Run one command on your old server, then choose what to restore on your Helipod VPS: websites, home folders, database dumps, or the whole server. Free, encrypted, and nothing stays installed.

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root@old-server

$ curl -fsSL https://api.helipod.io/migrate/•••• | sudo bash
[helipod] downloading restic 0.19.1
[helipod] checks passed, starting the upload
[helipod] Started in the background: you can close this terminal.
[helipod] 60% read · 377.0 MB of 624.7 MB · 120.3 MB sent
[helipod] done. Back in the Helipod dashboard you can now choose what to restore.

Migration cost: Free
On the old server: 1 command
Before it is sent: Encrypted
Upload kept: 7 days

How it works

Four steps, no hassle

No manual rsync, no copying files one by one. You can follow everything from the dashboard.

01
Pick the target VPS
Choose a running Helipod VPS, open its Migrate tab and get the command. Add the old server's IP so the command only works there.
02
Run one command
Paste it on the old server as root. The upload runs in the background, so you can close the terminal.
03
We check it
Helipod reads the upload: operating system, size and file count. You confirm the upload came from your server.
04
Choose what to restore
Restore chosen folders into a new folder or back in place, or turn the VPS into a full copy of the old server.

Features

Built for real moves

From a small VPS with one website to a server running many apps and databases.

One command

It installs a temporary tool, uploads, reports to Helipod and cleans up after itself. No agent is left on the old server.

Runs in the background

Close SSH whenever you like. Follow the percentage, sending speed and data already stored right from the dashboard.

Databases included

Running MySQL, MariaDB and PostgreSQL are dumped first, so their data is complete and consistent when restored.

Pause, resume or stop

Control the upload from the dashboard or on the old server with sudo helipod-migrate pause, resume or stop. Both always stay in sync.

Folders or the whole server

Take only what you need, such as websites and databases, or make the VPS a full copy of the old server when the operating system matches.

Restore as often as you like

The upload is kept for 7 days. Restore into a new folder first, check it, then restore again in place.

What moves

Everything on the server's main disk

What your apps need comes along. What is only clutter, or gets rebuilt automatically, is skipped.

Moved

Websites and apps: /var/www, /opt, /srv, /home
Configuration: /etc, including Nginx, Apache and cron
MySQL, MariaDB and PostgreSQL dumps made at upload time
Docker volume data
Installed packages and programs

Skipped

Virtual system folders such as /proc, /sys and /dev
Temporary files and caches: /tmp and package caches
Swap files
Docker image layers (pulled again when needed)
Other disks mounted separately, such as an extra data volume

Security

Your data stays yours

Your server holds passwords, keys and databases, so every step is built to be safe from the start.

Encrypted before it is sent

Data is encrypted on the old server with a password unique to each migration, then sent over an encrypted connection.

Single-use command

The command link works once, expires in 1 hour, and can be locked to the old server's IP.

You confirm it

The dashboard shows which IP ran the command. Nothing is restored until you confirm it was your server.

Deleted automatically

Uploads are deleted after 7 days, or whenever you press Delete. Temporary access keys are revoked as soon as a step ends.

From anywhere

From any provider

As long as it runs Linux and you can run a command as root, you can move from Zeabur, DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS, Google Cloud, Hostinger, an office server, or any other VPS.

Already on Helipod?

Copy between Helipod VPS

Have backups on a Helipod VPS? A restore point of one VPS can be copied onto another of your VPS, with no command at all.

From a restore point

Open the Backup tab, pick a restore point and copy it to another VPS.

Folders onto any VPS

Folders can be copied onto another VPS, even one with a different operating system.

The whole server

Between two VPS of the same kind and operating system, the target becomes a full copy.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Didn't find your answer? Our team is happy to help from the dashboard.

How much does migration cost?

It is free. You only pay for the Helipod VPS you move to. The upload is kept free for 7 days, enough to restore and check the result.

Which operating systems are supported on the old server?

64-bit Linux (x86_64 or ARM64) with bash, such as Ubuntu, Debian, AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux and CentOS. The command installs curl and bzip2 itself if they are missing.

Do I need a Helipod VPS first?

Yes. A migration always goes onto a running Helipod VPS, and the upload is limited to that VPS's disk size. Pick a plan with enough disk for what the old server holds.

How long does it take?

It depends on how much data there is and how fast the old server's internet connection is. A small server with a few GB usually finishes in minutes. While it runs, the dashboard shows the percentage, sending speed and data already stored.

Will my old server be disturbed?

No. The old server keeps running as usual. The upload runs at low priority, and you can pause it at any time if the server is busy.

Can I restore the whole server at once?

Yes, when the target VPS runs the same operating system and version as the old server. If they differ, restore folders instead, such as websites, home folders and database dumps.

What happens to my databases?

Running MySQL, MariaDB and PostgreSQL are dumped to /var/backups/helipod-db before the upload. After restoring, import those dump files into the database on the new VPS. If a dump cannot be made (for example the database root user needs a password), the database files are still copied as they are.

Is my data safe?

Data is encrypted on the old server before it is sent, with a password unique to each migration. The command works once and can be locked to the old server's IP, and nothing is restored until you confirm. Uploads are deleted automatically after 7 days.

What if the old server has extra disks?

The command moves the main disk (/). Disks or volumes mounted separately are not included. Copy their contents to the main disk first, or contact us for help.

Ready to move to Helipod?

Set up the target VPS, run one command, and your server moves in minutes.