The best backup program for Windows

Admittedly, a backup program is not something to be excited about, but it is important to have backups. If you don’t, you run the risk of losing valuable files that you can never recover.

Can you live without photos and videos of your first baby, without photos and videos of your wedding and other life events?

This may sound dramatic, but why is there a risk that your computer will be destroyed in a fire or that one day its hard drive will not work?

We insure our homes, cars and lives, and even if you can’t insure your data, you can back it up.

The backup program can fully automate the process so that you don’t have to remember anything and it doesn’t become a problem. when it is necessary to use them

When it comes to the backup method, do you have options, do you upload files to the cloud or do you store them in some kind of memory connected to your computer?

Both approaches have advantages and disadvantages

Cloud storage backup

First, let’s deal with a common point of confusion, you’re already using Google Drive, iCloud OneDrive, or another cloud storage service.

It’s important to understand that this isn’t the same as backups Cloud storage services typically sync files to all of your devices; This means that if you delete a file from any device, it will be deleted from the cloud and all your other devices.

When you delete a file from your laptop, you can change the settings in your cloud storage to tell you that the same file in your cloud storage was not deleted. Copies of your files will remain in the cloud

The point is that if you are not sure that you have configured the synchronization settings correctly, you should not rely on cloud storage as a backup.

There are personal cloud backup services like iDrive and Backblaze, which you can find below. disaster In contrast, usually backup software

What to look for in backup software

The backup program falls into one of two main categories based on description or file. If you want to make a full backup of your hard drive to restore the operating system and programs, look for a backup program that supports system images.

Alternatively, if you are interested in the files and documents you put on your computer, all you need is a backup tool that targets files and folders.

Most backup software supports both types, but be careful not all

You will need some memory drive to store these backups. It can be internal or external, like a drive inside your computer or laptop, that is, a device that connects to your computer like a USB drive. Alternatively, you can tow. to a network drive known as the NAS, which has enough memory space for the amount of data needed to back up

Choosing the right software is the process of deciding what kind of backup you want to back up, how much you are willing to spend, and whether you are willing to pay a subscription fee or just pay once and use the software forever.

If you need to back up more than one device, it’s also important to choose software or a cloud service that isn’t limited to just one computer or a fee for each device. Look for backup software that encrypts files, especially for sensitive files.

Some of the options here work on Macs, but you can find a more specific backup guide on our sister site,  .

Best backup software for 2022

1. Ashampoo Backup Pro 16

Pros	Cons
Not a subscription	No free version available
Works with cloud storage services
Supports Windows 11
$49.99

Ashampoo is a rather strange brand of a German company that has been constantly improving its Backup Pro software for years.

The interface is clean and easy to understand with the wizards that guide you through the backup process. This is very useful because there are many features offered that Backup Pro 16 allows you to back up the entire partition of certain files or the entire Windows system that is included. You can completely restore your computer after an accident or other catastrophic event

Background backups mean you don’t have to stop using your computer while the process is going on, and there is now better support for targets that can be used to save creations. They work with the external memory of your local drive, as well as a wide range of cloud-based solutions such as OneDrive Dropbox Google Drive any NAS, as well as OneDrive Business and Office365.

Other notable features are the compression of the encrypted version 7Zip / LZMA automatic backup checker and the scheduler to ensure that the backups run at the most convenient time.

The Ashampoo Backup Pro 16 is priced at £ 44.99/$ 49.99, but at the time of writing, the software is usually available at a discount from a company that offers it for £ 26.99/$ 29.99.

Even for half that price, Ashampoo is offering an abbreviated version of Backup Pro 2021, which only backs up hard disk partitions or all Windows systems.

You won’t get an elegant new interface or improved support for cloud services, but it’s still a powerful tool.

2. EaseUS Todo Backup Free

Pros	Cons
It’s free	Some features require paid version
Can backup partitions	No System Clone in free version
Can mount a backup like a Windows hard drive

EaseUS Todo Backup Free, as the name implies, is a free backup program that offers step-by-step instructions to help you quickly and easily back up and restore your files.

If you want, you can back up individual partitions, or back up individual files and folders, even if they are on individual Windows. There are also options to back up changes made only after the last backup, saving time and memory gradually and differently. You can schedule backups when you are not using your computer

The free version is not everything and becomes invisible when you click on some features that seem accessible, because EaseUS requires you to pay for the Basic version. That’s £ 36.56/$ 39.95 or £ 80.70/79 for a year. License with permanent, lifetime updates for $ 95

It adds the ability to transfer the system to different computer hardware, and Outlook has special tools for backing up and restoring email, and comes with 250 GB of cloud storage, although you can pay an additional 1 TB to upgrade.

For those who need a simple backup, the Free version offers enough tools to make local backups. You can back up your computer’s hard drive, an external drive is not recommended with a NAS drive, or you can even combine your Dropbox OneDrive or Google Drive account.

Get Todo Backup from  

3. Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office

Pros	Cons
Local & cloud backup options	Now a subscription service
Clear interface	Average phishing protection
Antivirus software included	From $49.99

Powerful, rich in features and easy to use, Acronis Cyber ​​Protect Home Office, formerly known as True Image, is the most comprehensive backup program you can find. cloning and antivirus

If the company does not protect your files from cyberattacks, the backup software is considered incomplete.

While backup is the main focus, the new antivirus element provides real-time scanning along with antivirus scans required to protect against malicious websites, as well as web filtering in the Advanced package, Zoom Cisco WebEx and Microsoft Teams spying on video conferencing. There is security.

Even if you go to the cheapest Essentials level, you get a number of backup tools that you can use to select files and folders or play them really safely and back up your entire computer, including Windows. I do not want to save them all

Customizable backup plans allow you to back up your most important files and choose exactly what you want to back up more regularly. Also, a backup works in the background to make sure you don’t have to worry while you’re working.

End-to-end encryption is available to keep these files safe and secure, and you can search for backup files both on your local hard drive and in the cloud to recover the files.

Other standard features include backup status notifications when backups are made only on selected Wi-Fi connections, ransomware protection active disk cloning, Backup Statistics Activity logs, and an all-in-one recovery tool called Survival Kit.

Unfortunately, you can no longer purchase the program directly from the Cyber ​​Protect subscription service

This means that you will have to pay each year to continue using it, and not everyone will need another subscription to add to other subscriptions they already pay for.

Also, £ 55.99 / $ 79.99 The Basic Package does not include any cloud storage, so you will need to provide your memory in the form of a shared folder or NAS device on your hard drive external USB drive.

If you like the convenience of cloud backup options, and want to protect your Office 365 data online, you’ll need Advanced or Premium packages worth £ 90.99/£ 129.99 or £ 132.99/£ 189.99, respectively, for a year. These prices are for three computers, and save money if you only have one computer, but the 50% limited time offer, which expires on April 11, 2022, also makes Cyber ​​Protect even more attractive.

Advanced and Premium include 500GB and 2TB Cloud storage, respectively. Additional memory and additional computers can be added to your package for an additional fee. See a comparison of the three levels here

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4. iDrive

Pros	Cons
Free tier with 5GB	Uploading files can take a long time
No need to buy your own storage drives
Unlimited device backups

Unlike some other backup programs, iDrive is cloud-based, meaning that your files are backed up to an Internet server. In many ways, this is safer and more convenient than storing backups on your hard drive at home.

iDrive offers 5 GB of free memory for an indefinite period of time, which allows you to check whether the service is suitable for you.

5 GB is not enough to back up excess data, but the whole idea is that you can use iDrive Personal, which costs £ 60 / 79.50 per year for 5 TB or £ 76 / $ 99.50 for 10 TB. You will want to upgrade to. enough. the largest data collectors

iDrive can be used on multiple PCs on Mac, iPhone, iPad and Android devices. You pay to not use cloud storage on a special device without requiring an additional license. For small businesses, there is also the Team option, which offers five devices to five users and costs £ 71.99 for 5 TB. / $ 99.50 for storage

Of course, if you are a family, you can use a single account on all your devices to protect everyone’s files for a very reasonable fee.

Another bonus is that iDrive works like an Apple Time Machine, so you can restore and restore the file at any point in history. Ideally, you can recover files you deleted before they were damaged or encrypted by malware within 30 days of throwing them in the trash.

You can also create a Sync folder that will automatically share the files you enter with your devices. They can also be accessed through the iDrive web client.

If you’re away from your computer, you can use the iDrive web client to manage, schedule, or restore your backups on any device with web access. he needs old files

If you need an accurate clone of your disk, including the operating system, you can use the iCrive desktop client Disk Clone tool, which is equipped with a wide range of other functions.

If you prefer a simpler life without all the configuration options or various online adventures offered by a powerful desktop client, the new iDrive Basic is a simplified interface that helps you create backup apps, restore previous versions, and share files with your friends. all with a few clicks

As with all Cloud backups, IDrive is suitable for those with high-speed unlimited broadband, and those with limited connections should avoid it. Data recovery can be arranged in a similar way, but mainly for US customers who have to pay for shipping to other countries.

5.Paragon Backup & Recovery

Pros	Cons
Lots of features	Have to buy HDM Advanced to get it
Step-by-step wizards	Not the cheapest option

Paragon’s Backup and Restore feature, just like the driver cloning tool, is now part of Paragon Hard Disk Manager Advanced, previously available at a separate discounted price.

However, if you intend to take advantage of things like moving and resizing partitions and securely deleting data from disks, this may be of better value than other packages.

The interface is clear and simple, and provides step-by-step help for the various backup tasks you need based on the schedule you set. If that’s all you need and you don’t have enough space in your backup, you can make regular or one-time backups. the target, you can even split backups into smaller sections to solve this problem.

The combination of defined scenarios and temporary backups is a very flexible combination, which is especially suitable for those who use their computers dynamically, and therefore the software must be able to adapt equally.

It is also one of the few tools that supports backup of virtual disks, such as those created by major hypervisor vendors VMDK VHDX VHDX VHD pVHD, such as VMware Hyper V VirtualBox.

If you use this technology, Microsoft can even protect Bitlocker encrypted volumes

Paragon Backup & Recovery is available for £ 67.25/79.95 and you can get it from Parago’s website.

After criticizing Paragon for including the Backup and Restore function in the Advanced Hard Disk Manager, it should be noted that there is a completely free version called Paragon Backup & Recovery Community Edition, it is worth downloading and trying, especially if you only need a basic backup. and restore functions.

6. O&O AutoBackup 6

Pros	Cons
Affordable	Doesn’t support entire system backups
Easy to use	$29.95

O&O offers a fast and simple program that will automatically back up your files and folders and back them up to your hard drive or USB drive.

The difference with this solution is that it is enabled by inserting backup media, such as a disk or USB drive, but if you want to protect the files for a very specific time period, you can also define a backup schedule. tracks changes to files in highlighted folders and then copies them to a backup location

The dock backup of O&O AutoBackup is a nice trick, but the software is a bit limited. However, it is very easy to use for those who are technically minded, as it will not be easily confused with the few options available £ 19.99 / $ 27.99 Also for those who do not want to call and whistle a bunch at a reasonable price

The AutoBackup method works well for someone who captures data every day and wants to protect that information at the end of the workday, but it will not restore a working operating system or a computer that has experienced a serious driver failure because it cannot boot. partitions. For this purpose, O&O has DiskImage 16, a system imaging tool for £ 35.99 / $ 49.95.

O&O also has DiskRecovery 14 Professional, a £ 65 / $ 99 tool for recovering lost files and damaged partitions, as well as expert software for SSD migration migration and secure deletion systems.

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7. Backblaze

Pros	Cons
Utterly simple to use	Only backs up files, not Windows
Backs up unlimited number of files	Price is per computer
$7 per month or $70 per year

Backblaze considers itself the easiest cloud backup in the world, so it will appeal to anyone who wants to make the tedious task of backing up their files as painless as possible.

Also, as soon as you register, the service will automatically copy any files you have created or saved on your computer; documents, pictures, music, movies, etc. There are no large files to back up, and your subscription gives you unlimited cloud storage. it could not be simpler

The only downside is that Backblaze does not back up any temporary data created by OS programs or active programs.

However, it copies any documents, pictures, videos or other file types available on your system, and also works with Windows macOS, Android iOS and iPad OS.

File versions are automatically stored for 30 days, so you can restore old duplicates of files during that time, but if you find you have changed a very useful file, you can extend it to 12 months by paying an additional $ 2 / month £ 1.40. document and something important.lost

If something bad happens to your computer, you can download your files in zip format for free or for $ 189.

Backblaze is great, but if your hard drive is completely out of order, it won’t be able to restore your computer from scratch. If you have a lot of files, it will take some time and a lot of bandwidth to back them all up and actually restore them. people have faster downloads. faster than download speed

Those who use a slow or limited data broadband network will be better off using the software and backing it up locally.

For those who don’t have broadband caps, a fee of about $ 70 per year for almost unlimited cloud storage seems like a really good deal. Alternatively, a Backblaze can be purchased for around $ 6 a month or £ 24-4.50. lunar cycle. $ 110, about £ 83

In addition to personal storage solutions, Backblaze also has Business options that cost $ 6 per month for stored terabytes. The business model can protect not only traditional documents, but also VMs and database structures, provide enterprise-level service, and even help you transfer your data from Amazon S3.

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8. Bvckup 2

Pros	Cons
Fast	Intimidating for beginners
Lightweight	$29.95

Bvckup 2 is a fast and lightweight Windows backup program aimed at powerful users or those in the role of a professional IT.

If you haven’t thought about it technically, its interface can be a little intimidating, as there are many alternatives on this list that appeal to home users.

Its main designer, Alexander Pankratov, describes it as follows: “Proper use of what looks like a kitchen knife requires skill, but in the right hands it is the best tool for the job.

The application can make additional or scheduled backups of your files, but if you want a disk description or full system backups, you will need another solution.

This focus allows Bvckup to specialize in the speed at which the program is written, working as close to the hardware as possible and using as little resource as possible. reserve

Some external drives can be assigned to run custom backups when connected, and all will be automated once configured. You can also check what happened during the backup process with hierarchical notes showing each step.

Some of these features are available at the Basic level, costing £ 21.50 / $ 29.99, but for more advanced options £ 35.99 / $ 49.99 for Workstations Pro or £ 108 / 149.99 for Pro for Windows Servers Switch to US Dollar The dollar is open to the latter. try

If you upgrade to a professional level, you’ll get access to things like Delta Copy, which speeds up backups compared to full file copies, and offers higher reliability with intelligent error management and detailed access.

Another impressive Pro feature is how it uses Windows’ shadow copy mode, which allows it to copy an open file for editing without causing an accident or exception.

While services like OneDrive and Google Drive don’t specifically support Cloud services when they depend on your PC’s file structure, you can save these folders locally or back up your hot folders in the Cloud using Bvckup2.

You can run the program as a regular program or background system service with or without administrator-level access, and if it is your job, it has the ability to manage everything from the command line.

It’s really a kitchen knife

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