You'll never know what could hit your computer or phone, or in most cases, when. It could be an earthquake, floods, or hard-drive problems.
We are bound to lose many digital possessions if our devices disappear or malfunction. Thus, online backup is an essential practice we must all do to avoid physical data disasters.
We ought to follow the backup Rule of Three. It says you should maintain three copies of your data: the original, a copy, and a copy of the copy. A local backup is recommended for quick restores, but an online backup is also necessary.
Here are the major online backup services that you can choose from. PCWorld compared their qualities, including the pros and cons of each. Each proves to have a unique selling point.
What are Your Online Backup Options?
1. iDrive Online Cloud Backup
According to PCWorld, iDrive is the most comprehensive online backup service. However, it doesn't come cheap. It remains affordable, though, and comes with backup clients for nearly every PC and device. iDrive also provides additional storage for syncing all your devices and PCs. It allows sharing of files with anyone and has the ability to back up to a local drive, as per PCWorld.
It has two personal plans covering one user with unlimited computers and devices: the 5TB plan for $59.62 the first year (or $119.25 for two years) and $79.50 each subsequent year. The other is the 10TB plan for $74.62 for the first year (or $149.25 for two years) and $99.50 for each subsequent year.
There's a Team plan available that can cover 5, 10, 25, 30, or 35 users. It has an equivalent number of devices and terabytes of storage. The prices range from $74.62 to $524.62 for the first year.
2. Backblaze
Backblaze is the best budget option. The drive offers unlimited storage. It backs up everything except items you explicitly exclude. Given all the good things about it, it's ridiculously cheap compared to its rivals at $7 a month or $70 a year, or $130 for two years for unlimited storage per PC.
3. Carbonite Safe
Carbonite Safe, the most streamlined, is similar to Backblaze, but it doesn't back up everything by default. It only selects what it thinks you need to back up, then leaves the rest up to you.
Carbonite Safe, however, is a little pricey as the basic online-only backup is $72 for one computer for one year, $136.78 for two years, and $194.37 for three. According to PCWorld, if you want the ability to duplicate the backup to a local hard drive and back up videos, then you'll have to raise it to $111.99, $212.78, and $302.37, respectively. It could get a little more expensive if you want the ability to retrieve your data via a hard drive couriered to you, with the rate rising to $149.99, $284.98, and $404.97, respectively.
4. Livedrive
If you want an elegant setup, minimalist interface, and superb operation, and you don't mind paying a premium for your online backup, Livedrive is the online backup for you. Livedrive is an excellent choice for you if you value impeccability.
The standard Backup plan for one PC and unlimited storage is $89.90 for the first year and $107.88 per year after that; a Pro Suite that covers five machines is $240 for the first year and $300 for subsequent years, according to PCWorld.
Read Also: WhatsApp's Unlimited Google Drive Back-Up Rumored To End Soon
What Are the Standards in Selecting an Online Backup?
You'll need to consider the capacity. You will definitely need as much storage as the data you have.
Cost is another standard to factor in. Most online services charge for a maximum allowable amount of data. There are, of course, free tiers available like Dropbox, but pricing is fairly consistent across services.
You might also want to consider the features. In addition to backup, you may want to share your files with others, work with them from mobile devices, or even edit them with office applications, as per PCWorld.
Support for OS and devices is another factor to consider. Most online backup services provide client backup software for the major operating systems like Linux, OS X, and Windows, as well as both Android and iOS.
Check also the privacy of your data. Better use a service that allows the use of a personal encryption key that you define and do NOT lose it.
Examine also the reliability because, in general, data centers are backed up to the hilt. Some of the larger ones even back up to different geographical locations.
Lastly, check the speed, although it depends on your broadband connection in most cases.
Related Article: Choosing the Best Cloud Storage for Your Needs: Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, or Dropbox?
