Moving off Cloudways doesn't require you to export anything yourself. Submit a Free Transfer request from the portal sidebar with your Cloudways access, and a migration specialist copies your files, database, and email to Flashcloud. Your site keeps running on Cloudways the entire time, and DNS is updated to point at Flashcloud once the migration is complete.
Cloudways runs on top of other cloud providers rather than being a host in its own right. That distinction matters for what you hand over: you're not giving us a single cPanel login the way you would from a traditional host. You're giving us a path into the app that's actually running your site.
What to share on the Free Transfer form
Fill in your destination domain and current provider, then attach access. For a Cloudways-hosted site, the most useful combination is:
- Cloudways Platform access: an invite to your Cloudways account (Team → Manage Access), or the SSH/SFTP credentials for the specific server and application shown on your app's Access Details tab. SSH access lets the specialist pull files and export the database directly.
- Database credentials: Cloudways typically issues a separate MySQL username and password per application, shown under Access Details. Include these if you're not granting platform access.
- Application type and version: WordPress, Magento, Laravel, or a custom PHP app, plus any non-standard folder structure. If your Cloudways install uses custom caching or CDN plugins, flag them in the notes field so those settings can be reviewed rather than assumed to carry over.
Don't paste passwords directly into the ticket if you'd rather not. Note in the form that you'll send credentials separately, and use the secure share panel described in Requesting your Free Transfer, step by step.
What stays live and what happens after
Cloudways keeps serving your site while the copy happens, so there's no gap in coverage during the migration itself. Once your files and database are on Flashcloud, DNS gets updated to point at Flashcloud.
Cron jobs on Flashcloud are managed from the Cron Jobs tile in the portal, or from cPanel directly.
Don't cancel Cloudways yet
Keep your Cloudways server running until you've confirmed the migrated site works and DNS has fully propagated. Check your Cloudways billing plan and any prepaid terms with your cloud provider before you shut anything down.
Email on Cloudways
Cloudways is typically a site-hosting platform only, so check where your mailboxes actually live before you migrate. Email usually isn't part of the site migration and won't be interrupted by the DNS change unless your MX records happen to point at the same place your A record does. Check your domain's DNS Zone Editor before and after the cutover to make sure MX records are untouched if you want mail to keep flowing exactly as it does now.
When to open a ticket
If your Cloudways app uses a custom stack, like a Node service alongside PHP, a non-standard database engine, or a CDN configuration you need replicated exactly, open a support ticket after submitting the Free Transfer form and describe the setup. Real people handle these migrations, and flagging anything unusual up front means fewer surprises.