Description
Full Multisite Network Backup, Restore & AI
Create a full multisite network backup from Network Admin — free, no license key. Multisite Migrate also backs up, restores, and migrates normal single-site installs with a portable archive and search & replace, and connects AI agents (Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT, and similar) via MCP. Full network backups are included in Free; Pro is only for schedules, cloud, empty-server installer, staging, WP-CLI, and extended AI abilities.
Video walkthrough
Short overview of Multisite Migrate Free — setup, backups, import, health, and your first backup:
No trial, no usage limits. Everything under Free features works without a key. Scheduled backups, cloud storage, empty-server migration, and staging push ship in the separate Multisite Migrate Pro plugin.
Why Multisite Migrate
- Full multisite network backups — free — protect an entire network from Network Admin without upgrading.
- Shared hosting friendly — chunked HTTP / WP-Cron workers resume safely under tight PHP time limits.
- Local WordPress migration — export a portable archive and import it on another install with search & replace.
- One-click WordPress restore — restore any backup created with the plugin from the dashboard.
- Honest Free vs Pro — Free is a complete manual backup/migrate tool; Pro adds automation and advanced destinations.
AI Backup Tools & MCP
Connect Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT, and similar AI clients to your WordPress site through the WordPress Abilities API and an MCP adapter. Free AI abilities need no account or license key:
- Read — backup status, archives list, health (with a recommended next action), and last error
- Write — start a backup now only after an explicit confirm step
Pro adds extended AI abilities (automation and advanced destinations). Free AI tools are never locked behind a license. See the MCP connect guide.
Multisite Network Backup (Free)
Full multisite network backup from Network Admin is free. Subsite admins can back up and restore their own site. You do not need Pro just to protect a network. See multisite network backups.
Free features (all included)
- Full multisite network backups — back up and restore an entire network from Network Admin.
- WordPress files & database backup — reliable, chunked jobs over HTTP or WP-Cron that resume on large sites and shared hosts.
- One-click restore — restore any backup created with the plugin.
- Local export & import — move a site between installs with a portable archive.
- Search & replace — rewrite URLs and paths during import and migration, with serialized-data support.
- AES-256 archive encryption — optionally encrypt backup archives.
- Health dashboard — environment checks and backup status at a glance.
- AI Backup Tools & MCP — connect Claude, Cursor, or ChatGPT to check status, archives, and health; start a backup with confirm (free, no key).
- Subsite admin backup & restore — on multisite, site administrators with manage_options can back up and restore their own subsite from the site dashboard (included free; no seat delegation UI).
- Accessibility-oriented admin UI (WCAG 2.2 AA target)
- Mobile-responsive interface
Secure WordPress Backups
Create full WordPress backups of files and database with optional AES-256 archive encryption. Free backups are stored locally on your server. Cloud WordPress backups (Google Drive, Dropbox, Amazon S3, SFTP) are available in Multisite Migrate Pro.
One-Click WordPress Restore
Restore WordPress backups from the Multisite Migrate Backups screen. Choose a completed archive and restore without leaving the dashboard — a straightforward path back when something goes wrong.
Fast WordPress Migrations
Migrate WordPress sites between domains or hosts with local export and import. Use search & replace to rewrite URLs and paths, including serialized data, so the destination install matches the new location.
WordPress Backup Plugin for Shared Hosting
Chunked, resumable backup jobs are designed for shared hosting and managed hosts with short PHP execution times. Work continues over HTTP or WP-Cron instead of one long request that hits a gateway timeout.
Partial & Scoped WordPress Backups
Scope backups to what you need: full network, filtered network, a single subsite, or profile-oriented runs (for example media, plugins, or themes where supported). That helps keep archives smaller and restores faster on large multisite networks. See the backup guide.
Clone WordPress / Staging Workflows
Use Free local export/import to clone a site to another WordPress install for staging or sandbox work. Staging push from the dashboard is a Pro workflow. Empty destinations without WordPress pre-installed use the empty-server installer in Pro.
Drag & Drop / Empty-Server WordPress Installer (Pro)
Empty-server drag & drop migration packages a guided installer for blank servers (PHP + database + write access — no WordPress pre-install required). This is part of Multisite Migrate Pro, not the free plugin.
Server-to-Server WordPress Import (Pro)
Remote server-to-server import pulls a package between servers without a slow browser upload of multi-GB archives. Available in Pro alongside cloud storage.
Scheduled WordPress Backups (Pro)
Automated backup schedules and incremental file backups reduce manual work for agencies and networks. Scheduling is Pro-only; Free remains a complete tool for on-demand backups and restores.
Cloud Storage for WordPress Backups (Pro)
Send archives to Google Drive, Dropbox, Amazon S3, or SFTP. Local Free storage remains available; cloud destinations unlock with Multisite Migrate Pro.
WP-CLI WordPress Backups (Pro)
Automate backup and related workflows with WP-CLI commands in Multisite Migrate Pro — useful for ops teams and scripted environments.
Multisite Migrate Pro
Advanced workflows ship as a separate plugin, Multisite Migrate Pro, from our website. Pro is not required for any Free feature above. Pro adds:
- Automated backup schedules and incremental file backups
- Email notifications
- Per-site access controls and subsite seat limits for large networks (Settings Site access)
- Cloud storage destinations (Google Drive, Dropbox, Amazon S3, SFTP)
- Remote (server-to-server) import
- Empty-server drag & drop installer
- Staging push
- WP-CLI commands
- Priority support
Learn more and compare plans.
Translations
Help translate the plugin UI and wordpress.org readme on translate.wordpress.org — see the Polyglots handbook to get started.
Screenshots
Installation
- Upload the plugin to
/wp-content/plugins/or install it from Plugins Add New. - Activate it through the Plugins screen. On a multisite network you can network-activate it.
- Open Multisite Migrate in the admin menu and create your first backup.
- Optional: review the documentation and shared hosting notes for large sites.
FAQ
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What AI / MCP features are included free?
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Free includes AI abilities for backup status, archives, health (with a recommended next action), last error, and starting a backup with an explicit confirm step. Connect Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT, or similar clients via MCP — no account or license key. Extended AI abilities ship in Multisite Migrate Pro. Connect guide: docs.
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Do I need Claude or ChatGPT to use backups?
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No. Backup, restore, and local migration work entirely from the WordPress admin UI. AI / MCP is optional for operators who want to query status or start a confirmed backup from their AI client.
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How can I help translate the plugin?
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Translations live on WordPress.org GlotPress — you do not need to edit files in the plugin ZIP.
- Open https://translate.wordpress.org/projects/wp-plugins/rosenheinrich-multisite-migrate/
- Choose your language (Stable, Development, and both Readme columns).
- Suggest translations for untranslated strings.
- New to translating WordPress? Read https://make.wordpress.org/polyglots/handbook/translating/how-to-translate/
Approved Stable translations (about 90% Current) become an automatic language pack for that locale.
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Does the free version really support WordPress Multisite?
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Yes. Backing up and restoring a full multisite network from Network Admin is included in the free plugin, with no key or upgrade required. Site administrators with the manage_options capability can also back up and restore their own subsite from the site admin dashboard. Delegating subsite access with seat limits under Settings Site access is part of Multisite Migrate Pro.
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Do I need an account or license key?
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No. The free plugin is completely functional with no key, no trial and no time or usage limits. See pricing only if you want Pro workflows such as cloud schedules or the empty-server installer.
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Where are WordPress backups stored?
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In the free version, backups are stored locally in your WordPress uploads area. Cloud storage destinations are part of the separate Multisite Migrate Pro plugin.
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How do I restore a WordPress backup?
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Open Multisite Migrate Backups, choose a backup and restore it directly from the dashboard. Details: restore documentation.
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How do I migrate a WordPress site to a new host?
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Create a backup (or export a portable archive), move it to the destination, then import and restore with search & replace for the new URL. For a blank server without WordPress installed, use the empty-server installer in Pro.
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What is the difference between the free plugin and Pro?
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The free plugin handles manual backups, restore, local import/export, search & replace, encryption, full multisite network backups from Network Admin, subsite admin backup & restore on the administrator’s own subsite, and free AI / MCP tools (status, archives, health, confirmed backup-now). Pro is a separate download that adds scheduling, cloud storage, site access delegation with subsite seats, remote import, the empty-server installer, staging, WP-CLI, and extended AI abilities. Compare plans.
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Yes. Backups use chunked, resumable workers designed for shared hosts and tight PHP time limits.
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Can I migrate WordPress to an empty server?
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Empty-server drag & drop install (no WordPress pre-installed on the target) is part of Multisite Migrate Pro. The free plugin covers local export/import between existing WordPress installs.
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Do I need coding skills?
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No. Backup, restore, and local migration are driven from the WordPress admin UI. Pro adds optional WP-CLI for automation.
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Will Multisite Migrate slow down my site?
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Backup and restore run as background-style chunked jobs. They are designed not to hold a single request open for the entire archive build. See shared hosting guidance.
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Does the plugin send my email or site data anywhere?
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Only when you explicitly opt in:
- Allow & Continue in the optional setup wizard — sends your admin email and basic site/plugin environment details so we can email product updates. You can Skip.
- Send feedback in the in-plugin feedback dialog — sends a sentiment rating, optional free-text message, plugin/WP/PHP versions, and a hashed site identifier (not your site URL). When you use Report a problem after a failed job, the last error message is included so we can diagnose the issue. No backup files are uploaded.
No analytics or advertising trackers are included. See the privacy policy.
Reviews
Contributors & Developers
“Rosenheinrich Multisite Migrate – Backup, Restore & AI (Multisite Network Backup, Migration & MCP)” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.
Contributors
“Rosenheinrich Multisite Migrate – Backup, Restore & AI (Multisite Network Backup, Migration & MCP)” has been translated into 6 locales. Thank you to the translators for their contributions.
Interested in development?
Browse the code, check out the SVN repository, or subscribe to the development log by RSS.
Changelog
1.1.2
- Plugin title and readme updated for Backup, Restore & AI / MCP discoverability.
- Free AI Backup Tools & MCP documentation in readme (status, archives, health, confirmed backup-now).
1.1.1
- UI optimizations across admin screens (including Import & Restore).
- Performance optimizations.
1.1.0
- Bug fixes.
1.0.10
- Backup create flow is now an inline main-area wizard instead of a side drawer.
- Clearer numbered step progress; completed steps can be opened again.
- Destination and Review steps: clearer cards, Cancel control, and Pro cloud-storage hint.
- Settings Resources: diagnostic download no longer uses a navigation-style chevron.
- Health Passed score and Activity job details are easier to scan.
1.0.9
- Fixed nested local archives in Full-network backups: archive folders under uploads (including uploads/sites/{id}/ and Free/Pro storage names) are excluded from file scans.
- Local storage path is pinned to the main site uploads directory so multisite blog context cannot write or exclude the wrong archives root.
1.0.8
- Performance optimizations.
1.0.7
- Bug fixes.
- Performance optimizations.
1.0.6
- Hardened log filenames (opaque tokens; existing logs still work after upgrade).
- Restore/import compatibility improvements and temporary storage cleanup.
- Optional revision exclusion and Elementor cache flush after restore.
1.0.5
- Critical fix: database export no longer hangs on non-MySQL environments (SQLite / WordPress Playground).
- Fixed Confirm/Cancel button alignment in the setup wizard dialog.
1.0.4
- Bug fixes.
- Performance optimizations.
1.0.3
- Backup deletion is now soft-delete plus background purge, so the admin UI stays responsive on large archives.
- Improved backup job continuation and hosting cron scheduling on shared hosts.
- Optimized admin UI design for the setup wizard, backup progress, and related screens.
- Setup wizard and backup progress UI reliability fixes.
- Updated translations for all bundled locales.
1.0.2
- Bug fixes and admin UI improvements.
1.0.1
- Fixed backup job resume edge cases on shared hosting and slow WP-Cron schedules.
- Improved setup wizard and admin UI consistency on smaller screens.
- Performance improvements for large multisite file scans and database exports.
- General stability fixes following the WordPress.org launch.
1.0.0
- Initial public release of the free edition: multisite-aware backups, restore, local import/export, search & replace, AES-256 encryption and a health dashboard.