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The hidden flow of migration

The Hidden Flow exposes how often WordPress users switch hosting providers, an overlooked metric in a massive digital ecosystem.

Imagine you’re running a WordPress site—maybe a blog, an e-commerce store, or a portfolio—and one day, you notice your pages load slower than a snail crossing a highway. Or perhaps your hosting provider’s support team responds with all the urgency of a sloth on a lunch break. You start wondering: should I switch? You’re not alone. Millions of WordPress users face this dilemma every year, caught in a quiet but constant shuffle between hosting providers. With over 400 million WordPress sites powering the internet, the hosting industry is a bustling marketplace where competition is fierce, and customer loyalty is tested daily. Yet, here’s the kicker: no one seems to know exactly how often these switches happen. The data is elusive, buried beneath industry trends and vague statistics, leaving us to piece together the puzzle of migration rates in this massive ecosystem

The WordPress hosting industry is a cornerstone of the digital world, supporting 43.6% of all websites as of 2025. That’s roughly 472 million sites, each dependent on hosting providers like WP Engine, SiteGround, or Bluehost for performance, security, and support. But how often do these site owners pack up their digital bags and move to a new host? While the industry boasts a projected market value of $320.62 billion by 2030, specific figures on migration rates—how frequently users switch from one provider to another—remain frustratingly absent. In this article, we’ll explore this hidden metric, estimate the migration rate, and uncover why it matters.

Estimating the Migration Rate: A Numbers Game

Without direct data, pinning down the migration rate requires a bit of detective work. We start with the churn rate for shared hosting—a popular choice for WordPress users—which industry sources estimate at 15-35% annually, averaging around 25%. This means one in four customers leaves their provider each year. But not all of them quit hosting entirely; many switch to a competitor seeking better speed, pricing, or features. If we assume half of this churn reflects migrations (a reasonable guess in a competitive market), the rate lands at about 12.5%. Accounting for WordPress-specific hosting’s potential for higher satisfaction or fiercer rivalry, we estimate the migration rate at 10-15% per year. So, out of every 100 WordPress site owners, 10 to 15 might jump ship annually.
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Why the Data Gap Surprises Us

What’s striking is the lack of public data on this topic, despite WordPress’s dominance and the hosting industry’s size—over 330,000 providers globally. You’d think with free migration services being a selling point for companies like Hostinger and Liquid Web, someone would track how often users take advantage. Instead, we’re left with broad trends and assumptions. The reasons for switching are clear—downtime, poor support, or slow load times—but the frequency? It’s a black box. This opacity is surprising in an industry where customer movement could reveal so much about satisfaction and competition.
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What Drives Migration in WordPress Hosting?

The WordPress hosting market thrives on competition, and that’s a double-edged sword. Providers offer specialized features like one-click installs and optimized servers, but they also face pressure to keep customers happy. A 2012 Midphase blog claimed 80% of their clients had switched from other hosts, hinting at high mobility, though that’s just one snapshot. Today, with growth fueled by digital demand, migrations likely stem from dissatisfaction or better deals elsewhere. Average customer tenure, based on a 25% churn rate, suggests users stick around for about four years—plenty of time to weigh options and move if something shinier comes along.

Our estimate of a 10-15% annual migration rate offers a glimpse into the WordPress hosting world’s fluidity, but it’s just a starting point. As the industry evolves, factors like service quality and innovation will keep pushing users to switch. Companies that stand out with seamless experiences could tip the scales further. At ZIpr, we believe Zipline, a game-changer in hosting logistics, can increase the rate of migration by making transitions smoother and more appealing, driving even more WordPress users to rethink their hosting choices.
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