Ownership and portability
Can You Take Your Website With You? What 8 Platforms Let You Export
Your data usually can leave. The working website usually can't. We read the help pages of 8 platforms on 8 October 2026, and only WooCommerce and self-hosted WordPress let the whole site, design and code included, move to a host you choose.
Hassan Jamal·Published ·Updated ·35 min read
Hassan leads PandaCodeGen's migration work off WordPress, Webflow and GoHighLevel. Every one of those moves starts with the exports in this post.
The short answer
- ✓The whole site, design and code included, moves to another host only on WooCommerce and self-hosted WordPress. Both are open-source software you run on your own hosting.
- ✓Webflow, Shopify and WordPress.com export part of the design, with conditions: a plan, a platform-specific template language, or a backup feature on higher plans. Each section below names the condition.
- ✓Wix, Squarespace and GoHighLevel document no way to run or edit the site somewhere else. Leaving one of them means a rebuild, so export the data first.
- ✓Order records have a documented export on Wix, Squarespace, Webflow, Shopify, WooCommerce and GoHighLevel. Products and customer lists usually come with them.
- ✓A domain bought through the platform can move to another registrar on all 6 platforms here that sell domains, usually after a waiting period. The Domain name row has each one.
On this page
How we checked each platform
On 8 October 2026 we read each platform's own help center, developer documentation and terms, and copied the exact sentence every row rests on. You'll find that sentence under each row in the platform sections, with a link to the page, so you can check it yourself with a text search. We didn't count third-party migration tools or scrapers, because what they can pull out says nothing about what the platform supports.
Each row gets one of three labels. Exports means a built-in, documented export covers it. Partly means an export covers only part of it, or it leaves only by copy and paste, a developer API, a separate extension or a plan upgrade. Stays means the platform documents no supported way to take it somewhere else in a form another platform can run or edit. Where a platform's pages don't cover an item, the table says “Not covered” and leaves it there.
Some comparison tables online squeeze all of this into one “can you export the code?” column. That hides the part you need to plan around, which is the gap between data that leaves and a site that doesn't.
Website export comparison: all 8 platforms
The pattern across the platforms is consistent. Records such as products, customers and orders have documented exports almost everywhere. The design and the working pages are where platforms differ, and on Wix, Squarespace and GoHighLevel nothing of the design leaves. The last column shows what you receive from a PandaCodeGen build, from our published terms. Platform names link to their section.
| What you want to take | Wix | Square | Webflow | Shopify | Woo | GoHigh | Word | Self-hosted Word | PandaCodeGen build |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website design and files | Stays | Stays | Partly | Partly | Exports | Stays | Partly | Exports | Yours |
| Website pages | Partly | Partly | Partly | Partly | Exports | Stays | Exports | Exports | Yours |
| Blog posts | Stays | Partly | Not covered | Partly | Exports | Partly | Exports | Exports | Yours |
| Editable lists and business details | Exports | Not covered | Exports | Not covered | Not covered | Not covered | Not covered | Exports | Yours |
| Products | Exports | Exports | Exports | Exports | Exports | Partly | Not covered | Not covered | In your account |
| Customers and contacts | Exports | Exports | Not covered | Exports | Partly | Exports | Not covered | Not covered | In your account |
| Past orders | Exports | Exports | Exports | Exports | Partly | Exports | Not covered | Not covered | In your account |
| Images and files | Partly | Partly | Partly | Partly | Exports | Exports | Exports | Exports | Yours |
| Gift cards, discounts and other store data | Not covered | Not covered | Not covered | Stays | Partly | Not covered | Not covered | Not covered | In your account |
| Website address (domain) | Exports | Exports | Exports | Exports | Not covered | Partly | Exports | Not covered | In your account |
- Exportsa built-in, documented export covers it
- Partlypart of it, or only by hand, API, extension or plan upgrade
- Staysno documented way to run or edit it elsewhere
- In your accountkept in a system under accounts you control
Some platforms do better than their reputation. Shopify documents CSV exports for products, customers and orders, and suggests the product export for backups. Webflow's code export produces HTML and CSS you can host anywhere. WordPress.com's higher plans let you download a full backup with themes, plugins and the database. None of that makes leaving free, but it's worth knowing before you choose.
Who owns the content, and who owns the template
Ownership and portability are different questions. Some of the terms below speak to your content, and others to the templates, themes or software the platform keeps as its own. A template the platform owns, or licenses to one store, was never part of what you owned, so no export would hand it to you. The terms come from the same check.
- Wix. Wix doesn't claim ownership of your content.
Wix does not claim ownership rights on your User Content or the content you connected to the Wix Services.
Source for Wix licence terms (opens in a new tab) - Squarespace. Squarespace owns the templates.
Squarespace owns the Templates.
Source for Squarespace licence terms (opens in a new tab) - Webflow. You keep ownership of your website content, with exceptions the terms name, such as content made with Webflow's AI products.
You retain ownership of your Website Content unless otherwise specified in the Agreement including but not limited to Product Specific Terms (e.g. content generated using generative artificial intelligence products).
Source for Webflow licence terms (opens in a new tab) - Shopify. A theme from the Shopify Theme Store is licensed to one store.
If you download a Theme, you are licensed to use it for a single Store only.
Source for Shopify licence terms (opens in a new tab) - WooCommerce. WooCommerce is open source under the GPL, version 3.
License: GPLv3
Source for WooCommerce licence terms (opens in a new tab) - GoHighLevel. HighLevel tells you to export any data you want to keep before you cancel.
Before canceling your HighLevel subscription, export or download any important data you want to keep.
Source for GoHighLevel licence terms (opens in a new tab) - WordPress.com. WordPress.com says you own your site content and can move it.
You own your site content and are always free to move it as you please.
Source for WordPress.com licence terms (opens in a new tab) - Self-hosted WordPress. WordPress is open source under the GPL, version 2 or later.
The license under which the WordPress software is released is the GPLv2 (or later) from the Free Software Foundation.
Source for Self-hosted WordPress licence terms (opens in a new tab)
The contract side of ownership, meaning copyright, assignment and who holds which account when an agency builds the site, is covered in our website ownership contract and control checklist. This post sticks to what each platform lets you export.
Wix: your records export, the site stays on Wix
Wix lets your records leave and keeps the website. CMS collections, physical products, contacts and orders each have a documented export, and a domain bought from Wix can move to another registrar. The site itself only runs on Wix's servers, and Wix's help center says blog posts can't be exported to other platforms, so posts move by copy and paste or with a developer's help.
- Leaves cleanlyEditable lists and business details; Products; Customers and contacts; Past orders; Website address (domain)
- Leaves in partWebsite pages; Images and files
- Stays behindWebsite design and files; Blog posts
| What you want to take | What Wix documents |
|---|---|
| Website design and files | Stays The site can't be exported to run on another host. Wix says it has to be hosted and run on Wix's servers. The exact wordingIn order for your site to work properly, it needs to be hosted and operated on Wix's servers. |
| Website pages | Partly There's no page export. Wix's translation tool can export site text to a spreadsheet once the Multilingual app is set up; the layout doesn't come with it. The exact wordingBegin by exporting your website's content into a CSV file. You can then send the file to a professional translator to have them translate the text. |
| Blog posts | Stays Wix says blog posts can't be exported to other platforms. It's listed as a feature request. The exact wordingCurrently, it is not possible to export blog posts to other platforms. |
| Editable lists and business details | Exports Each editable content list exports to a spreadsheet file. The exact wordingYou can export a CMS (Content Management System) collection's content as a CSV file to use it in another application such as Google Sheets or Excel. |
| Products | Exports Physical products export to a spreadsheet file, up to 5,000 rows per file. Digital products can't be exported yet. The exact wordingExporting digital products is not currently supported. |
| Customers and contacts | Exports Contacts export to a spreadsheet file, up to 50,000 at a time. The exact wordingYou can export up to 50,000 site contacts at once to a CSV file. |
| Past orders | Exports Orders export to a spreadsheet file for Wix Stores, Bookings, Restaurants and Donations. The exact wordingImportant: This article is relevant for Wix Stores, Wix Bookings, Wix Restaurants Orders, Wix Donations, and is in the process of becoming available for Pricing Plans. |
| Images and files | Partly Files you uploaded download from the Media Manager, folder by folder. Free Wix and Shutterstock media can't be downloaded. The exact wordingOnly images and videos that you have uploaded can be downloaded. Free Wix and Shutterstock media cannot be downloaded. |
| Website address (domain) | Exports A domain bought from Wix can move to another registrar, but not within 60 days of purchase. The exact wordingYou cannot transfer a domain within 60 days of purchase. |
Before you cancel Wix
- Export every CMS collection, then the product list, contacts and orders, and open each file to check it isn't empty or cut short.
- Download the images and videos you uploaded from the Media Manager. Media from Wix's own free library and Shutterstock won't download, so note which pictures you'll need to replace.
- Copy each blog post's text, images, publish date and URL into a document or spreadsheet. There's no export to lean on.
- Check the domain if you bought it from Wix. A domain bought from Wix can move to another registrar, but not within 60 days of purchase.
Squarespace: a partial export of pages and one blog
Squarespace's site export is narrower than most owners expect. It writes a WordPress-format XML file that carries layout pages and a single blog, while album, cover, index, portfolio and store pages stay behind with the design. Store data does better: products, contacts and orders export to CSV on their own. Images come out one at a time from the Asset library.
- Leaves cleanlyProducts; Customers and contacts; Past orders; Website address (domain)
- Leaves in partWebsite pages; Blog posts; Images and files
- Stays behindWebsite design and files
| What you want to take | What Squarespace documents |
|---|---|
| Website design and files | Stays The export is a content file formatted for WordPress of some of the content. Design and styling don't come with it, because many features rely on Squarespace's own code. The exact wordingNot everything will export, as many features rely on our platform’s JavaScript and CSS. |
| Website pages | Partly Layout pages with text and image blocks export. Album, cover, index, calendar, portfolio and store pages don't. Trial sites can't export at all. The exact wordingOther page types (including album pages, cover pages, index pages, info pages, calendar pages, portfolio pages, and store pages) |
| Blog posts | Partly One blog page exports with its posts and up to 1,000 comments per post. Any other blog pages stay behind. The exact wordingOne blog page, including all of its posts and up to 1000 comments per post |
| Products | Exports Commerce products export to an editable spreadsheet, up to 10,000 products. The exact wordingYou can export up to 10,000 products. |
| Customers and contacts | Exports Contacts export to a spreadsheet file. Notes and saved addresses aren't included, apart from the last address used on a physical order. The exact wordingNotes and saved addresses aren't in the .csv export, except for a customer's last used address on a physical product order. |
| Past orders | Exports Orders export to a spreadsheet file on every plan. The exact wordingExporting via .csv is available on all plans. |
| Images and files | Partly Images and uploaded videos don't export in bulk. Images download one at a time from the Asset library. The exact wordingIt's not possible to export images or uploaded videos from your site in bulk, but you can download individual images, one at a time, from the Asset library. |
| Website address (domain) | Exports A Squarespace domain can move to another provider once it has no active lock. New registrations carry a 60-day lock. The exact wordingIf your Squarespace domain doesn't have an active domain lock, you can transfer it to another provider from your domains dashboard. When you first register a domain, we, the registrar, are required to place a 60-day lock on it, unless it’s a ccTLD that doesn’t require the lock. |
Before you cancel Squarespace
- Run the site export from a paid site. Trial sites can't export.
- If you have more than one blog page, decide which one goes in the export and plan to copy the others by hand.
- Export products, contacts and orders separately. Each has its own CSV export.
- Download the images you'll keep, one at a time, before the subscription ends.
- Check the domain if it's registered with Squarespace. A Squarespace domain can move to another provider once it has no active lock. New registrations carry a 60-day lock.
Webflow: code export on Workspace plans, without the CMS wiring
Webflow exports real code. On Workspace plans you can download the site's HTML, CSS, JavaScript and Assets-panel images and host them anywhere. What doesn't survive is the dynamic layer: CMS content, ecommerce, forms and site search stop working in exported code. CMS collections export separately to CSV, so the content leaves; the link between content and templates doesn't.
- Leaves cleanlyEditable lists and business details; Products; Past orders; Website address (domain)
- Leaves in partWebsite design and files; Website pages; Images and files
| What you want to take | What Webflow documents |
|---|---|
| Website design and files | Partly A paid Workspace plan lets you download website files for another host. This ordinary code export does not carry the working editor, store, forms or search. A Site plan alone does not include code export. Code export: paid Workspace plans; a Site plan alone is not enoughThe exact wordingCMS, User Accounts, Ecommerce content (databases), code components and functionality, and localized pages, elements, and content aren’t included in exported code. Additionally, site search and forms (including file upload and reCAPTCHA) will not work on exported sites in order to comply with GDPR. |
| Website pages | Partly The ordinary code download includes page files in the main language only. Pages filled from the content editor come out empty, so their content needs a separate download. The exact wordingExported code only includes the primary locale. |
| Editable lists and business details | Exports Editable content lists download as spreadsheet files. Formatted text includes website formatting; photos and files appear as links, so copy the actual files before deleting the old site. The exact wordingRich text fields export as HTML. Images and files export as Webflow-hosted URLs. |
| Products | Exports Products, variants and categories export to a spreadsheet file from the Designer. The exact wordingYou can only import/export products and variants from within the Designer. |
| Past orders | Exports Orders export to a spreadsheet backup from the Orders list. The exact wordingThe export option allows you to backup your orders as a CSV file. |
| Images and files | Partly The code export includes the images uploaded to the Assets panel, on Workspace plans. Images and files in editable content lists export only as links, so Webflow says to keep the old site or download them by hand. The exact wordingwith all the images uploaded in your site’s Assets panel Unless you're migrating to a new Webflow site, keep the original site as a backup or download your images and files manually. |
| Website address (domain) | Exports Domains bought through Webflow are bought from IONOS and sit in your own IONOS account. The exact wordingYou’ll need to sign into your IONOS account or sign up for a new account during the checkout process. |
Before you cancel Webflow
- Check which plan you're on. Code export sits with Workspace plans, not Site plans.
- Export every CMS collection to CSV, then download the images and files those collections link to. The CSV holds Webflow-hosted links, which stop working once the site is deleted.
- Export products from the Designer and orders from the Orders list.
- Record every form and where its submissions go. Forms don't work in exported code, so each one needs a new destination.
Shopify: store data exports cleanly, pages and posts don't
Shopify is portable where a store needs it most. Products, customers and orders export to CSV from the admin, and Shopify suggests the product CSV for backups and for moving products. The theme downloads as code, but it's written in Shopify's own version of Liquid. Pages and blog posts move by copy and paste, and Shopify lists discount codes, issued gift cards, saved reports and traffic history as things that can't transfer.
- Leaves cleanlyProducts; Customers and contacts; Past orders; Website address (domain)
- Leaves in partWebsite design and files; Website pages; Blog posts; Images and files
- Stays behindGift cards, discounts and other store data
| What you want to take | What Shopify documents |
|---|---|
| Website design and files | Partly You can download the theme files, but they are built for Shopify. The download is not a ready-to-run website for a different store system. The exact wordingThe variation of Liquid in this reference extends the open-source version of Liquid for use with Shopify themes. It includes tags, filters, and objects that can be used to render objects specific to Shopify stores The theme is sent in a .zip file to the email that's associated with your staff login. |
| Website pages | Partly Shopify's own steps for copying a store say to copy and paste online store pages by hand. The exact wordingOptional: Copy and paste your blog posts and online store pages. |
| Blog posts | Partly Blog posts are in the same step: Shopify says to copy and paste them. The exact wordingOptional: Copy and paste your blog posts and online store pages. |
| Products | Exports Products export to a spreadsheet file, which Shopify suggests for backups and for moving products. The exact wordingYou can export your products to a CSV file to help with several tasks: |
| Customers and contacts | Exports Customers and their details export to a spreadsheet file. The exact wordingYou can export a CSV file of your store's customers and their details. |
| Past orders | Exports Orders export to a spreadsheet file from the Orders page, with transaction history if you want it. The exact wordingYou can export a comma-separated values (CSV) spreadsheet of your orders from the Orders page of your Shopify admin to view a broad overview of your complete order information. |
| Images and files | Partly Uploaded files download one by one, as the original file, from each file's preview window. The exact wordingYou can download the original, unoptimized file to your device using the download button in the Preview and edit window. |
| Gift cards, discounts and other store data | Stays Shopify says discount codes, issued gift cards, saved reports and visitor traffic data can't be transferred. The exact wordingDiscount codes can't be transferred. Issued gift cards can't be transferred (gift card products are transferred by using the product CSV file). Your saved custom reports can't be transferred. Visitor traffic data can't be transferred. |
| Website address (domain) | Exports A domain bought through Shopify can move to another registrar. Generic extensions such as .com wait 60 days after a purchase, a transfer or a change of contact details. The exact wordingIf your domain has a generic extension, such as .com, .net, or .org, then your domain isn't eligible for transfer until 60 days after you complete any of the following actions: |
Before you cancel Shopify
- Export products, customers and orders to CSV. Include transaction history in the order export if your accountant needs it.
- Write down every live discount code and issued gift card balance, because neither transfers.
- Copy each page and blog post, with its URL, into a document.
- Download the theme .zip for reference, and the files you uploaded that you want to keep.
- Check the domain if you bought it through Shopify. A domain bought through Shopify can move to another registrar. Generic extensions such as .com wait 60 days after a purchase, a transfer or a change of contact details.
WooCommerce: the store moves with your WordPress site
WooCommerce is open-source software installed on your own WordPress host, so the store's code, theme and uploaded files move with the site. Pages and posts leave through WordPress's built-in exporter and products through WooCommerce's product CSV tool. Customer, order and coupon records are the one gap: the built-in reports download as CSV, and complete records go through WooCommerce's separate Customer / Order / Coupon Export extension.
The open-source store plugin for self-hosted WordPress.
- Leaves cleanlyWebsite design and files; Website pages; Blog posts; Products; Images and files
- Leaves in partCustomers and contacts; Past orders; Gift cards, discounts and other store data
| What you want to take | What WooCommerce documents |
|---|---|
| Website design and files | Exports WooCommerce is a plugin you install on your own WordPress host, so the store's code and theme move with the site. The exact wordingManual installation method requires downloading the WooCommerce plugin and uploading it to your web server via your favorite FTP application. |
| Website pages | Exports Pages export with WordPress's built-in content download tool. The exact wordingThis format, which is called and WordPress eXtended RSS or WXR file, will contain your posts, pages, custom post types, comments, custom fields, categories, tags, custom taxonomies, and users. |
| Blog posts | Exports Blog posts are in the same WordPress content download. The exact wordingThis format, which is called and WordPress eXtended RSS or WXR file, will contain your posts, pages, custom post types, comments, custom fields, categories, tags, custom taxonomies, and users. |
| Products | Exports WooCommerce has a built-in product spreadsheet exporter. The exact wordingWooCommerce includes a built-in CSV tool for importing, exporting, and bulk-updating products. |
| Customers and contacts | Partly The Customers report downloads as a spreadsheet. A full customer export uses WooCommerce's separate Customer / Order / Coupon Export extension. The exact wordingThe WooCommerce Customer / Order / Coupon Export extension lets you export your site’s customers, orders, or coupons to a CSV or XML file. an option to download a CSV copy of the data used in the report for further analysis. |
| Past orders | Partly The Orders report downloads as a spreadsheet. Full order records export through the same separate extension. The exact wordingThe WooCommerce Customer / Order / Coupon Export extension lets you export your site’s customers, orders, or coupons to a CSV or XML file. an option to download a CSV copy of the data used in the report for further analysis. |
| Images and files | Exports Uploaded files sit in the website uploads folder on your own host. The exact wordingBy default, the files in the directory called wp-content are your own user-generated content, such as edited themes, new plugins, and uploaded files. |
| Gift cards, discounts and other store data | Partly Coupons export through the same Customer / Order / Coupon Export extension. The exact wordingThe WooCommerce Customer / Order / Coupon Export extension lets you export your site’s customers, orders, or coupons to a CSV or XML file. |
Before you cancel WooCommerce
- Take a full backup of the files and the database from your host, and confirm you can download it.
- Export products with the built-in CSV tool, and pages and posts with Tools, Export.
- Decide how you'll take full customer, order and coupon records, and test that export before you need it.
- List every paid plugin and theme licence on the store, since each one carries its own terms.
GoHighLevel: contacts and orders export, the website doesn't
HighLevel exports the CRM side and keeps the website. Contacts, orders and media folders have documented exports, while HighLevel's help center says websites can't be exported in a form you can manage or edit outside HighLevel. Blog posts and products leave through the API, which means a developer. If you bought the domain through HighLevel, HighLevel is the listed registrant.
- Leaves cleanlyCustomers and contacts; Past orders; Images and files
- Leaves in partBlog posts; Products; Website address (domain)
- Stays behindWebsite design and files; Website pages
| What you want to take | What GoHighLevel documents |
|---|---|
| Website design and files | Stays HighLevel doesn't support exporting a website to manage or edit it elsewhere. Funnels can be shared into other HighLevel accounts. The exact wordingHighLevel does not support exporting websites in a way that allows them to be managed or edited outside the HighLevel platform. You can create funnel share links that let sub-account users import a funnel directly into their own account. |
| Website pages | Stays You can copy the page shown in a browser as a reference for rebuilding. That is not a supported website download you can edit on another platform. The exact wordingThis method copies the rendered output of the page only. |
| Blog posts | Partly We found no in-app blog export. A developer can list blog posts using developer tools. The exact wordingThe "Get Blog posts by Blog ID" API returns the blog posts for a given blog site. |
| Products | Partly We found no in-app product export. A developer can list products using developer tools. The exact wordingThe "List Products" API allows to retrieve a paginated list of products. |
| Customers and contacts | Exports Contacts export to a spreadsheet file. Only the latest note comes with each contact, cut to 255 characters. The exact wordingOnly the latest note of up to 255 characters is included when exporting contacts. |
| Past orders | Exports Orders export to a spreadsheet file from the Payments area, through an emailed link that expires after 7 days. The exact wordingSecurity Reminder: The export link expires after 7 days. |
| Images and files | Exports Media folders download as ZIP files, subfolders included. The exact wordingYou can download an entire folder as a single ZIP file. Folder downloads preserve the original folder structure, including nested subfolders. |
| Website address (domain) | Partly For a domain bought through HighLevel, HighLevel is the listed registrant. You can transfer it out, but not within 60 days of registering or transferring it. The exact wordingHighLevel will facilitate the purchase on your behalf, and HighLevel will be the listed registrant and administrative contact. It has been registered or transferred within past 60 days |
Before you cancel GoHighLevel
- Export contacts to CSV, and copy any long notes you need first: the export keeps only the latest note, shortened.
- Export orders, and download the file promptly, because the emailed link expires.
- Download each media folder as a ZIP.
- Ask a developer to pull blog posts and products through the API, or copy them by hand.
- Check the domain if you bought it through HighLevel. For a domain bought through HighLevel, HighLevel is the listed registrant. You can transfer it out, but not within 60 days of registering or transferring it.
WordPress.com: content exports in the standard WordPress format
WordPress.com is the hosted service run by Automattic, and its content export is a standard WordPress XML file. That export holds pages, posts, comments, categories and tags, with links to media rather than the files. The theme, design changes and plugins aren't in it; a full backup with themes, plugins and the database is a feature of the higher plans.
The hosted service run by Automattic.
- Leaves cleanlyWebsite pages; Blog posts; Images and files; Website address (domain)
- Leaves in partWebsite design and files
| What you want to take | What WordPress.com documents |
|---|---|
| Website design and files | Partly The standard export leaves out the theme, design changes and plugins. A full backup download with themes, plugins and the database is on Business and Commerce plans. Full backup download: Business and CommerceThe exact wordingYour export file will include your posts, pages, and comments but will not include your theme design, customizations, or plugins. This feature is available on sites with the WordPress.com Business and Commerce plans. |
| Website pages | Exports Tools, Export downloads an content file with your pages, posts, comments, categories and tags. The exact wordingThis file contains your posts, pages, comments, categories, and tags, plus links to your media files (not the actual files). |
| Blog posts | Exports Posts, with their categories and tags, are in the same content file. The exact wordingThis file contains your posts, pages, comments, categories, and tags, plus links to your media files (not the actual files). |
| Images and files | Exports The content download holds links, not the image files themselves. The media library downloads separately, and how depends on your plan and whether the site has plugins. The exact wordingHow you export your media library depends on whether your site has plugins installed, and on your plan. |
| Website address (domain) | Exports You can unlock the domain and get a transfer code, but not within 60 days of registering or transferring it. The exact wordingYou must wait 60 days after registering or transferring a domain before you can transfer it again. |
Before you cancel WordPress.com
- Download the XML export from Tools, Export.
- Export the media library separately. The XML only links to it.
- If you're on a plan with backup downloads, download the full backup as well.
- Check the domain if it's registered with WordPress.com. You can unlock the domain and get a transfer code, but not within 60 days of registering or transferring it.
Self-hosted WordPress: the whole site moves
Self-hosted WordPress is open source under the GPL, and the files and database sit on a host you choose. WordPress's own documentation describes moving a site by copying the files and the database, and the built-in exporter writes content to a standard XML file. Lock-in on self-hosted WordPress comes from somewhere else: a commercial theme or plugin licence, or a host or developer who holds the accounts.
The open-source software from WordPress.org, on a host you choose.
- Leaves cleanlyWebsite design and files; Website pages; Blog posts; Editable lists and business details; Images and files
| What you want to take | What Self-hosted WordPress documents |
|---|---|
| Website design and files | Exports The whole site, with its theme, plugins, files and database, can be copied to another host without reinstalling. The exact wordingIf database and URL remain the same, you can move by just copying your files and database. |
| Website pages | Exports The built-in content download includes pages, posts, other content types, comments, extra fields and user records. This is a content file, not a full site backup. The exact wordingThis format, which is called and WordPress eXtended RSS or WXR file, will contain your posts, pages, custom post types, comments, custom fields, categories, tags, custom taxonomies, and users. |
| Blog posts | Exports Posts, categories and tags are in the same content download. The exact wordingThis format, which is called and WordPress eXtended RSS or WXR file, will contain your posts, pages, custom post types, comments, custom fields, categories, tags, custom taxonomies, and users. |
| Editable lists and business details | Exports Other content types and extra business fields are included in the same content download. The exact wordingThis format, which is called and WordPress eXtended RSS or WXR file, will contain your posts, pages, custom post types, comments, custom fields, categories, tags, custom taxonomies, and users. |
| Images and files | Exports Images and uploads are files on your own host, backed up and moved with the rest of the site. The exact wordingIf you are moving WordPress from one server to another, begin by backing up your WordPress directory, images, plugins, and other files on your site as well as the database. |
Before you cancel Self-hosted WordPress
- Download a full backup of the files and the database, and keep a copy off the host.
- Make sure the hosting account, the domain and the admin login are in your name, not a developer's.
- List premium plugins and themes and who holds each licence key.
Before you leave any platform: five things to save
A platform's export only covers what the platform stores. Five more things decide whether a move off Wix, Squarespace, Webflow, Shopify, GoHighLevel or WordPress goes smoothly, and none of them is in any platform's export. Save them while the old site is still live, because a cancelled site can't be crawled.
- Crawl the live site and keep every URL, page title, meta description and status code. The new site needs a redirect for each URL that gets traffic, and our guide to protecting search traffic in a migration explains why.
- Export a year of search data from Google Search Console, so you can compare before and after.
- Take full-page screenshots of every page template on desktop and mobile. They're the brief for a rebuild when the design can't be exported.
- List every form, booking widget, chat tool, pixel and email integration, and where each one sends its data.
- Find out who the registrant is on the domain, which account it sits in, and when it renews.
If you're costing the move rather than planning it, our website migration cost guide prices the same inventory by platform.
What to ask any agency or builder before you sign
The cheapest time to avoid lock-in is before the first payment. Ask these eight questions of any website builder you're considering and any agency that would build on one, and ask for the answers in writing. A provider who already works this way can answer each in a sentence.
- Which parts of the site can we export, in what file format, and which other platforms can import that file?
- Does the export include the design and templates, or only the content?
- Is any export tied to a plan, an add-on or an extension we'd have to buy?
- Who is the registrant on the domain, and which account will it sit in?
- Whose account holds the hosting, and can it move to ours?
- Do we receive the code and design files, and when?
- Which themes, plugins, fonts and images are licensed rather than ours, and on what terms?
- Will you run the export with us before launch, so we know it works?
Push hardest on the last question. An export you've opened and checked is worth more than a promise about one. For the contract wording behind questions four to seven, use the ownership checklist for your agreement.
What a PandaCodeGen handover includes
At the end of a build with us you receive the project code and design files we create for you, documentation, and control of the production accounts. That sentence is from our published terms, and it doesn't change if you later take a support or care plan. Here is the full wording, followed by what it means for each item in the table.
You receive the project code and design files we create for you, plus documentation and control of the production accounts. If you then take a monthly support or care plan, that doesn't change: we keep sharing the code, documentation and accounts with you, so you always have your own copy. Third-party themes, plugins, services and assets remain under their own licence terms.
From our commercial terms, the same wording on every service page.
- Code and design files
The project code and design files we create for you.
- Written instructions
Instructions handed over with the project files. If you take a care plan later, we keep sharing the documentation with you.
- Training on your editor
An editing walkthrough at handover, so your team can update the site. Every build that uses Sanity includes training on Sanity Studio and written documentation for it. On Starter, the content editor is set up, documented, and we train you on it.
- Your accounts
Control of the production accounts. Hosting moves to your own account on request or when an engagement ends.
- No required care plan
Your build keeps working without a PandaCodeGen care plan. Hosting and other provider services still need their own arrangements.
| Item | What you receive |
|---|---|
| Website design and files | Yours You receive the website code and design files we create for you. Custom builds use the open-source Next.js framework. Third-party themes, plugins and services keep their own licence terms. Next.js licence for website design and files (opens in a new tab) |
| Website pages | Yours With Sanity, your page content and available uploaded files can be downloaded together. Missing or inaccessible files need separate recovery. WordPress builds use WordPress's content download; text built into the website files comes with those files. Sanity export docs for website pages (opens in a new tab) |
| Blog posts | Yours Blog posts are in the same content export as your pages. Sanity export docs for blog posts (opens in a new tab) |
| Editable lists and business details | Yours Lists such as services, team members and locations are included in the content download. Sanity's terms say the subscriber keeps ownership of that data. Sanity terms for editable lists and business details (opens in a new tab) |
| Products | In your account Kept in the store system or database your proposal names, under accounts you control, so you can export it from there. If a new storefront keeps Shopify or WooCommerce behind it, that platform's column still applies. |
| Customers and contacts | In your account In the same store system or database as your products, under accounts you control. |
| Images and files | Yours Available images and files uploaded to Sanity come with the content download. Check the download for missing files. Images built into the design are part of the website files you receive. Sanity export docs for images and files (opens in a new tab) |
| Website address (domain) | In your account Control of the production accounts is part of handover. Hosting moves to your own account on request or when an engagement ends. |
One limit applies: third-party themes, plugins, services and assets stay under their own licence terms, and the written proposal for your project names them. A store that keeps Shopify or WooCommerce behind a new storefront is still subject to that platform's row above. The custom engineering service page describes how we scope and hand over a build, and our pricing page shows what each tier includes.
Planning to leave a platform?
Tell us which platform you're on. We'll go through what its exports cover for your site, what needs rebuilding, and what a move would include, then put it in a written proposal.
Sources
Every page below was read on 8 October 2026. Export tools and plans change, so check the linked page before you rely on a row.
- support.wix.com/en/article/exporting-or-embedding-your-wix-site-elsewhere
- support.wix.com/en/article/wix-multilingual-exporting-and-importing-site-content-for-manual-translation
- support.wix.com/en/article/wix-blog-request-exporting-blog-posts-to-other-platforms
- support.wix.com/en/article/exporting-your-content-from-a-collection
- support.wix.com/en/article/wix-stores-exporting-your-product-list
- support.wix.com/en/article/exporting-your-contacts
- support.wix.com/en/article/exporting-orders-3126323
- support.wix.com/en/article/wix-media-downloading-files-from-the-media-manager
- support.wix.com/en/article/transferring-your-wix-domain-away-from-wix-2477749
- support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/206566687-Exporting-your-site
- support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000694948-Export-products-to-a-csv
- support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/360046485652-The-Contacts-panel
- support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/206540677-Export-Commerce-orders
- support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/205814028-Import-to-and-export-from-your-site
- support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/205812338-Transferring-a-domain-away-from-Squarespace
- support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/360034059332-Domain-locks
- help.webflow.com/hc/en-us/articles/33961386739347-How-do-I-export-my-Webflow-site-code
- help.webflow.com/hc/en-us/articles/33961290794771-How-do-I-import-content-into-the-Webflow-CMS
- help.webflow.com/hc/en-us/articles/33961361857811-Import-export-Ecommerce-products-and-variants
- help.webflow.com/hc/en-us/articles/33961377975059-Orders-tab
- help.webflow.com/hc/en-us/articles/33961367813139-Buy-a-custom-domain-through-Webflow
- shopify.dev/docs/api/liquid
- help.shopify.com/en/manual/online-store/themes/managing-themes/downloading-themes
- help.shopify.com/en/manual/shopify-admin/duplicate-store
- help.shopify.com/en/manual/products/import-export/export-products
- help.shopify.com/en/manual/customers/import-export-customers
- help.shopify.com/en/manual/fulfillment/managing-orders/exporting-orders
- help.shopify.com/en/manual/shopify-admin/productivity-tools/file-uploads
- help.shopify.com/en/manual/domains/managing-domain-ownership/transferring-shopify-domains
- plugins.svn.wordpress.org/woocommerce/trunk/readme.txt
- wordpress.org/documentation/article/tools-export-screen/
- woocommerce.com/document/product-csv-importer-exporter/
- woocommerce.com/document/ordercustomer-csv-export/
- woocommerce.com/document/woocommerce-analytics/
- developer.wordpress.org/advanced-administration/security/backup/files/
- help.gohighlevel.com/support/solutions/articles/155000007342-can-highlevel-websites-be-exported-
- help.gohighlevel.com/support/solutions/articles/155000006179-whitelabel-funnel-sharing-step-by-step-guide
- marketplace.gohighlevel.com/docs/2021-07-28/ghl/blogs/get-blog-post/
- marketplace.gohighlevel.com/docs/2021-04-15/ghl/products/list-invoices/
- help.gohighlevel.com/support/solutions/articles/48001238482-contacts-export-as-csv-upgrade
- help.gohighlevel.com/support/solutions/articles/155000007158-export-or-download-orders-as-csv
- help.gohighlevel.com/support/solutions/articles/155000002707-complete-guide-to-media-storage
- www.gohighlevel.com/terms-of-service
- help.gohighlevel.com/support/solutions/articles/155000008384-transfer-a-domain-out-of-highlevel
- wordpress.com/support/export/
- wordpress.com/support/restore/download-backup/
- wordpress.com/support/export-your-media-library/
- wordpress.com/support/domains/transfer-domain-registration/
- developer.wordpress.org/advanced-administration/upgrade/migrating/
- www.wix.com/about/terms-of-use
- www.squarespace.com/terms-of-service
- webflow.com/legal/terms
- www.shopify.com/legal/terms
- help.gohighlevel.com/support/solutions/articles/155000004281-what-happen-s-to-your-data-when-you-cancel-your-highlevel-subscription-
- wordpress.com/support/com-vs-org/
- wordpress.org/about/license/
Checked .
Questions about taking your website with you
Can I export my Wix website?
Can I move my website from Squarespace to another platform?
Can I export my Webflow site and host it somewhere else?
Can I export my GoHighLevel website?
Which website platforms have the least vendor lock-in?
What should I export before cancelling a website builder?
What do I keep at the end of a PandaCodeGen build?
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