Purchasing (then canceling) a Business plan to download the database

  • Unknown's avatar
    adamcikb · Member ·

    I’m got a problem. I used a Free plan to create a preliminary site on WordPress.com. I needed to present the concept to colleagues before moving ahead. My intention has been to migrate the site to Bluehost once approved.
    I spent a good bit of time choosing a theme and creating multiple pages, as well as a menu and a variety of draft content and media.

    I’ve gotten approval to go ahead. So I secured the domain and hosting on Bluehost. However, now I find I cannot migrate the site intact without plugins, which require an expensive Business Plan. I tried migrating it manually using the Export tool, then uploaded the XML file into a blank WordPress container on Bluehost. However, I cannot access and download the database without either a plugin or access to the phpAdmin function…either or which would require the Business Plan (which I won’t need once I’m on Bluehost).

    What are my options? I’m considering buying a business plan, exporting the database, and then canceling the plan within the two-week window. But I don’t know if that’s legitimate, or if it would somehow be ‘disallowed’ after the fact. (WordPress is a great tool and platform, but I find this particular issue frustrating. I’d happily pay a reasonable fee for using the platform, but this seems unreasonable.)

    Any thoughts, suggestions, or the like? Thanks.

    WP.com: Yes
    Jetpack: No
    Correct account: Yes

    The blog I need help with is: (visible only to moderators and staff)

  • supernovia · Staff ·

    Hey there,

    I tried migrating it manually using the Export tool, then uploaded the XML file into a blank WordPress container on Bluehost.

    If you’re using the same theme and have Jetpack installed and connected, that should get you very close to what you had for a simple free site here. If that isn’t working, can you share more details? As you mentioned, you could upgrade, export (All in One Migration would probably be simplest) then downgrade here. We wouldn’t flag you for that. I’m hoping to find out what is making it necessary, though.

    And just as one more alternative, have you considered staying here? If your site doesn’t need plugins (you wouldn’t need them for a members area), the costs for a Personal or Premium plan are comparable to self-hosting. If you do need the Business Plan to get all of the features you need on the non-preliminary site, our hosting services include maintenance, security, spam filtering, and near incremental backups in case you need to “undo” any chance to the live site. And we include SSL by default. That doesn’t come with the free software or most hosting plans. For many organizations, that is worth more than our costs in providing those services for you. We’d be happy to answer any questions you have.

  • Unknown's avatar
    adamcikb · Member ·

    Hi, Supernovia, and thanks for being so responsive. I appreciate it.

    Regarding your suggestion of staying: I have had an existing site on Bluehost for several years now, using their unlimited plan (it allows multiple sites and I expect to do a third one eventually). So, I have that relationship already, and I prefer to have everything centralized. Also, the site I’m now building is for a complex nonprofit initiative. It will eventually be fairly complex with an unpredictable number of users. I’ll feel better keeping my options open. Migrating later, with lots of content and lots of subscribers, would be too risky.

    As to my problem: I am self-taught around all this, so there is much I don’t know. I am relying on advice from Bluehost tech support. In fact, you are correct…I am almost there. They created a”blank” WordPress framework under my domain, to which I uploaded the XML file I exported from my WordPress.com concept site. Per the support person assisting me, I need only add the database, which she is awaiting, to complete the setup. That’s where I hit the barrier.

    Since you say WordPress won’t flag me, I guess I will go ahead with “Plan B” and upgrade to Business temporarily. Since I will continue on the WordPress platform once I’m on Bluehost, I was afraid some kind of marker would carry over that might create an account problem because of the upgrade-export-cancellation thing.

    Bob

  • Unknown's avatar
    aisajib · Member ·

    Hi there!

    Thanks for sharing the additional context. :)

    You can actually have many users on a WordPress.com site. If you’re running a membership site, you can make it so that people can log into your site without needing a WordPress.com account. It’s not recommended but may be needed based on what plugin you’re using.

    And if you don’t go the plugin route, you can invite as many users as you want to your WordPress.com site.

    I understand what you’re saying about having to migrate later with a lot more content, but we were thinking along the lines of you keeping your site here, so you don’t have to migrate at all.

    But I also understand you have an existing hosting and would like to keep everything in one place. In that case, you can upgrade, activate the hosting features, download a backup, and cancel within the refund period.

    Let me know if you have more questions. If you upgrade to a plan, you will have access to faster, private support. You can message us using this link after upgrading if you have more questions.

  • Unknown's avatar
    adamcikb · Member ·

    Thanks again, Aisajib. Am going forward now with temp upgrade. Regards.

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