10 year track record of secure award-winning solutions. Computer Backup Backblaze is unlimited cloud backup for business. Just $50/year/computer. Start a Free 15-Day Evaluation. Continuous & Complete Backup Mac or PC, Laptop or Desktop. No caps, no throttling, no pricing tiers. Unlimited Data Backup Automatic backup via native client. CloudBacko can be installed on Windows, Mac OS X and Linux, thus allowing you to backup all your machines with the same solution. Backup Android and iOS devices CloudBacko Mobile can back up user generated contents, including photo, video, contact, voice*, message*, bookmark*, and WhatsApp* to Google Drive, OneDrive and Dropbox. CrashPlan is our favorite backup tool for Windows, for the Mac, and we've even shown you how to build a bulletproof backup solution with it. CrashPlan gives you the flexibility to back up any. If you’re not too worried about Time Machine and just want a great backup for your Mac, take a look at our list of the 5 Best Online Backups for Mac 2018. Alternatively, if you want to store data from multiple devices, or are looking for a backup for your small business, you could also consider network attached storage ( NAS ). How can the answer be improved?
Image Credit: Rawpixel / Shutterstock
Best cloud storage of 2019
Businesses and consumers are increasingly reliant on cloud based storage solutions instead of in-house, on-premise local storage hardware.
Your files are stored in the cloud, which is a simplified view of what is essentially someone else's infrastructure (data center, server, hard drive, connectivity etc).
Ever since Amazon popularised storage online with S3 (Simple Storage Service), 13 years ago, Google data shows that interest for 'Cloud Storage' alone has increased by 40x over the past decade. So much so that people less frequently refer to it as 'online storage'.
Given the multitude of cloud storage providers out there, one has to wisely choose a provider who will offer the maximum amount of low-cost storage and bandwidth, while still keeping your data safe.
This list represents our top picks for cloud storage: most offer a free tier allowing you to see if they're right for you before handing over any hard-earned cash.
Business users will need to consider carefully what their needs are as terms and conditions as well as quality of service is likely to differ significantly from their consumer alter ego.
Go straight to your desired option through the jump links below:
1. IDrive cloud storage
Storage solution which extends to cover network drives
iDrive Personal 2TB
$13.90
iDrive Business 250GB
$74.62
Fast
Good Security
IDrive Express service is handy if disaster strikes
Imac Cloud Backup
IDrive offers continuous syncing of your files, even those on network drives. The web interface supports sharing files by email, Facebook and Twitter. Cautious or click-happy users will be pleased to hear that files deleted from your computer are not automatically deleted from the server, so there's less danger of removing something important by accident. Up to 30 previous versions of all files backed to your account are retained.
Another thing to note is that IT admins have access to IDrive Thin Client application, which allows them to backup/restore, manage settings, and more for all their connected computers via a centralized dashboard.
For photos, you have a neat facial recognition feature that helps you to automatically organize them as well as syncing them across all your lined devices. IDrive also offers IDrive Express which sends you a physical hard disk drive if you lose all your data, allowing for the swift restoration of all your backed up files. That applies to the newly introduced disk image backup feature.
A business version exists and offers priority support, single sign-on as well as unlimited users and server backup.
EXCLUSIVE iDrive 2TB plan | $69.50 $13.90 for 1-year (80% off)
As an exclusive to TechRadar readers, IDrive is offering the chance to save a huge 80% on the cost of a 2TB backup plan for the first year. Normally, this would cost $69.50 for the year, but you can now pick up the 2TB plan for only $13.90. That’s an unbelievably cheap price for that amount of cloud storage. Here areIDrive’s personal plans and prices in full:
As an exclusive to TechRadar readers, IDrive is offering the chance to save a huge 80% on the cost of a 2TB backup plan for the first year. Normally, this would cost $69.50 for the year, but you can now pick up the 2TB plan for only $13.90. That’s an unbelievably cheap price for that amount of cloud storage. Here areIDrive’s personal plans and prices in full:
2. pCloud cloud storage
Premium 500 GB Annual
$3.99
Premium Plus 2 TB Annual
$7.99
Premium 500 GB Lifetime
Affordable
Simple to use
While some bandwidth limits apply, there seems to be no limit to the size of files you can upload, so feel free to sync large media files with pCloud. The service is available for all desktop and mobile platforms – users can also log in via the website. The company itself is registered in Switzerland which has strong privacy laws and you can also pay a premium of $4.99 a month for pCloud Crypto to lock (and unlock) individual files with passwords.
Note that it is one of the very few cloud services that offer lifetime subscriptions. The latter come with 30 days trash history and unlimited remote upload traffic (you only need the URL of the file); you are - as expected - limited on the download link traffic: 500GB for the Premium package and 2TB for the Premium Plus package.
3. Zoolz cloud storage
An established cloud player with a strong pedigree
File versioning
No live backup
There are lots of things to like about Zoolz Cloud Backup for both personal use and business deployment. It offers an easy to follow interface with excellent web management options, and the ability to combine cloud operations with local external storage.
This UK-based company leverages Amazon’s Glacier infrastructure to deliver a compelling price/performance ratio, with prices far cheaper than the competition. With 20PB of data stored for three million users for more than a decade, Zoolz is also not as ephemeral as some of its rivals.
Exclusive Zoolz 5TB cold storage backup | $124.99 $49.95 for 1-year (60% off)
Zoolz has teamed up with TechRadar to deliver one of the best cloud storage packages ever. Get 1TB of cold storage on AWS for only $19.95 per year. This offer is limited to one user and includes file versioning and unlimited external drives. That’s a saving of more than 53%. Need more storage? Then grab 5TB of cold storage for a mere $49.95. Unlike the competition, these prices stay low even after the promotional period.
Zoolz has teamed up with TechRadar to deliver one of the best cloud storage packages ever. Get 1TB of cold storage on AWS for only $19.95 per year. This offer is limited to one user and includes file versioning and unlimited external drives. That’s a saving of more than 53%. Need more storage? Then grab 5TB of cold storage for a mere $49.95. Unlike the competition, these prices stay low even after the promotional period.
4. Degoo cloud storage
Good mobile apps
2FA only available via Google
Swedish outfit Degoo is not a household name, and therefore it comes as a surprise that it has managed to carve itself a niche inside the ultra-competitive cloud storage market.
With only two offerings, this outfit has managed to attract more than 15 million users globally since its inception earlier in 2019 – an estimated 20,000 people join Degoo every day. It is one of the few cloud storage companies worldwide that encrypts stored files and disperses them across four different continents. It also supports two-factor authentication via the Google sign-in.
Exclusive Degoo 10TB cloud storage backup | $239.76 $99.99 for 2-years (58% off)
TechRadar and Degoo have partnered to provide a one-off exclusive. You can get a staggering 10TB of storage for just $99.99 for two years. That’s a 58% saving compared to the standard price of $9.99 per month, and is exclusive to TechRadar. It's a price that's far less than the cloud storage competition. That price is a locked-down one as well and will not change.
TechRadar and Degoo have partnered to provide a one-off exclusive. You can get a staggering 10TB of storage for just $99.99 for two years. That’s a 58% saving compared to the standard price of $9.99 per month, and is exclusive to TechRadar. It's a price that's far less than the cloud storage competition. That price is a locked-down one as well and will not change.
5. Mega cloud storage
Easy-to-use UI
Sync client is open source
With an insanely generous free tier and a simple drag-and-drop interface, New Zealand-based Mega is one of the cloud storage heavyweights. There's a handy mobile app to allow you to upload files and photos, as well as sync clients with desktop machines. The company also has business tailored plans.
Mega claims that all data stored in its cloud is encrypted on your device before it reaches the firm’s servers. As the company has released the source code to its sync client, experts can check that there are no vulnerabilities.
Price: 50GB free. 200GB for $6 a month (£4.50, €4.99, around AU$7.50). 1TB for $12 a month (£9, €9.99, around AU$16). 4TB for $23 a month (£17, €19.99, around AU$30). 8TB for $35 a month (£26, €29.99, around AU$46).
6. OneDrive cloud storage
Office 365 Personal
$69.99
Office 365 Home
$99.99
Office 365 Business Premium
$12.50
Integrated directly into Windows
Free storage is only 5GB
OneDrive is integrated into Windows 10's File Explorer. You don't have to download an additional app – it's there to use out of the box, which is obviously very convenient for those who have made the jump to Microsoft’s newest operating system.
Microsoft's Photos app can also use OneDrive to sync pictures across all your devices. As of late March, Autodesk AutoCAD has been integrated with OneDrive which is good news for anyone using the software's drafting tools. There's an app for Android and iOS devices, and there's even one in the App Store for Mac users (although it has received mixed reviews).
Price: 5GB free. 100GB for $3 a month (£1.99, around AU$4). 1TB for $7 a month (£5.99, around AU$11). Unlimited (as part of Onedrive for Business) for $10 a month (£7.99, around AU$14)
7. iCloud cloud storage
Reasonable pricing
Only 5GB storage for free
If you want to back up your iPhone to iCloud, you'll need more than the free 5GB allowance Apple gives you, but compared to rivals iCloud prices are very reasonable.
The Mac Finder app integrates iCloud Drive, where you can store any files you wish. Documents created in the iWork office suite are also saved to iCloud and can sync across your devices. Windows users can also sync their files with iCloud Drive using the official client, and access the iWork apps on the iCloud website.
Price: 5GB free. 50GB for $0.99 a month (£0.79, AU$1.49). 200GB for $2.99 (£2.24, AU$4). 2TB for $9.99 (£8, AU$13)
8. Google Drive cloud storage
G Suite Basic
$5
G Suite Business
$10
Generous amount of free storage
Web interface isn’t the best
Google Drive is a natural choice for owners of Android devices as it's already integrated, but users of other platforms may appreciate the generous free storage too. You can also store high definition photos on your mobile phone with companion app Google Photos, and make use of Google's own office suite (now known as G Suite). Also, upgrading to paid Google Drive plans is now called Google One (although it might not yet be available, depending on the region).
Downsides include the fact that the web interface isn't very easy-to-use, although Windows and Mac users can download a desktop app to drag-and-drop files easily.
Price: 15GB free. 100GB for $1.99 a month (£1.59, around AU$2.50). 200GB for $2.99 a month (£2.35, around AU$4.10). 2TB for $9.99 a month (£8, around AU$13). 10TB for $99.99 a month (£74, around AU$130). 20TB for $199.99 a month (£148, around AU$260). 30TB for $299.99 a month (£236, around AU$426).
9. Box cloud storage
Well-known service with some powerful business options
Starter
$5
Business
$15
Supported by many apps
Free account file upload limit of 250MB
Box's website currently seems to be pushing its Business plans as clicking ‘sign up’ takes you to the pricing page where for $15 per user (£11, around AU$19) you can benefit from advanced collaboration options and unlimited storage. But there is a 10GB free option, too.
As Box has been around for a while, it is supported by a number of mainstream apps such as Google Docs and Office 365. It's also integrated with G-Suite, which means Docs, Sheets and Slides are automatically saved and managed in Box. Additionally, like OneDrive, it's also been integrated with AutoCAD. The Box Sync client is available from the Downloads page for Mac and Windows, plus there's also an official Android client.
Price: 10GB free. Best ransomware for mac. 100GB for around $10 a month (£7.50, around AU$13) How to download fonts on mac fpr pdf.
10. NextCloud cloud storage
Innovative self-hosting solution
Preconfigured setups available
NextCloud isn’t an online cloud storage provider itself, but offers free software to download and install a cloud storage service on your own server. Using a server on your home network for cloud storage is much faster. You can also enable encryption and make sure the information never leaves your home network, which is far safer.
If you've no server or IT experience, you can even purchase a preconfigured NextCloud Box (if you can find one) which comes with a 1TB hard drive and will work with an inexpensive Raspberry Pi board to keep your data synced. Unfortunately, NextCloud Box is sold out but you can check out the alternatives on their website
Price: Free to install and use. Self-hosting so storage costs vary.
11. SpiderOak
Tight security
Limited free offering
SpiderOak is part of a new trend of zero knowledge cloud storage providers. The website claims that after installing the client your data is encrypted before syncing. Unfortunately since SpiderOak hasn’t made the client source code public, there's no way to confirm this.
The SpiderOakOne client is available for Windows, Mac and Linux as well as Android and iOS (although, both Android and iOS are read-only apps, meaning you can only view files, and can't upload or sync anything). You can also log in via the web interface but privacy lovers may prefer not to as it exposes your password to SpiderOak employees.
Price: 21-day free trial.150GB for $6 a month (around £4.5, AU$8.25). 400GB for $11 a month (around £8.4, AU$15). 2TB for $14 a month (around £10.7, AU$19.25). 5TB for $29 a month (around £22.1, AU$39.9)
How to choose a cloud storage service?
Florian Malecki, International Product Marketing Senior Director at StorageCraft gives us his thoughts
Organisations are often unclear about the best way to keep their files and systems safe, but there are plenty of preventative measures that can be taken to avoid the costly risk of downtime. Arguably the most important factor is backing up and recovering data quickly and efficiently. That is where cloud storage comes in.
With most cloud services providers, companies can tailor coverage to meet unique recovery and budget requirements while enjoying access to data anytime, anywhere, with instant failover in a cloud built specifically for disaster recovery.
The cloud combines low setup, management and overhead costs with high flexibility. The important thing is protecting and securing backups offsite and giving businesses peace of mind knowing that data is safe and secure.
Key factors organisations should consider when moving to the cloud are:
● Keep backups on-site and off-site. With any data, redundancy is the key. Data copies should be kept both on-site and off-site. Off-site could be in the cloud, but it could also be backup images stored on a hot-swappable hard drive that you can take to a secondary location (i.e. a “poor man’s cloud”).
● Choose a cloud with recovery options. If it’s not possible to recover data locally, organisations need to have a backup strategy in place. Some cloud services will allow you to spin up a Virtual Machine (VM), even if local recovery is impossible. For systems that have zero tolerance for downtime, a cloud-based recovery option is the best option.
● Mirror critical data. 99.999% uptime is exceptional, but nothing is infallible. It is important to remember that, while uptime is great, errors do occur, and data can be accidentally deleted or somehow corrupted. For extra critical data, it’s wise to not only backup data in the cloud, but to mirror it to a geographically disparate region for extra assurance.
Secure Your Data With Online Backup Software
You can either tear out your hair when a disaster strikes your hard drive or you can prepare for it ahead of time, but data loss is as inevitable as death and taxes. An online backup service is one of the best ways to protect yourself against such threats as a crashed hard drive or accidental deletion. Natural disasters such as fires, floods, and earthquakes can also spell the end of your digital media and documents. Even if you're among the very few who diligently perform local backups at regular intervals, you could still lose data if you don't store backups offsite.
Online backup services scan your hard drive for files worthy of protecting, encrypt them for security, and send them up to the company's online servers. Once your files are uploaded, you can access and restore your data from anywhere. Though there's some overlap, online backup services shouldn't be confused with cloud storage and file syncing services like Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, and SugarSync. Those services do store files in the cloud, but they aren't designed to automatically protect all important documents and media files, let alone system files. Their strategy is generally to sync just one folder with all its subfolders to the cloud, and in some cases, to offer online collaborative document editing. Many backup services offer folder-syncing capabilities, but few syncing services offer full-scale backup functionality.
That being the case, we believe that an online backup service is ideal for protecting your files, this solution will not appeal to everyone. Read our guide on how to choose the best backup plan for more specific advice on how to implement a backup method that works for your needs.
How Much Does Online Backup Cost?
Since you're probably going to be paying for a backup service for years, cost is an important factor to consider. All the services rounded up here are subscription-based, but they partition their features and fees differently, so it's worth comparing plans closely before committing to one. Most construct pricing tiers based on the amount of cloud storage included, however, or by the number of devices you can use with an account. A few services offer permanent free accounts, but those plans impose paltry storage limits or restrict key features to the paid versions. Watch out for file-size upload limits as well.
Home backup users have different needs than businesses. Best settings for handbrake apple tv. If you need a larger-scale cloud solution for your company, check out our roundup of the best online backup services for businesses. These plans typically cover many more devices and include better administration features, but at an increased cost.
Create a Backup Set and Schedule Uploads
Backup services vary widely in how they set up and perform backups. For example, the totally hands-free Backblaze automatically encrypts and uploads all your important files without any input. On the other hand, services such as IDrive and Acronis True Image let you choose specific files you want from a file tree. Note that some services restrict you from backing up specific file types or using particular sources, such as from an external or network drive. Make sure the service you choose supports all your needs.
There are a few common practices for configuring when backups occur. The most common option is on a fixed schedule, such as once a day, week, or month. The second, which we prefer, is to upload file changes whenever they're changed and saved, otherwise known as a continuous backup setting. Services only transfer the modified part of the file in this scenario, so as not to overburden your internet connection or take up unnecessary storage. A third way is simply to upload files manually. Some may appreciate this degree of control, but this method is only effective if you remember to regularly run the backup.
How Secure Are Online Backup Services?
Most services encrypt your files with strong systems such as AES 256 before sending them up to the servers over an encrypted connection. The majority of products we tested also offer a private encryption key option. If you choose to manage your own encryption keys (basically the 'key' that decrypts your backup), know that it is your responsibility to remember it. The online backup service itself will not be able to help you reset the password if you forget it. On the flip side, this means that no one (including employees of the backup service and law enforcement officials) other than you can unlock your backups. This is ideal from a privacy and security standpoint. Use a password manager to keep track of your private encryption key if you think you will forget it.
Restoring Folders and Files
An online backup service isn't much use if it doesn't make the process of restoring or recovering your data quick and simple. For example, a service should offer search tools for finding particular files in your backup. It's also desirable for a service to be able to replicate an entire folder-tree structure so that it can help you recover from bigger data losses. Keep in mind that if you buy a plan that covers just one computer, you may have to transfer the account to a new PC if you ever switch your main device or if you need to restore data from a damaged computer to a replacement.
Many services also offer a feature called versioning. Best computer protection for mac. This saves incremental changes you make to files as recoverable snapshots of the file. It's useful in case you need to get back information from an earlier version or if your latest file save becomes corrupted. Services vary widely in how many versions they keep and how long they're saved. Best-in-class services, such as SOS Online Backup and SpiderOak ONE keep an unlimited number of file versions forever.
Web and Mobile Backup Apps
One of the biggest advantages of using an online backup service is that it lets you access your files from anywhere. Most online backup providers let you view and download files from a web browser, but that should be the bare minimum. Many also include file-sharing options, the best of which even let you specify a password for access and an expiration date for the shared item.
Best Cloud Computer Backup
All the online backup services we tested offer Android and iOS apps, but the quality and utility of those apps vary widely. Some just offer simple document and media file downloads from your existing backups, but the most feature-complete allow you to back up the data on your mobile devices.
Backup Performance
An online backup service's speed depends on how quickly it can encrypt, compress, and upload files to its servers. This should be of particular concern if you need to back up (or restore) a large amount of data. A high-performance backup service also minimizes its effect on network and system resources. Make sure to check out our speed test results in the review of any service you're contemplating using. Backup speed should not be the sole determinant of which online backup service you use, but fast upload speeds can certainly make initial and subsequent backups less disruptive.
Disaster Recovery and Bulk Data
Best Backup For Macs
Some services go above and beyond, including extra capabilities that improve the experience. For example, a few offer disk courier services for bulk uploads and restores via an external drive that the company ships and manages. A couple of these services throw in a local backup component, too. If you go that route, you should take a look at our roundup of best external hard drives. Some of these services can even track your device's location and let you remotely wipe it in case it's lost or stolen.
Best Backup System For Mac
-
IDrive Review
MSRP: $69.50
Pros: Easy setup. Unlimited devices per account. Disk image backup. File Explorer integration. Folder syncing. Bulk uploads and restores via mail. Fast upload speeds in testing.Cons: No true continuous backup option. Fractured web interface. Storage isn't unlimited.Bottom Line: You won't find a better overall online backup service than the full-featured IDrive, especially for the price.Read Review -
Acronis True Image Review
MSRP: $49.99
Pros: Excellent desktop interface. Fast upload speeds in testing. Local and cloud backup. Full disk image backup and restore. File syncing. Ransomware Protection.Cons: Expensive. Slow web interface and mobile apps. Lacks password protection for shared files.Bottom Line: Acronis True Image's full disk backups, fast performance, and useful extras such as active file protection, make it well worth the cost.Read Review -
SOS Online Backup Review
MSRP: $44.99
Pros: Robust security options. Archival features. Can back up external and network drives. Local backup.Cons: Expensive. Outdated desktop and mobile interfaces. Continuous protection limited to individual files. No File Explorer integration. No free or unlimited storage accounts.Bottom Line: SOS Online Backup offers top-notch security features and true archiving for your files, but expect to pay top dollar for this service.Read Review -
Backblaze Review
MSRP: $50.00
Pros: Unlimited storage. Easy setup. Strong security settings. Close integration with B2 cloud storage service. Ability to back up or restore via mailed drive.Cons: Licenses are for a single computer. Convoluted backup selection. No File Explorer or Finder integration. No private sharing of backup files. Basic mobile app.Bottom Line: Backblaze is a streamlined and secure online backup service. It's good for novices, but it may frustrate users who want more control over backups.Read Review -
Carbonite Review
MSRP: $71.99
Pros: Unlimited online backup storage for one computer. File Explorer integration. Continuous backup option. Easy guided setup. Excellent web interface.Cons: Expensive for multiple computers. Limited mobile apps. Base version doesn't back up external drives. Lacks file sharing and syncing.Bottom Line: Carbonite is an easy-to-use online backup service that offers unlimited storage, but a license only covers a single computer and you can't use it to back up your mobile devices.Read Review -
SpiderOak ONE Review
MSRP: $69.00
Pros: Strong privacy features. Unlimited computers per account. File syncing included. Davinci resolve 14 studio download mac. Well-designed, full-featured desktop application.Cons: Buggy mobile apps. No search in web interface or mobile app. No two-factor authentication. Slow performance in testing.Bottom Line: SpiderOak ONE offers top-notch security features and flexible backup and sharing options, but it's more expensive than the competition.Read Review -
Livedrive Review
MSRP: $8.00
Pros: Unlimited storage. Effective desktop and mobile apps. Solid versioning capabilities.Cons: Expensive. Base tier only protects a single computer. Lacks standard backup and security options. Slow performance in our upload tests. No full disk backup option.Bottom Line: Livedrive delivers unlimited online storage for a single computer and as many mobile devices as you'd like, but you can't use private encryption keys with the service and it lacks a continuous backup feature.Read Review -
OpenDrive Review
MSRP: $99.00
Pros: Reasonable pricing and unlimited storage plans. Good web interface. Fast performance in our upload tests. Free account.Cons: Disjointed desktop interface. Unintuitive restore settings. Mobile app stutters occasionally.Bottom Line: Online backup service OpenDrive is a good value and uploads files quickly, but its options for restoring backed-up files are not intuitive and its mobile apps need improvement.Read Review -
Zoolz BigMind Review
MSRP: $35.88
Pros: Top-notch desktop and web apps. Good performance in our upload speed tests. Permanent free version. Easy sharing options.Cons: Expensive top-tier plans. Limited versioning. No private encryption key, disaster recovery, or folder syncing options. Pushy subscription upsells.Bottom Line: BigMind offers sophisticated apps and is easy to use, but it lacks common features found in competing online backup services, including private encryption key protection and robust versioning.Read Review -
ElephantDrive Review
MSRP: $99.50
Pros: Flexible versioning and archiving capabilities. Good sharing options. Fast upload speeds in our tests. Student free trial spotify premium.Cons: Disjointed and buggy applications. 2GB upload-file-size limit for home accounts. Outdated Android app. No 2FA.https://torontoheavenly638.weebly.com/blog/best-home-network-storage-for-mac. Bottom Line: ElephantDrive's flexible backup and versioning capabilities are overshadowed by its file upload limitations and unintuitive desktop experience.Read Review