Move a Solo site to Netlify or Cloudflare Pages

Last checked: 2026-10-09

Solo's Shutdown FAQ says: "All Solo websites and data will be deleted on November 30, 2026. There will be no way to recover your site, account, or data after that date." (Solo Shutdown FAQ)

This page gets your site from Solo onto a free static host: Netlify or Cloudflare Pages. It takes three stages: download, convert, deploy. If you're still deciding where to go, see Solo website alternatives first.

Stage 1: Download your site data from Solo

Solo's FAQ gives these steps:

  1. Log in to Solo.
  2. Click the menu at the top right, and select Account Settings.
  3. In the Account Settings popup, click Download Website Data.

You get one ZIP with "an HTML export of your website and a CSV file with links to your image assets, as well as your contact form and newsletter submissions." Solo also says: "Image source files are not included in the ZIP." (Solo Shutdown FAQ)

So the ZIP on its own isn't a working website yet. The images are still on Solo's servers, and the ZIP mixes public pages with your customers' details. Our export guide explains this in more detail.

Stage 2: Run the free tool

  1. Open Site Export Rescue.
  2. Under Drop your export ZIP, drop the Solo ZIP onto the box that says Drop a ZIP here, or choose a file, or click it to pick the file.
  3. Wait for it to finish, then download both files:
    • Website (ready to host): website-ready-to-host.zip. This holds index.html and an images/ folder. It's the only thing you upload.
    • Your form data (private, don't upload this): private-form-data-do-not-upload.zip. This holds your contact form and newsletter submissions, so it never goes on a host. Keep it on your computer and in one private backup.

Your export stays in your browser. Public images and styles are downloaded through our server.

Run the tool before Solo shuts down on 11/30. The tool saves the site's styles and fonts where it can, but only while Solo is still online, so they can't be guaranteed. Anything Solo has already deleted is skipped and listed in the report.

Then:

  1. Unzip website-ready-to-host.zip.
  2. Open folders until you see index.html and images/ side by side. That folder is your site.
  3. Double-click index.html and check that the images load.

Stage 3a: Deploy to Netlify with Netlify Drop

Log in to Netlify first. Drop works without an account, but if you drop without signing in, the site is protected with a temporary password until you claim it. Netlify's docs say: "If you drop without signing in, your project URL is protected with a temporary password until you claim it." (Netlify Drop quickstart)

  1. Log in at app.netlify.com/login. Netlify says to make sure you're signed in to the team where you want to manage the project.
  2. Go to app.netlify.com/drop, or scroll to the bottom of your team dashboard.
  3. Drag the folder that contains index.html onto the drop zone.
  4. Check whether the project is public. On Netlify's credit-based plans (Free, Personal, Pro), "new projects start private by default" when that setting is on for your team. If yours is private, select Make public, which Netlify says is available "once your project has at least one successful production deploy" (Project visibility).

To update the site later, drag an updated folder onto the drop area under Production deploys in your project. Netlify says deploys under 50MB work best, and individual files over 10MB may cause a deploy to get stuck (Netlify Drop quickstart).

Stage 3b: Deploy to Cloudflare Pages with Direct Upload

Cloudflare's drag-and-drop option accepts "A zip file or single folder of assets" (Direct Upload).

  1. In the Cloudflare dashboard, go to Workers & Pages.
  2. Select Create application > Get started > Drag and drop your files.
  3. Enter a project name.
  4. Drag in the folder that contains index.html, or website-ready-to-host.zip.
  5. Select Deploy site. Cloudflare's doc also refers to this step as Save and Deploy.

Your site is served at <project-name>.pages.dev. For later changes, open the project and select Create a new deployment.

Things to know, from the same doc:

Custom domains, briefly

If your domain was bought through Solo Domains (not IONOS), Solo says you need to migrate it to Name.com, its domain partner. The steps are in Solo's FAQ (Solo Shutdown FAQ). Once you control the domain:

Add the domain in the host's dashboard before you change DNS. Cloudflare warns that adding a CNAME without first associating the domain in Pages leads to a 522 error.

The contact form

Solo's form won't work on either host. Replace it with a form service or a plain email link. Your old submissions are in the private form-data ZIP. Keep that file off the web.

FAQ

Which ZIP do I upload to Netlify or Cloudflare?

Only website-ready-to-host.zip, or the unzipped folder with index.html and images/ at the top. Never upload private-form-data-do-not-upload.zip. It holds your contact form and newsletter submissions.

Do I need to log in to Netlify before using Drop?

Yes, log in first. Netlify's docs say that if you drop without signing in, your project URL is protected with a temporary password until you claim it.

Why is my Netlify site private after I deployed it?

On Netlify's credit-based plans, new projects can start private by default, depending on your team's settings. Use Make public once you have a successful production deploy.

Is there a file limit on Cloudflare Pages drag and drop?

Yes. Cloudflare lists 1,000 files and 25 MiB per file for drag-and-drop uploads. Check this if your site has a lot of images or very large ones.

Will my Solo contact form work on Netlify or Cloudflare?

No. Solo's form stops working when Solo closes, and a static copy can't send it. Replace it with a form service or an email link.

What happens to my export when I use the free tool?

Your export stays in your browser. Public images and styles are downloaded through our server.

Sources

All fetched 2026-10-09.

Not affiliated with Mozilla, Solo, Netlify or Cloudflare.

If you'd like the domain move and form replacement laid out step by step, the Solo Site Rescue Kit ($12) covers both. The free tool works without it.