Devastating data disasters can happen when there’s an unexpected crash, spill or hack. A good backup service will protect you from the consequences; it’s totally worth the investment. Choose from this list of the top ten online backup services to get the most bang for your buck.
#1 – Backblaze
Affordable, unlimited and option-rich, Backblaze seems to do everything right. For starters, Backblaze allows 100 percent unlimited data for all; the company doesn’t even offer a non-unlimited plan. There are no file size, type, or speed limits whatsoever. And the price is right at $5 a month – a small cost to pay for comprehensive digital life insurance delivered on a set-it-and-forget-it basis.
#2 – CrashPlan
Crashplan is a close competitor with Backblaze. You can use Crashplan to backup to either an external drive, another computer, or a remotely hosted drive with impressive ease. Crashplan is quite popular. Like Backblaze, it does not limit its functions or charge hidden fees. It’s also the only service offering local and offsite backup for free.
#3 – Carbonite
Carbonite is a winner as one of the most secure cloud solutions available. Bank-grade security protects all backups and servers. The main data center even sits in a bomb-proof building. A nice touch is the Carbonite courier service offered to HomePremier plan subscribers. If you have a data disaster, a mailman will hand-deliver a copy of your files right to your doorstep.
#4 – Mozy
Mozy is an all-around business-friendly backup solution. It is known for its handy sync feature, called ‘Stash.’ Stash is a folder on your computer or phone. Put files in the folder and they are automatically updated across all your devices. It makes working in multiple settings easy as pie.
#5 – Dropbox
Dropbox is for people who like to share. As an utterly simple syncing-and-sharing service, it is best-in-class. If you need to quickly share documents with someone far away, it will handle the job with aplomb. Dropbox is also notably integration-friendly with numerous third-party apps. That said, if you have serious security needs, don’t rely too much on Dropbox.
#6 – Box
Box is like Dropbox for businesses. Like Dropbox, it excels in user-friendliness. If you just want a good backup tool that doubles as a file-sharing service, Box may be right for you. The intuitive interface makes it a good pick for those new to the cloud storage concept. If there were more storage space for basic plan users, Box would be higher on our list of the top online backup services.
#7 – Jungle Disk
Jungle Disk, offered by web hosting company Rackspace, is a network-based file management system. The Jungle system is geared for business users, and it shows in the surefooted customer service and ease of whole-server backup. However, it’s not the most affordable player on the block, and storage fees are annoyingly extra.
#8 – SOS
SOS offers value with its unlimited file storage and versioning. You can have your own personal cloud for $8 a month. Although you can’t adjust the bandwidth and there’s no remote wipe function, SOS will soon make scanned backups available, so you can backup your print photos – a neat value-add.
#9 – IDrive
IDrive is ideal for mobile-dominant users. It’s got one of the best mobile apps around, and offers unlimited mobile backup at $5 a year for five devices. If you just want a basic plan, you can get 5GB free of charge. Periodically heavy users, however, may want to avoid IDrive’s yearly fee; month-to-month plans offer more flexibility.
#10 – Livedrive
Fast servers and $1.50 per month make Livedrive attractive. You can get unlimited storage and bandwidth on unlimited computers, too, if you are willing to pay for it. You can also get your money back if you change your mind after ordering. And indeed you might once you find out that Livedrive spies on your metadata and the customer service leaves something to be desired.