steps.
???? The good news: you do NOT need deep technical skills to migrate between panel types if you follow this guide carefully.
Key Differences Between cPanel and DirectAdmin
| Feature | cPanel | DirectAdmin |
|---|---|---|
| Backup format | .tar.gz full backups | User-level tar archives |
| Control panel style | Graphical icons, WHM backend | Tree menu, simpler layout |
| PHP selector | MultiPHP Manager | Select PHP Version |
| Database tool | phpMyAdmin | phpMyAdmin |
Because backup formats are different, the migration must be broken down into steps.
Step-by-Step Migration Overview
You need to migrate:
- Website files
- Databases
- Email accounts & email data
- DNS if needed
⚠️ Control panel backups are NOT compatible across systems unless special tools are used.
Step 1: Export Files
If migrating from DirectAdmin → cPanel
- Log into DirectAdmin
- Open File Manager
- Select all files in
public_html - Create a compressed archive (.zip)
- Download it
If migrating from cPanel → DirectAdmin
Same process, but File Manager is under “Files” category in cPanel.
Step 2: Export Your Database
- Open phpMyAdmin
- Select the database
- Click Export → Quick → SQL
- Download the .sql file
Step 3: Create Database in New Hosting Panel
For cPanel
- Open MySQL Databases
- Create new database + user
- Assign user to DB with full privileges
For DirectAdmin
- Go to MySQL Management
- Create new database
- Assign user + password
???? Use the same database name & user as your old website if you want to avoid editing config files.
Step 4: Upload Files & Import Database
Upload the ZIP file into public_html of the new server and extract it. Then import database using phpMyAdmin.
If your site is WordPress, update wp-config.php with database details.
Step 5: Email Migration
Email migration between DirectAdmin and cPanel is not automatic. If you need all email messages transferred:
- Use IMAP sync (recommended method)
- Or download email via Outlook then re-upload
Step 6: Update DNS / Nameservers
Point domain to whichever panel you moved to:
cPanel hosting:
ns1.nairahost.cloud
ns2.nairahost.cloud
DirectAdmin hosting:
ns1.nairahost.com.ng
ns2.nairahost.com.ng
Advanced Option: Transfer Using cPanel → DirectAdmin Converter
There are tools that allow automatic conversion of cPanel backups into DirectAdmin-compatible format. These include:
- DA restore conversion script
- Admin-level migration tools (for root users)
⚠️ These tools are only available for VPS/root servers. Shared hosting users must migrate manually.
Final Testing Checklist
- Site loads correctly
- Admin panel login works
- Database connects fine
- Email send + receive works
- SSL enabled
