Move Website to Hetzner VPS

The Problem

You've chosen Hetzner for its price-to-performance ratio, but Hetzner Cloud's networking and firewall setup work a bit differently to other providers, and getting a site properly configured there from a standing start takes more than just copying files across.

About this problem

Hetzner Cloud is popular for offering genuinely good specs at a low price, but it has its own quirks: a separate Cloud Firewall layer sits in front of the server's own firewall, default images are minimal, and its data centre locations (mainly Germany, Finland) matter for latency depending on your audience. None of this is a problem once it's set up correctly, but it does mean a straight lift-and-shift from another provider can miss a step.

This comes up most often when switching to Hetzner specifically for cost savings on resources, or when a project needs EU-based hosting for data residency reasons.

What's Included

• Setting up the Hetzner Cloud server and its Cloud Firewall rules correctly alongside the server's own firewall
• Installing the web server, PHP and database stack needed for your site
• Migrating files, database, and recreating SSL certificates
• DNS cutover planning with minimal downtime

What's NOT Included

• Hetzner account creation/billing setup — that's done directly with Hetzner
• Choosing server specs/location — happy to advise, but the final choice and cost are yours
• Ongoing server maintenance after the move

How It Works

1. Provision the Hetzner Cloud server (or work with one you've already created) and configure the Cloud Firewall alongside the server's local firewall so nothing is accidentally exposed or blocked.
2. Install and configure the web server, PHP version and database engine the site needs.
3. Transfer website files and import the database, adjusting any provider-specific paths from the old host.
4. Set up SSL certificates and confirm HTTPS works cleanly.
5. Verify the site fully via a temporary hosts override before touching DNS.
6. Switch DNS to the new Hetzner server and do a final live check.

In practice: you buy the service, send over whatever access or details the job needs, I investigate and do the work, and you confirm it's resolved before we call it done.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hetzner good for hosting a website?

For most standard websites, yes — Hetzner offers strong specs for the price, though their locations are EU-focused (mainly Germany and Finland), which matters if most of your traffic comes from elsewhere.

Why does Hetzner need two firewalls configured?

Hetzner Cloud Firewall sits in front of the server at the network level, separate from the server's own local firewall (like UFW) — both need sensible rules, since a mistake in either can block legitimate traffic or leave something exposed.

Can I move to Hetzner without any downtime?

Downtime is minimised to DNS propagation time by fully testing the site on the new Hetzner server before switching DNS, rather than switching first and fixing issues after.

Does Hetzner support cPanel or Plesk?

Yes, you can install either, though many people choose a lighter free panel (like CloudPanel) to make the most of Hetzner's price-to-performance advantage.

Is Hetzner suitable for a WordPress site?

Yes, WordPress runs well on Hetzner Cloud VPS once the stack (web server, PHP, MySQL/MariaDB) is set up and tuned appropriately for the resources available.

What happens to my old hosting after moving to Hetzner?

It's left untouched and active until DNS is switched, so it stays as a safe fallback during the transition and afterwards it's entirely your decision whether to keep or cancel it.