Best Backup Software Of 2024
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In today’s digital age, data is gold. It’s precious. So to keep your data safe, you will require a backup software so that you may recover it in the event of unforeseen circumstances. There are various backup software available on the market that will store the entire operating system of your mobile devices, laptops, and computers, or just some important files and folders contained therein.
Such a software comes with an ease of use for beginners to an advanced plan for tech-savvy pro who needs customized backup solutions. However, finding the right one could be a tedious task.
Forbes Advisor India has picked seven best backup software on the market and rated them on a scale of 1 to 5. With that said, we don’t have backup software providers with five-star ratings. It is important for users to understand their requirement before choosing to avail of a backup plan for their personal devices or workstation.
- Best Backup Software Of October 2024
- What is Backup Software?
- iDrive
- Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office
- EaseUS Todo Backup
- Files.fm
- PolarBackup
- Wondershare UBackit
- MyPCBackup
- Summary of Best Backup Software in 2024
- Methodology: How Do We Choose the Best Backup Software?
- How to Choose the Best Backup Software?
Best Backup Software Of October 2024
- iDrive: Best overall
- Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office: BEST VALUE
- EaseUS Todo Backup: Best backup software for lifetime
- Files.fm: Best backup for unlimited cloud storage
- PolarBackup: Best for lifetime purchase
- Wondershare UBackit: Best affordable plan
- MyPCBackup: Best basic backup software
What is Backup Software?
Backup software helps you create a copy of your files, folders, documents, or an entire operating system, applications and data stored within your personal computer, laptop, or mobile devices—and stores it within a local or cloud storage. So, in an event of cyberattack, system failure, crash, or such unforeseen circumstances, a backup software allows you to retrieve your data. Consider subscribing to a backup plan as an insurance to keep your data safe, and restore or access it from anywhere.
BEST OVERALL
iDrive
Standard Annual Price
Free. Starts from INR 242.04 ($2.95) per annum
Backup
Cloud storage
Moneyback Guarantee
15 days
Standard Annual Price
Free. Starts from INR 242.04 ($2.95) per annum
Backup
Cloud storage
Moneyback Guarantee
15 days
Forbes Advisor India’s pick for the best value is iDrive for its feature rich plans. iDrive is best for all types of users, for personal to small and large-sized backup requirements of the business, as it includes cloud backup options per user to unlimited users, and custom storage requirement with every plan. So, no matter how many computers you have to backup, you don’t have to worry about storage limits. Additionally, its plans come with remote management, disk clone, files sharing options, with phone, call, ticket, and email support, and a 15-day money-back guarantee, making it a great value for the price.
Pricing Options
It offers a free plan that can be availed for storage up to 10GB, which is a great way to try out its backup features. For professional and small businesses, premium plans are ideal and prices range from as low as INR 242.04 to INR 816.36 ($2.95 to $9.95) per year for 100GB to 500GB, or INR 4,891.61 to INR 61,473.34 ($59.62 to $749.25) for 5TB up to 50TB cloud storage per user.
iDrive’s Team and Business plans are ideal for medium to large-sized enterprises, and come for backup option for multiple users or computers at a price starting from INR 6,122.31 to INR 42,992.37 ($74.62 to $524) per annum for five to 500 devices, or unlimited users, and cloud storage from 5TB to 500TB.
Pricing varies predominantly by contract length and the number of user and cloud storage requirements. Higher-tiered plans also come with benefits such as business compliant backup, server cloud plus priority support.
Essential Features
Who Should Use it:
For home use, professionals, and small to large-sized enterprises.
- Affordable plans
- Supports both local and cloud backup
- Plans to add more computers and storage
- Phone support available for international users
- Free plan and moneyback guarantee available
- Microsoft Office backup available
- Priority customer support available only on high-tiered plans
BEST VALUE
Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office
Standard Annual Price
Starts from INR 4,098.71 ($49.99) per annum
Backup
Local and cloud storage
Moneyback Guarantee
30 days
Standard Annual Price
Starts from INR 4,098.71 ($49.99) per annum
Backup
Local and cloud storage
Moneyback Guarantee
30 days
Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office plans allow users to create full image to file-level backup, either locally or on cloud storage, from individual files to whole operating system configurations–and, restore or recover backup files. It also monitors your backup files in real-time to detect any suspicious ransomware, malware, and antivirus to shield your files from cyberattacks.
Pricing Options
Acronis backup software can be used for both home and office systems. Local storage backup pricing starts from INR 4,101.50 ($49.99) per year for one computer, and can go up as per requirement up to five computers, which is ideal for small-sized businesses. Large enterprises can opt for its cloud storage backup plan which starts with 50GB storage, and price starts from INR ($54.99) per annum. Its highest-tier cloud storage backup plan starts from INR 10,254.99 ($124.99), with additional features like blockchain certification of files, and up to 5TB storage requirements.
Essential Features
Who Should Use it:
Professionals, and small to large-sized enterprises.
- Supports Windows, Android, macOS, and iOS
- Both local and cloud storage available
- Server backup available for Windows, Linux
- Up to 5TB cloud storage available
- Phone, email, and chat support
- Ransomware protection included
- Malware, antivirus protection on advanced and premium plans
- Priority phone support call costs extra INR 1,229.88 ($14.99) annually
- Free trial not available
BEST BACKUP SOFTWARE FOR LIFETIME
EaseUS Todo Backup
Standard Annual Price
Free. Starts from INR 3,277.76 ($39.95) per annum
Backup
Local and cloud storage
Moneyback Guarantee
30 days
Standard Annual Price
Free. Starts from INR 3,277.76 ($39.95) per annum
Backup
Local and cloud storage
Moneyback Guarantee
30 days
EaseUS Todo Backup provides a backup plan for home, office as well as Windows server management. All its plans come with file, system, and disk restoration, and covers protection for ransomware, malware, and antivirus. There are a myriad of backup, clone, restoration options to choose from its plans, and prices vary accordingly for a year, or lifetime. Customers can get pre-sales, after-sales, and advanced assistance via email and live chat support.
Pricing Options
EaseUS offers a free plan for users of the Windows operating system for up to 250GB backup to cloud, though it comes with limited features. For a home device, its annual plan starts from INR 3,277.76 ($39.95). Professionals working from home may opt for its workstation plan for INR 4,020.28 ($49) per annum. It also has a Windows server plan starting at INR 16,327.25 ($199), advanced server plan at 24,531.90 ($299), as well as plans for technicians at INR 81,964.45 ($999) per annum.
Essential Features
Who Should Use it:
For home use, professionals, and those looking for server management.
- Comes with free plan
- Plans can be purchased for lifetime, or subscription-based
- Restoration and recovery available
- Local, cloud backup
- Each plan covers only one PC, or server
- Clone options not available on free plan
- Customers complains of hectic ride to resolve issues
BEST BACKUP SOFTWARE WITH UNLIMITED CLOUD STORAGE
Files.fm
Standard Annual Price
Free. Starts from INR 2,453.19 ($29.90) per annum
Backup
Cloud storage
Moneyback Guarantee
Non-refundable
Standard Annual Price
Free. Starts from INR 2,453.19 ($29.90) per annum
Backup
Cloud storage
Moneyback Guarantee
Non-refundable
Files.fm is one of the most popular cloud-based back software with data centers located in Europe. It provides custom-based cloud storage solutions as per client requirements, and comes with an option to share it with identified users. All its plans come with ransomware and antivirus protection of your files. Users can also restore their deleted files of the last 30 days to five years, depending on the type of plan they opt for. Similarly, features such two-factor authentication to access files comes with the plan you choose.
Files.fm offers email, and live chat support. However, the live chat bot directed us to send an email for support even to a basic question.
Pricing Options
Files.fm offers four pricing plan options, depending on the cloud storage, and additional features you need. All its plans come with an option for users to add more cloud storage, and prices vary accordingly. Personal storage plan starts from INR 2,453.19 ($29.90) per annum with 500GB cloud storage. Its professional plan can be purchased at INR 5,661.21 ($69) per annum, and business plan at an annual payment of 15,588.84 ($190) for 2TB storage. Users can get custom pricing for cloud storage requirement from 10TB to 5,000TB
Essential Features
Who Should Use it:
For home use, professionals, and those looking for flexibility to add more storage.
- Free plan available up to 5GB
- Free trial available for 14 days
- Can add cloud storage if required
- Recover deleted files
- Non-transparency of features’ information on website
- Payments are non-refundable
- 2-FA available on high-tier plans only
BEST FOR LIFETIME PURCHASE
PolarBackup
Standard Annual Price
Starts from INR 20,510.80 ($249.99) one-time payment
Backup
Cloud storage
Moneyback Guarantee
30 days
Standard Annual Price
Starts from INR 20,510.80 ($249.99) one-time payment
Backup
Cloud storage
Moneyback Guarantee
30 days
PolarBackup’s plans are best for home-office computers or for professionals. With one-time purchase, users can get backup, restore their data on cloud storage up to 1TB. Plans can be bought for up to 25 computers or users, making it ideal for small to medium-sized businesses, too. However, the company hasn’t disclosed features such as image to file-level backup, disk cloning, among others, which is a major drawback. Otherwise, the 15-day trial period gives you time and option to try before you buy.
Pricing Options
Backup software providers that we’ve reviewed usually provide subscription-based plans, but not PolarBackup. All plans are bought for life-time, and vary as per cloud storage requirements. The 500GB cloud storage plan costs INR 20,510.80 ($249.99), 1TB for INR 24,613.13 ($299.99), 2TB for INR 28,715.45 ($349.99), and 5TB for INR 55,380.57 ($674.99).
Essential Features
- Supports macOS and Windows
- Restoration and recovery available
- Doesn’t support mobile device backup
- Non-transparency of backup features’ information
- Customers complain of data loss, after-sales, and refund issues
BEST AFFORDABLE BACKUP PLAN
Wondershare UBackit
Standard Annual Price
Starts from INR 2,460.57 ($29.99) per annum
Backup
Local storage
Moneyback Guarantee
Seven days
Standard Annual Price
Starts from INR 2,460.57 ($29.99) per annum
Backup
Local storage
Moneyback Guarantee
Seven days
Wondershare UBackit is among our top-pick for its highly affordably backup plans. Its local storage plan offers users to backup their files, partition, disk, and network attached storage (NAS) as well as options to clone and restore files in an encrypted form. Users can also retrieve deleted files lost due to antivirus or ransomware attacks. It does not discriminate features among its plans, which means that all its plans offer similar features.
Pricing Options
Wondershare UBackit offers a highly affordable plan than its competitors we’ve reviewed. It has three pricing options based on the billing-cycle that users opt to choose from. Its monthly plan is fixed at INR 819.64 ($9.99). Instead, users can discount from its quarterly plan at INR 1,640.11 ($19.99) for three months, or its annual plan at INR 2,460.57 ($29.99)
Essential Features
Who Should Use it:
Personal use.
- 30 days trial period allowed
- Backup files, partition, disk, and NAS
- Comes with options to clone and restore files
- Data are stored in encrypted form
- Cloud storage not available for personal backup use
BEST BASIC BACKUP SOFTWARE
MyPCBackup
Standard Annual Price
Starts from INR 16,127.06 ($196.56) per annum
Backup
Cloud storage
Moneyback Guarantee
30 days
Standard Annual Price
Starts from INR 16,127.06 ($196.56) per annum
Backup
Cloud storage
Moneyback Guarantee
30 days
MyPCBackup plans come with the option to backup select files, or complete backup of your PC or mobile over cloud storage, which is available for up to 1TB, depending on plans you choose. However, the company hasn’t disclosed features such as image to file-level backup, disk cloning, among others. Otherwise, the 15-day trial period gives you time and option to try before you buy.
Pricing Options
With a 24-month commitment, plans start at INR 29,969.95 ($365.28), and can go up to INR 42,099.70 ($513.12). For a 12-month contract, plans start at around INR 16,127.06 ($196.56) per annum. Six-month contracts start at INR 12,989.60 ($158.32), and month-to-month contracts cost INR 2,369.50 ($28.88) per month.
Remember, It charges extra for additional services to sync folders, network drive support, automatic video backup, as well as for priority customer support.
Essential Features
- Cloud storage available up to 1TB
- Support both PC and mobile backup
- Pricier subscription plans
- Non-transparency of features’ information
- Customer complain of not being able to stop auto-renewal despite filing request
Summary of Best Backup Software in 2024
Methodology: How Do We Choose the Best Backup Software?
Forbes Advisor India reviewed 47 of the best backup software providers, and scored them across 17 parameters to rate them on a scale of 1 to 5. We’ve evaluated their pricing, customer support and reviews, types of back for local and cloud, its storage, availability of cyberattack protection measures, file encryption, and general backup features to come out with the final scores.
General Backup Features
These are the most sought-for features that a backup software should have, including image to file-level backup, partition backup, disk cloning, restoration and recovery of files. Cyberattack protection measures such as malware and ransomware protection as well as antivirus were also considered as a general feature.
Extra scoring was given to user experience and feedback and availability of phone, email, live chat, and ticket support, and importantly their response time to resolve customer queries.
Backup Availability, Bandwidth
Scoring was based on the availability of both local and cloud storage for users to choose from as well as options to share files across devices. An extra scoring was given to availability of cloud storage, as well as number of users per plan.
Free Plan, Premium Pricing and Moneyback Guarantee
A free plan may help many users to get accustomed with storing their data, and upon satisfaction opt for premium backup plans. A moneyback guarantee would help users to cancel subscriptions if they aren’t satisfied with the service.
How to Choose the Best Backup Software?
A backup software protects user’s files and system from facing any loss due to cyberattacks, or system crashes. Here’s what to look for in the backup software.
Device Operating System: Users should purchase backup software based on the type of operating system they own—Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, as well as server management requirements.
Backup Availability, Restoration, and Recovery: Users can choose from storing their data either on cloud or local storage, or both. With cloud storage, you can back up systems, applications, and data on a server based on remote location—and comes with the option to add more storage. With local backup, also referred to as on-premises backup, data is stored on a local device, such as tape, disk, hard disk, flash drive, CD, external hard drive, etc.
That said, there are three major types of backup to choose from:
1. Full backups: A full backup is carried out to store an entire folder in the backup source, locally or cloud storage.
2. Differential backups: Comprises data that have changed since the last full backup.
3. Incremental backups: Includes data that have changed since the last incremental backup.
Image Level Backup: Such a backup is carried out to store the entire operating system, and data contained within, to a local or cloud storage.
Partition Backup, File Level Backup: In this type of backup, users can save individual files and folders in the backup source. It also includes backing up an individual disk, partition C: for instance, within the operating system, to a source backup.
Disk Cloning: It includes copying contents of one hard drive onto another. It is helpful while migrating to a larger storage without a need to reinstall and reconfigure your software.
Files Sharing: It is the most common feature available on almost all cloud backup service providers for users to sync and share files and folders across users on any device, from any location.
Email Backup: Depending on backup providers you opt for, users can backup their emails linked with Outlook, Microsoft 365, etc.
Backup Encryption: Most backup providers we’ve reviewed use industry-grade AES-256 algorithm to encrypt your data to keep your data safe and secure from cyberattacks.
Ransomware and Malware Protection, Antivirus: Adding an extra layer of security, our top-ranked backup software providers offer protection from ransomware and malware, and computer virus.
Pricing, Moneyback Guarantee, Free Plan: Pricing is an important factor that determines your purchasing power. While a free plan may help users to get accustomed with storing their data, they can opt for premium backup plans accordingly. A free trial is also a good way to try out its backup features before committing to its paid plan. A moneyback guarantee would help users to cancel subscriptions if they aren’t satisfied with the service.
Forbes Advisor adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved, or otherwise endorsed by our partners.
