Backup software is used to make a digital copy of the electronic documents, folders, and drives. The backup data can be stored in local hard drives or on remote servers online. They are used to protect data against the threat of viruses, hackers, ransomware, and natural disasters. Backup applications come with different features. You should look for both functions and usability in a backup solution.
computer back up program
What is Backup Program?
Backup Program or software protects sensitive business data in the event of hardware malfunction, hacker penetration, and many other threats posed to digitally stored information.
Companies hoping for an additional level of data loss prevention and general data protection should consider using backup software, as these tools can help prevent a data loss catastrophe by storing files in a secure cloud environment or on local hardware.
best hard drive backup software
What a Backup Is
A backup is essentially just a copy of the data stored on your hard drive and it’s relatively easy to create one using a variety of methods. While the definition of a backup is simple enough, this is where the simplicity ends for many consumers. Therefore, it’s important to understand what a backup is, what one does and – perhaps just as important – what a backup is not. Backup data from a computer hard drive can generally be saved to any one of a number of mediums, including:
- Other hard drives (local drives or ones on a network)
- External storage devices (USB flash drives or USB hard drives)
- Online or cloud storage accounts
- Another hard drive partition (a disk partition is a separate and distinct section on the same hard drive)
Backups – a repetitive process
As mentioned above, a backup is a copy of data created from a computer or device. Nonetheless, a backup is just a copy of data at a particular point in time. A backup must be repeated or recreated to preserve or record any changes to the data since the last copy was made. While many backups are automated processes that create copies of existing data, even automation requires effective scheduling to keep saved or backed up data current. If a manual or scheduled backup is not run, new or changed files are not saved or archived.
What a Backup Is Not
There are many ways to back up a hard drive. For instance, you can copy data from one drive to another, and that would be, for all intents and purposes, considered a backup. Likewise, you can store a copy of your data online or in the cloud, and that, too, is a type of backup. Finally, if you save important files to a USB drive, that would also be a backup, although on a limited scale.
1) Google Backup And Sync
Best for: Creating a backup of files and folders on Windows and macOS devices. Lets you create a backup of files on Google Drive.
Price: Free (up to 15 GB) | $19.99 a year (1GB) | $99.99 a year (1TB)
Google Backup & Sync won’t let you restore your system if it crashes in the event of a system failure. The online tool allows you to back up selected files to Google Drive.
The speed of backup depends on your internet speed. Broadband users will be able to backup large files within minutes. You can access the files from a smartphone using Google Drive.
Features:
- Cloud Backup
- Sync with Google Drive
- Access back files using a smartphone
Cons:
- Limited browser support | No support for Opera and UC-Browser.
- Disc or system backup is not supported.
Verdict: Google Backup and Sync is a simple to use backup tool that integrates well with Google Suite (G-Suite) applications. It doesn’t support advanced backup and restore functions.
Website: Google Backup and Sync
2) Nova BACKUP PC
Best for: Backing up files, folders, and systems on Windows devices. The software supports NAS, RDX, and Single Tape, AWS, Azure, Wasabi, and Blackblaze back-ups.
Price: $49.95 – $299.95 per year| 15-day trial
NovaBACKUP PC is a great backup solution for small and large organizations. The software supports advanced backup features including support for NAS, Azure, AWS, and different cloud storage solutions.
It can download a 1TB hard drive in just 11 hours when compared to an average speed of 20 hours for other apps.
Features:
- Local and Cloud backups
- AES encryption
- Automatic backups
Cons:
- Lacks integration with File Explorer.
- Clustered interface
Verdict: NovaBACKUP is easy to use with fast backup and restore. The system uses minimum resources during the operation. The comprehensive list of features makes it best for corporations.
Website: NovaBACKUP PC
3) Paragon Backup & Recovery
Best for: Backing up files, folders, and disks on Windows PC. The software supports version control thereby allowing backup and recovery of specific backup files.
Price: Free for non-commercial use | $99 – $899 per year | 30-day free trial
Paragon Backup & Recovery can create partial or full backups of files and systems. The software supports advanced recovery environments including Windows PE and ISO images. It can be used to create bootable ISO and USB drives.
Features:
- Create a recovery disc
- Version control
- Partition disks, volumes
- Copy disks
Cons:
- Lack of support for macOS or old Windows OS.
Verdict: Paragon Backup & Recovery is a great app for backup of files, discs, and partitions. The software doesn’t use background services thereby resulting in quick backups and restoration. The free version will meet the backup needs of most users.
Businesses should opt for the premium version known as Hard Disk Manager that supports backup scripts, containers support, VM operations and data wiping.
Website: Paragon Backup & Recovery
Also Read: Best Hard drive Backup Software
hard disk backup software free
1) Windows Backup and Restore
Best for: Creating a backup of files for free on Windows 7 and 10. The software can also create system images to recover the entire system.
Price: Free
Back & Restore feature was initially introduced in Windows 7 and then reintroduced in Windows 10. The feature was removed from Windows 8.1. You can backup files to another drive and restore them using the application.
Features:
- Backup files and folders
- Create system images
- Supports Windows 7 and 10
Cons:
- No support for older windows.
Verdict: Back & Restore feature is a simple backup application for windows. The software is not recommended for corporate users as it doesn’t support cloud, network backup, and other advanced features.
Website: Backup and Restore
2) FBackup
Best for: Backup of banking data, multimedia files, and office documents on Windows for free. Supports backup and restore of files from local drive, network drive, and Google Drive using a PC or smartphone.
Price: Free
FBackup is one of the best free backup solutions for backing up specific files and folders. The software allows you to create multiple backup files and store certain versions. It allows you to backup files to a network drive or Google Drive.
Features:
- Password protect files
- ZIP64 support up to 2 GB
- Local or network backup
- Mirror backups
- Online backups
Cons:
- No support for system restore.
- No disc cloning support
Verdict: FBackup is a free backup software for commercial and noncommercial use. The software supports scheduled backups and zip compressions.
Website: FBackup
3) Cobian Backup
Best for: Backing up files and systems on old and new Windows OS for free. The app also supports FTP backups.
Price: Free
Cobian Backup is a free backup software tool that comes with a host of different features. The software can back up folders and files in different locations. It supports FTP and network backups by allowing you to backup remote systems.
The software supports old and new windows OS including Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, XP, 2003, 2008, and Windows 7, 8, and 10.
Features:
- FTP Backup
- Strong encryption
- Backup at multiple locations at a time.
- Incremental and differential backup.
Cons:
- No customer support
Verdict: Cobian is a fast backup software tool that can back up files and directories. The free software will meet the needs of both individuals as well as businesses.
Website: Cobian Backup
hdd backup software Comparison
There’s an old saying in IT that goes something like this: “You never realize how important backups are until you need one and don’t have one.” Unfortunately, this is true even today.
While consumers are more tech-savvy than ever, many computer users still neglect to create copies of their hard drives to protect their data from potentially permanent loss.
| Backup Software | Platform | Features | Price | Free Trial | Ratings ***** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internxt | Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android Desktop | Security, military grade encryption, file/photos/videos sync and backup, | 10GB – Free 20GB – €0.89 month, or €10.68 billed annually 200GB – €3.49 month, or €41.88 billed annually 2TB – €8.99 month, or €107.88 billed annually | 10GB free storage | 5/5 |
| pCloud | Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android. | Accessible on all devices, Unbreakable security, Activity Monitoring, etc. | Premium 500GB ($175) and Premium Plus 2TB ($350). | Available for 30 days. | 5/5 |
| Ashampoo® Backup Pro 15 | Windows 10 | Up-to-date cloud support, one-click access to menus, etc. | $49.99 one-time payment. | Available to download. | 5/5 |
| EaseUS ToDo Backup | MacOS, Windows | Local and Cloud backup, Incremental/Differential backup, Outlook email backup, Transfer system, Wipe disk partition. | Basic: $59 (lifetime license) Advanced: $29.95 – $39.95 per year | 30-day free trial | 5/5 |
| MiniTool ShadowMaker | Windows | File Sync, Incremental Backup, WinPE Bootable Media Builder, etc. | Free edition, Pro Edition: $29 /1 PC, Pro Ultimate: $79 | Available for Pro edition for 30 days. | 5/5 |
| Iperius Backup | Windows | Incremental Backup and synchronization, Hard Drive Cloning, Tape Backup, FTP Backup, Disk Backup, full system recovery, etc. | Free plan, Desktop(1PC): $32 Desktop(3PC): $65 Essential: $76 Five more plans are available. | Available | 5/5 |
| IBackup | Windows, Mac, & Linux, iOS, Android. | Automatic backup, etc. | It starts at $9.95 per month. | The 15-days evaluation period for all plans. | 5/5 |
| BigMIND | Windows, Mac, Android, & iOS. | SD/HD Video Streaming, No backup limitations, backup unlimited external drives, etc. | 100 GB: $35.88/yearly, 500 GB: $83.88/yearly, 1TB: $155.88/yearly. | Free demo available. Free plan for personal use available. | 5/5 |
| Acronis True Image 2020 | macOS, Windows, mobile devices. | Local and cloud backup, Full system image backup, Office 365 backup, Disk cloning – NTFS, HFS/HFSX, Fat16, Fat 32, exFat, ResierFS(3), APFS, Core Storage, Ext2-4. | Basic: $59.99 (lifetime license) Advanced: $49.99 – $99.99 per year | 30-day free trial | 5/5 |
| Cobian Backup | Windows | FTP Backup, Strong encryption, Backup at multiple locations at a time, Incremental and differential backup. | Free | N/A | 4.5/5 |
