Best Online Backup for Windows

Relying solely on physical storage like USB drives or external hard drives to save your data might seem convenient, but it comes with serious risks. These devices are vulnerable to theft, unauthorized access, and hardware failures. If your computer or storage device is stolen, sensitive information such as bank details or credit card numbers could fall into the wrong hands.

Worse, thieves may reformat your hard drive to erase any trace of the crime, making recovery impossible. Additionally, hardware failures and data corruption are common risks with physical storage solutions, potentially leading to permanent loss of critical files.

Switching to a reliable online backup solution is a wise choice to protect your valuable data from such threats. Cloud storage provide a secure, convenient, and fail-safe way to keep your files safe and accessible, no matter what happens to your physical devices.

Best Online Backup for Windows

Microsoft Cloud Backup

OneDrive is a cloud backup service for Windows users that securely stores pictures, videos, documents, and other files on the internet. It comes preinstalled with Microsoft Office, eliminating the need for additional downloads or installations. With OneDrive, you can start using MS Office immediately, streamlining your workflow.

OneDrive prioritizes security with features like identity verification, ensuring that only authorized users can access your files. This robust security measure safeguards your data against unauthorized access. A standout feature of OneDrive is Expiring Sharing Links, which lets you set an expiration date for shared links.

This is especially useful when sharing files temporarily. For instance, if someone only needs access for a short period, you can set an expiry date, after which the link will no longer work. Additionally, OneDrive offers Password-Protected Links for shared files. Even if someone obtains the link, they can’t access your content without the password, ensuring an extra layer of security for sensitive documents and images.

OneDrive includes a Ransomware Detection and Recovery feature for added peace of mind. In the unfortunate event of a ransomware attack, you can restore files from a previous state up to 30 days old. This is an invaluable tool for safeguarding critical data.

Another convenient feature is Offline Folders Access, which allows you to access your files without an internet connection. To enable this, select the files or folders you need offline, click “Make Available Offline,” and they’ll be stored locally on your device. This feature is perfect for users who work on the go or in areas with limited connectivity.

OneDrive also ensures seamless synchronization between devices and the cloud. Changes made to files on one device are automatically synced to the cloud and other devices. This eliminates the need for manual uploads and keeps your files consistently updated.

The Advanced Search Functionality helps you quickly locate files using the OneDrive desktop icon in the taskbar. Once you’ve found the file, you can easily edit or share it by right-clicking and selecting the appropriate option.

OneDrive’s Real-Time Collaboration feature is a game-changer for teams and small businesses. It allows multiple users to work on the same document simultaneously, fostering seamless teamwork.

Overall, OneDrive is an excellent cloud backup solution for Windows users. Its intuitive features, preinstallation on Windows computers, and robust security make it a top choice for individuals and small businesses.

Also read: Best Zero-Knowledge Cloud Storage

Backblaze

Backblaze stands out as the best and most affordable cloud backup service for Windows, offering unlimited storage for just $7/month. Like Terabox mod apk, this cloud storage service also automatically detects and backs up files to Backblaze’s servers whenever a change is made.

Its sync feature is continuous and unrestricted, ensuring that your important files are always backed up. Unlike many competitors, Backblaze imposes no file size limits, meaning files of any size are backed up seamlessly.

In addition to Windows, Backblaze fully supports Mac, providing cross-platform compatibility. This makes it an excellent choice for managing data across different operating systems. The service also offers a web and mobile-based interface, enabling access to your backups from virtually anywhere in the world.

Security Features

Backblaze ensures your data is safe with solid encryption protocols. Your files are encrypted using 128-bit AES before they’re sent to the servers. For enhanced security, private key encryption is also available. This allows you to encrypt your data with a key only you know, ensuring no one (not even Backblaze staff) can access your files without your password. Moreover, including two-factor authentication by default adds an extra layer of account protection.

Restoration Options

One of Backblaze’s standout features is its ability to restore up to 500GB of data simultaneously—surpassing many competitors. The service offers a “Mailed Hard Drive” option for added convenience, allowing users to receive their data on a physical drive without extra charges.

Free Trial

Backblaze provides a 14-day free trial, enabling potential users to explore the service and evaluate its features before committing to a subscription.

Also read: Best Cloud Storage for Videos

Carbonite 

Carbonite is among the best cloud backup for personal and commercial, offering a robust set of features that make it an excellent choice for data protection. With automatic backups, file versioning, and compatibility with PCs and Macs, Carbonite delivers convenience and reliability for users with diverse needs.

Key Features

1. Unlimited Backup
2. Carbonite offers unlimited cloud backup, making it perfect for users with large amounts of data. Whether it’s documents, photos, or videos, Carbonite ensures all your files are safely stored without restrictions on storage size.
3. File Versioning
4. The file versioning feature retains file versions for up to 7 days. This is invaluable if you accidentally modify or delete an important file and need to restore an earlier version.
5. External Drive Support
6. Carbonite extends its functionality by allowing users to back up data from external hard drives. This is especially useful for individuals with significant data stored on external devices.
7. Automatic Video Backup
8. The automatic backup for videos ensures that your valuable media files are consistently protected. Users don’t need to manually manage backups, as Carbonite seamlessly does this.

Security

Carbonite prioritizes data security by encrypting all files before uploading them to the cloud. This ensures your information is protected throughout the backup process.

Pricing and Plans

Carbonite offers various plans to accommodate different budgets and storage needs. The Basic plan starts at just $71.99/year, providing an affordable option for personal users. Higher-tier plans are available if you require additional storage or backup of multiple computers.

Carbonite offers a 15-day free trial to help users evaluate the service. This allows users to explore its features before committing to a subscription.

Also read: Best Cloud Storage for Photos

Arq backup

Arq Backup is a powerful software application designed to efficiently back data to any cloud storage service, including AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Storage. Unlike traditional cloud backup services, Arq Backup doesn’t include its storage but excels in simplifying and streamlining the backup process to your preferred destination.

Key Features

1. Compression and Deduplication
2. Arq Backup stands out by compressing data, preventing duplicate uploads to cloud servers, optimizing storage usage, and saving bandwidth.
3. Flexible Backup Destinations
4. Whether backing up to an external hard drive, a network share, internal storage, or a cloud service, Arq Backup works efficiently and adapts to your needs.
5. Block-Level Incremental Backups
6. To save time, the software uses block-level incremental backup. This means it only uploads changes made since the last backup, making the process significantly faster than many alternatives.
7. Versioning and File Recovery
8. Arq Backup automatically stores multiple versions of your files. If you need to retrieve an earlier version of a document, photo, video, or music file, you can effortlessly search within the Arq Backup interface. For instance, you can restore previous versions without redownloading the entire file in a ransomware attack or accidental edits.
9. Customizable Scheduling and Configuration
10. The software offers flexible configuration options. You can schedule backups daily, hourly, or even when connected to a specific Wi-Fi network. This ensures backups run at convenient times without manual intervention.

Why Choose Arq Backup?

Arq Backup is an excellent choice for users seeking complete control over their backup destinations and processes. Its efficient compression, deduplication, and incremental backups save time and storage space. The intuitive interface and robust versioning system make it a standout option for anyone needing reliable and flexible backup software.

Also read: Best Free Online Storage

FAQs