By Mehdi HassanHow do you move a site off GoDaddy Website Builder?
You rebuild the site on the new platform, then repoint the domain. GoDaddy Website Builder doesn't export sites in a format Webflow or Framer can import, so the pages are recreated and the content copied across. The part that needs care is the domain: you change a few DNS records so the domain points at the new site, without touching the records that run your email.
Small businesses most often get burned at that DNS step, not the rebuild. A site that's down for an hour is annoying. Email that silently bounces for three days loses customers. If you're still deciding where to move, see Wix vs Webflow vs Framer and our hub on your options when you outgrow a website builder.
What should you prepare before a GoDaddy Website Builder migration?
Prepare three things: a content inventory, a record of your current DNS and a list of everything connected to the site. A little preparation here avoids most of the problems people hit later.
- Content inventory. List every page and its URL, copy the text into a doc and download the original images.
- DNS snapshot. In GoDaddy's DNS settings, screenshot or export every record: A, CNAME, MX, TXT and any others.
- Email setup. Note who provides your email, such as GoDaddy's Microsoft 365 email or Google Workspace, and which records it uses.
- Connected tools. Forms, booking widgets, chat tools, analytics and anything else embedded in the site.
- Domain access. Make sure you can log in to the GoDaddy account that owns the domain, with two-factor access sorted.
How do you rebuild the site in Webflow or Framer?
Build the new site on the platform's staging address first, so the live site keeps running until you're ready. Most GoDaddy Website Builder sites are small, so the rebuild is quick; it's a good moment to fix the copy and design rather than recreate them exactly.
Choose the platform
Framer if you want fast edits and strong design, Webflow if you need a structured CMS for posts or listings. Our Figma to website guide compares the build routes.
Design and build the pages
Rebuild on the staging domain. Reuse your content inventory and improve weak pages as you go.
Rebuild forms
Connect each form to your email or CRM and send a test submission.
Set SEO basics
Add page titles, descriptions and social images. Keep URLs the same where you can.
Plan redirects
List any old URL that changes and add a 301 redirect to its new address in the platform's settings.
Which DNS records do you change, and which do you leave alone?
Change only the website records, and leave everything that handles email untouched. When you add your domain in Webflow or Framer, the platform shows the exact records it needs. Those are usually an A record for the root domain and a CNAME record for www.
Record type | What it does | During the migration |
|---|---|---|
A (root domain) | Points example.com at a web server | Change to the new platform's value |
CNAME (www) | Points www.example.com at a host | Change to the new platform's value |
MX | Routes incoming email | Leave alone |
TXT (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) | Proves your email is legitimate | Leave alone; add, don't replace |
TXT (verification) | Proves domain ownership to a service | Add new ones the platform needs |
Other CNAMEs | Email setup, subdomains, tools | Leave alone unless you know what they do |
Two more cautions. GoDaddy may have default parking or forwarding records on the domain; remove only the ones that conflict with the new A or CNAME. And if a TXT record already holds SPF, add new values into it rather than creating a second SPF record, since two SPF records can cause failures.
How do you switch the domain without downtime?
Make the switch at a quiet time, change only the website records, then test both the site and email straight away. DNS changes can take time to spread, so expect a short period where some visitors see the old site and some see the new one.
- Confirm the new site is complete on its staging address and forms work.
- Lower the TTL on the A and CNAME records a day ahead if GoDaddy lets you, so changes spread faster.
- Add the domain in Webflow or Framer and copy the records it shows.
- In GoDaddy DNS, update the A and CNAME records to the new values. Don't touch MX or email TXT records.
- Wait for the platform to verify the domain and issue an SSL certificate.
- Test the site on mobile data and Wi-Fi, then send and receive a test email from an outside address.
- Cancel the GoDaddy Website Builder plan only after a few days of normal traffic and email.
Hypothetical example: a dental clinic moving off GoDaddy
For example, suppose a clinic has a five-page GoDaddy Website Builder site and uses Microsoft 365 email bought through GoDaddy. The team rebuilds in Framer on a staging address, adds the domain in Framer and gets one A record and one CNAME.
In GoDaddy DNS they update just those two records and leave the MX, the autodiscover CNAME and the SPF TXT record alone. They send a test email from a personal Gmail account, confirm it arrives, then cancel the old builder plan the following week. The domain and email stay with GoDaddy.
What should you check after the GoDaddy migration?
Check email, forms, search and old links in the first week. Most issues show up within days, and they're quick to fix if you look for them.
- Send and receive email from outside addresses and from phones.
- Submit every form and confirm submissions arrive.
- Submit the new sitemap in Google Search Console and watch for 404 errors.
- Click old links from your Google Business Profile, social bios and email signatures.
- Confirm analytics and any booking or chat widgets load.
If you're weighing a hired team for the whole job, our guide to hiring a Webflow or Framer migration agency lists what to ask.
