Migration guide
Switch from ZAP-Hosting to CoalHosting
10-15 minutes from ZAP SFTP to a fully running CoalHosting FiveM server. Your resources, MariaDB data, and cfx.re license all carry over. We do not bill until your new server is provisioned and our 8-check joinability probe lands at 8/8 green.
5-step playbook
- 1. Tar your ZAP server's resources/ tree. SSH into the ZAP host (their panel exposes this) and run:
tar czf resources.tar.gz -C /path/to/server resources/
SFTP/SCP the file down to your machine. - 2. Export your MariaDB. On the ZAP shell:
mysqldump --single-transaction --quick <database-name> | gzip > db.sql.gz
Download this too. - 3. Generate a second cfx.re key (optional). If you want to keep ZAP running during the cutover, generate a fresh key at portal.cfx.re for the new CoalHosting server. Otherwise reuse the existing one (one key per active server).
- 4. Sign up + provision on CoalHosting. Pick your RAM tier, paste the cfx.re key, choose ESX/QBCore/vanilla framework. VM provisions in 2-4 min. You get an email when 8/8 joinability latches.
- 5. Upload the migration tarball. From the new server's dashboard, find the Migrate from another host card → drop your resources.tar.gz → it unpacks onto the VM in one shot. Then edit server.cfg via the in-panel editor to add
ensure <name>lines for each resource (or your existing server.cfg from ZAP already has them — copy that in instead). Restart from the dashboard. MariaDB restore goes through our backups restore flow.
30-day refund if it doesn't work for you
Soft launch terms: 30-day no-questions-asked refund. If the migration goes sideways or you decide CoalHosting isn't for you, reply REFUND to any of our emails. Same-day issue. You won't be stuck paying for a server that isn't serving your community.
Start the migration →FAQ
How long does migrating from ZAP-Hosting take?
10-15 minutes once you have your old server's resources.tar.gz. On the ZAP panel, SFTP into your server, run `tar czf resources.tar.gz -C /path/to/server resources/`, download to your machine. On CoalHosting, signup + upload the tarball via the bulk migration import card. The panel unpacks the tree onto your VM in one shot. Add `ensure <name>` lines to server.cfg and restart.
Do I keep my cfx.re license key?
Yes. The key is yours and lives at portal.cfx.re. Paste the same cfxk_<random>_<random> string into our signup form. One key per server — if you want to keep your ZAP server running during the migration, generate a second key at keymaster.
What about my players' database progression (jobs, inventory, money)?
Export the MariaDB on ZAP (mysqldump), then on CoalHosting our panel's bulk migration importer accepts the SQL alongside resources. Both restore in one click. We're one of the few hosts whose daily backups bundle the DB dump alongside resources/ — your future backups will include both automatically.
Can I run both hosts in parallel during the cutover?
Yes, briefly. Generate a second cfx.re key at portal.cfx.re for the new server, point your community Discord at the new connect address when you're ready, kill the old server after a day of smooth operation. We won't bill until your CoalHosting server is provisioned and probed for joinability (8/8 green).
What's the price difference?
Roughly the same at the 12 GB / 48-slot tier (€35/mo CoalHosting vs €30-40/mo ZAP depending on region + commitment). The reason to switch isn't price — it's the FiveM-specific reliability automation ZAP doesn't ship: auto-backups with MariaDB dump in the same tarball, marketplace with version tracking, joinability monitoring, license-rejection auto-detection, crash-loop protection, auto-snapshot before resource ops.
Comparing options? See the full CoalHosting vs ZAP-Hosting side-by-side.