Export Weebly to WordPress to HTML

Weebly to WordPress isn't a one-click migration. Nobody wants to hear that, but it's true. The two platforms speak different languages. Your Weebly site won't just slot into WordPress.

But here's the thing, WordPress is worth the effort. You get actual ownership. Thousands of plugins. Real flexibility. And when you want to leave WordPress someday, there are export options. Unlike Weebly.

Let's break down the migration process.

Step one: Export your Weebly content. Weebly has a built-in export feature, but it's limited. Go to Settings > General > Archive. You'll get a ZIP with some HTML and your blog posts as an XML file. It's a start, but not a complete backup.

Better approach: use a tool like ours to export your entire Weebly site as static HTML. You get every page, every image, all your CSS. Open these files in a browser while you work on WordPress, it's like having a visual reference of exactly what you're recreating.

Step two: Set up WordPress hosting. SiteGround, Bluehost, WP Engine, pick one. Most offer one-click WordPress installation. Budget $5-30/month depending on the host. Managed WordPress hosting costs more but handles updates for you.

Step three: Choose a theme. This is where you'll spend time. Browse the WordPress theme directory or sites like ThemeForest. Look for something close to your Weebly design. Don't expect an exact match, just get the general layout right.

Step four: Recreate your pages. Open your exported HTML files alongside your WordPress editor. Copy text content, upload images, rebuild the structure. It's tedious but straightfoward.

For blog posts, WordPress can import from Blogger and a few other platforms. Weebly isn't one of them. You'll either copy posts manually or use the XML file from Weebly's export (which needs formatting cleanup).

Step five: Set up forms and functionality. Weebly forms won't work on WordPress. Install a plugin like WPForms or Contact Form 7. Takes about 15 minutes to set up a contact form.

Step six: Point your domain. Update your DNS to point to your new WordPress host. If your domain is registered through Weebly, you can transfer it to another registrar or just update the nameservers.

One warning: don't cancel Weebly until your WordPress site is fully working. Keep both running during migration. Test everything, forms, links, mobile layout. Then switch.

The migration takes effort. But you're trading monthly Weebly fees for actual control over your website. That's worth a weekend's work.