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Friday, July 18th
Selling itself as the "easiest cloud service on the market”, Backblaze has been offering backup services since 2007, and is one of the largest data storage providers out there. Even as their services are not the best you can find, their pricing is reasonable, and their software is simple to use. As such, while there are better rated sellers out there, Backblaze is by no means a bad choice.
One plan, multiple price options
Backblaze's claim to fame is their offering of fast, unlimited file backup. This is priced at a very inexpensive $7 per month, $70 per year, or $130 every two years. With no limits on the amount of data you can back up with Backblaze, they could very well be an excellent choice for those working with a large amount of data, or those interested in protecting a hard drive with photographs, video, or important documents.
Technical differences with competitors
It's important to note the technical differences between Backblaze and other backup services. First and foremost, Backblaze does not offer complete disk imaging, which is a complete and compressed copy of your computer files and operating system. In addition, you will require a separate subscription for each computer you want to backup, which may not be ideal for those with multiple PCs.
Cloud services offered separately
Backblaze does also offer Cloud services; however, these are priced separately from their personal plans. Backblaze offers storage at $0.005 per GB per month, and Download charges at $.01 per GB. This pricing plan is primarily marketed towards businesses looking to host software or a large number of files externally, and may not be the best for those looking to host their personal files in the cloud. However, it could still be attractive for individuals looking to host their software in the cloud, as their storage and download charges are compellingly lower than competitors.
Disk mailing offered
It is a common joke among the tech-minded that the fastest way to transmit data is a speeding van full of hard drives (or a pigeon with a flash drive tied to its leg, depending on who's telling the joke and when the joke was told). While funny, if you happen to lose more files than can be reasonably downloaded over the internet - such as an archive of videos or photographs - a flash drive in the mail can be a convenient way to receive your files. We appreciate that Backblaze has put this into effect by offering to mail you a flash drive with your data in case of computer failure or data loss (and you can mail the flash drive back for a refund). We especially appreciate this, as mailing your files is a service other competitors lock behind their premium subscriptions.
Mixed reviews, clunky software
Customer and professional reviews for Backblaze are mixed. While Backblaze has earned an "A+” with the Better Business Bureau for their responsiveness to customer complaints, there are also a significant number of issues reported, and they often cite frustration with Backblaze's auto payment. In addition, professionals note that Backblaze's mobile app is frustratingly basic, and their service does not integrate with "finder” or "file explorer” on your PC. In other words, Backblaze's services - while good for the price - are somewhat basic when compared to competitors.
A simple service, but not the best
While Backblaze is likely an excellent choice for the average PC user with only one or two connected hard drives or SSDs looking to back up their photographs and files, and offers good pricing for B2 cloud services, those looking to create a complete copy of their entire desktop would be better served with a company that offers disk-imaging services.
When it comes to backups and cybersecurity, you can never be too safe, especially when it comes to your files. When we use our computers, everything we save feels permanent, but that permanence is - quite frankly - an illusion. Everything saved is saved somewhere on a physical drive, which means that far from existing in some ethereal cloud, your files can be lost.
Your computer could just break one day from wear, have water spilled on it, be dropped, or even locked-in with a ransomware attack. This isn't even to mention the fact that hard drives decay. In fact, every single hard drive and SSD WILL fail at some point - it's just a matter of when. All of these issues explain why online backup services have exploded in popularity over the last several years.
Online backup services are super convenient. Gone are the days when users had to manually transfer data to external hard drives or rely on physical backups that could be lost or damaged. Online backup services automate the process, running in the background and ensuring that data is continuously backed up. This automation makes it easy on users and eliminates the need for manual backups, saving both time and effort.
Another reason why online backup services are so popular is they are an efficient and cost-effective solution for data management. Traditional backup methods often required substantial investments in physical hardware, such as extra hard drives, discs, and cables. These would have to be upgraded as technology (and storage limits) increased. Then, to prevent against environmental damage (such as fire or rain), the backup data needed to be physically moved and stored at another location. Online backup services, on the other hand, offer scalable, pay-as-you-go pricing models, require no additional equipment, and enjoy built-in offsite storage.
Furthermore, online backup services offer continuing technology improvements at no additional cost. Many providers offer advanced features like versioning, which allows users to retrieve previous versions of files, and continuous backup, which ensures that even the smallest changes are saved throughout the day. This not only enhances data integrity but also offers peace of mind, knowing that the data is always up-to-date and recoverable.
There are a host of services out there to help you save critical data and protect your computer from damage or malicious actors. However it can be a bit confusing when it comes to finding the right online backup service that meets your particular needs.
Here are some features to look for when comparing the various online backup services:
While some things involving computers can feel overwhelming, and saved files are in no way as permanent as they seem, some simple and prudent steps taken today can save you a host of headaches (or the pain of lost photographs, memories, or critical work) down the line. To that end, we've collected the best services we could find and rated them based on their reliability, price, and technical merits. We here at Top Consumer Reviews hope that our curated list can help you make an informed choice as you take steps to secure your critical files.
Select any 2 Online Backup Services to compare them head to head