As your app grows, there may come a time when you need to move a Firebase project from one Google account to another.
Common scenarios include:
- Selling an app or startup
- Moving from a personal account to a company account
- Client project handovers
- Organization restructuring
- Centralizing project management
Unfortunately, Firebase does not provide a simple “Transfer Project” button. However, there are safe methods to effectively transfer ownership while preserving your data, users, and services.
This guide explains how to migrate Firebase projects between accounts safely in 2026.
Can You Transfer a Firebase Project?
The answer is both yes and no.
You cannot directly change the original creator of a Firebase project.
However, you can:
- Add another Google account as Owner
- Transfer billing ownership
- Remove the old account
For most developers, this effectively transfers the Firebase project.
Before You Start
Always create backups before making changes.
Backup:
- Cloud Firestore
- Realtime Database
- Cloud Storage
- Cloud Functions source code
- Firebase Hosting files
- Security Rules
Never perform a migration without a verified backup.
Method 1: Transfer Ownership (Recommended)
This is the safest and easiest approach.
It preserves:
- Project ID
- Firebase App IDs
- Firestore data
- Authentication users
- Cloud Storage files
- Analytics history
- Hosting configuration
No app updates are required.
Step 1: Open Google Cloud Console
Firebase projects are backed by Google Cloud projects.
Open Google Cloud Console and select your Firebase project.
Step 2: Open IAM Permissions
Navigate to:
IAM & Admin
→ IAM
This page controls project permissions.
Step 3: Add the New Google Account
Click:
Grant Access
Enter the email address of the new Google account.
Assign the role:
Owner
This grants full administrative access.
Step 4: Accept the Invitation
Sign in using the new Google account.
Accept the IAM invitation and verify access.
Confirm that the new account can access:
- Firebase Console
- Firestore
- Authentication
- Cloud Functions
- Storage
- Hosting
Step 5: Test Everything
Before removing the old account, verify:
- Firestore reads and writes
- User authentication
- Cloud Functions execution
- Storage uploads
- Hosting deployments
- Analytics access
Do not proceed until everything works correctly.
Step 6: Remove the Old Account
Once testing is complete:
IAM
→ Remove Member
Remove the old Google account.
Your Firebase project has now been successfully transferred.
Transferring Firebase Billing
If your project uses the Blaze Plan, billing must also be transferred.
Step 1
Open:
Google Cloud Billing
Step 2
Create or select a billing account under the new Google account.
Step 3
Link the Firebase project to the new billing account.
Step 4
Verify:
- Firestore
- Cloud Functions
- Cloud Storage
- Hosting
continue operating normally.
Moving a Project to Another Organization
Organizations using Google Workspace may need to move projects between organizations.
Example:
Old Company
↓
New Company
Navigate to:
Google Cloud Console
→ Project Settings
→ Move Project
Requirements:
- Owner permissions
- Organization-level permissions
Migrating Firestore Data to a New Project
If you are creating an entirely new Firebase project, data must be migrated.
Export Firestore
gcloud firestore export gs://backup-bucket
Import Firestore
gcloud firestore import gs://backup-bucket
This method is useful when:
- Creating a new project
- Changing organizations
- Restructuring infrastructure
Migrating Firebase Authentication Users
Authentication users are not automatically copied between projects.
Export Users
firebase auth:export users.json
Import Users
firebase auth:import users.json
Preserved information:
- Email addresses
- Password hashes
- User IDs
- User metadata
Users can continue signing in normally after migration.
Migrating Cloud Storage Files
Option 1: Storage Transfer Service
Recommended for large projects.
Option 2: gsutil
gsutil -m cp -r \
gs://old-bucket/* \
gs://new-bucket
This copies all files to the new Firebase Storage bucket.
Migrating Cloud Functions
Cloud Functions source code is not stored inside Firebase.
Keep your code in:
- GitHub
- GitLab
- Bitbucket
Deploy to the new project:
firebase use new-project
firebase deploy --only functions
Migrating Firebase Hosting
Backup:
- public folder
- firebase.json
Deploy to the new project:
firebase deploy --only hosting
Migrating Security Rules
Export and preserve:
Firestore Rules
firestore.rules
Storage Rules
storage.rules
Deploy them to the new project after migration.
Common Migration Mistakes
Removing the Old Account Too Early
Always test the new account thoroughly before removal.
Forgetting Billing Transfer
Blaze Plan services may stop working if billing is not configured correctly.
Not Exporting Authentication Users
Firestore migration alone is not enough.
Users may lose login access if Auth users are not migrated.
Ignoring Service Accounts
Verify integrations such as:
- Cloud Functions
- Third-party APIs
- CI/CD pipelines
- GitHub Actions
Firebase Migration Checklist
Before Migration
- ✅ Backup Firestore
- ✅ Backup Storage
- ✅ Export Authentication Users
- ✅ Save Hosting Files
- ✅ Backup Functions
- ✅ Export Security Rules
After Migration
- ✅ Verify Authentication
- ✅ Verify Firestore
- ✅ Verify Storage
- ✅ Verify Hosting
- ✅ Verify Functions
- ✅ Verify Billing
- ✅ Remove Old Account
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Change Firebase Project Ownership?
Yes. Add the new account as Owner in Google Cloud IAM and remove the old owner later.
Will Users Need to Reinstall the App?
No. If the same Firebase project is retained, users will not notice any change.
Can I Rename a Firebase Project ID?
No. Project IDs cannot be changed after creation.
Can Firebase Analytics Be Migrated?
Analytics data remains with the existing project. Historical analytics cannot easily be moved to another project.
What Is the Safest Migration Method?
Adding the new Google account as Owner and removing the old account after testing is the safest approach.
Final Verdict
For most developers, the best way to migrate a Firebase project is to transfer ownership rather than create a new project.
By adding a new Google account as Owner, transferring billing, and verifying access before removing the old account, you can migrate with virtually zero downtime.
This approach preserves:
- Firestore data
- Authentication users
- Storage files
- Hosting
- Analytics
- Project IDs
With proper planning and backups, Firebase project migration can be completed safely and efficiently.
