Moving from a free server to a premium plan on Tick Hosting does not mean starting your world over. The process is a straightforward file transfer, and done correctly, nothing is lost, worlds, configurations, mods, and plugins all carry over.
Before you start
- Purchase and set up your new premium server first, so it is ready to receive files.
- Have SFTP access details for both servers ready (find them under your server's Settings tab, in the SFTP Details section).
- Install FileZilla or a similar SFTP client if you do not already have one.
- Stop your free server before transferring anything. Moving files while the server is actively writing to them risks corruption.
Method 1: archive transfer (recommended)
This is faster and more reliable for most people, since it moves everything as a single compressed file rather than many small ones.
- On your free server's File Manager, select all files (checkboxes or Ctrl+A) and click Compress.
- Once the archive is created, right-click it and select Download.
- Connect to your premium server via SFTP, navigate to its root directory, and upload the archive.
- Right-click the uploaded archive on the premium server and select Unarchive (or Extract).
Method 2: direct SFTP transfer (more control, slower)
If you would rather manage files directly rather than through an archive, open two SFTP connections in FileZilla side by side, your free server on one side, your premium server on the other, and drag files across. Prioritize in this order: world folders (world, world_nether, world_the_end) first since they matter most, then server.properties, then mods or plugins, then config, everything else last. This method typically takes 30-60 minutes depending on server size and connection speed, versus a few minutes for the archive method.
Finishing up
Once everything is transferred: start the premium server and watch the console for errors, connect and confirm your builds, inventory, and progress are intact, and test that mods or plugins load correctly. Once you have confirmed everything works, update your players with the new server address, and consider keeping the old free server around for a few days as a safety net before letting it go.
If something looks wrong after migrating
Server won't start: check the console for the specific error, confirm all files transferred and that the Java version matches, see our Java version guide. World data missing: verify the world folders transferred completely and re-transfer them if not. Mods or plugins not working: confirm both the mod/plugin files and their config folders came across, and that the premium server is running the same server software (Paper, Forge, Fabric) as before.
Need a hand?
Our help center has the full walkthrough with additional troubleshooting, and our Discord team can help directly if a transfer gets stuck.