There are two routes. Option A builds the AI site directly on your existing WordPress with the free Starter Templates plugin, with nothing to migrate. We recommend it. Option B builds on zipwp.com first, then moves the site to your host.
What you need
- WordPress hosting of your own (any host).
- A free ZipWP account. Free accounts get 1,000 AI credits a month, and ZipWP says building a whole website doesn't use credits.
- For Option B: a migration plugin such as All-in-One WP Migration.
Option A: build directly on your WordPress
- In wp-admin go to Plugins > Add New, search for Starter Templates (by Brainstorm Force) and install and activate it.
- Go to Appearance > Starter Templates and choose Try the New AI Builder instead of the classic templates.
- Connect or create your ZipWP account and authorise it.
- Enter your business name, a short description and contact details, then choose images and a site structure.
- In the Design step pick fonts, a colour palette and a logo (use Back to Other Designs to see more options), choose any extra features, then click Start Building.
Running the AI builder on a site that has already imported Starter Templates replaces the pages and posts created before. Use a fresh install or a staging copy.
Option B: move a ZipWP-hosted site to your host
- In your ZipWP site, change the admin password, install All-in-One WP Migration and choose Export to download the file.
- On your own host, install WordPress and All-in-One WP Migration, choose Import and upload the file.
- Log in with the username and password from the ZipWP site, then update your permalinks and check every page.
- If the site is over about 64 MB, use a tool without that limit, such as Migrate Guru (ZipWP's suggestion).
Don't lose your site
Sandbox sites on ZipWP expire, and expired sites are archived briefly and then permanently deleted. Export before the expiry date shown in your dashboard.
After the build
- Replace the placeholder copy and images. AI text is a first draft.
- Install an SEO plugin and set your site title and tagline.
- Read our ZipWP review for plan limits.
FAQ
Is the Starter Templates AI builder the same as ZipWP?
Yes. The Starter Templates plugin's AI builder runs on a ZipWP account, so it's the same AI, just running directly on your site.
Does it use AI credits?
ZipWP's documentation says building a whole website doesn't use credits. Personalising pattern and page libraries does.