Friday, July 11th
2025 Online Backup Service Reviews
SugarSync
- Personal plan: 100GB storage at $7.49 per month
- Business plan: 1TB for three users at $55 per month
- Multi folder and device syncing
- Backups for select "protected folders”
- Free 30-day trial
SugarSync is first and foremost a file storage and syncing solution. While SugarSync does offer backups and file versioning for the storage you purchase and the files you store therein, unlimited backups of a single hard drive or PC is not what SugarSync offers. Even so, this is a convenient (if slightly more expensive) solution if file syncing and storage is more important to you than a complete PC backup.
You don't get much for what you pay
SugarSync has multiple plans for those looking for flexible cloud storage and syncing.
- Personal backups. Their Personal plan includes 100GB of storage at $7.49 per month, 250GB for $10 per month, or 500GB for $18.95 per month. All plans with SugarSync include the ability to sync files across devices, file encryption, file-versioning for stored files, and integrated mobile apps.
- Business backups. SugarSync also offers business plans, which start at $55 per month or $550 per year.
These offerings from SugarSync are not very impressive when compared to the best on our list. For example, our highest-rated budget provider offers 5TB of storage at $59 per year. SugarSync, by comparison, charges $55 per month for one-fifth the amount of storage, a mere 1TB.
Encryption, but no personal control
While SugarSync does encrypt your files, they do not actually offer you the ability to control your own encryption key. This means that - when push comes to shove - you do not control your files with SugarSync: they control your files, as they are the only ones who have the access key. That being said, SugarSync does support multi-factor authentication, which - for most security concerns - is just as important as file encryption.
Poorly handled service outages
Customer reviews of SugarSync are decidedly mixed. It seems that this is partly due to the fact that their services failed for a two week period during 2022, without any explanation or warning to their customers. (Some customers complained that, even though SugarSync's service was down, they were still able to charge customer credit cards without issue). We are disappointed that-when services were disrupted-SugarSync seems to have left their customers out to dry.
Little to recommend with SugarSync
There is nothing particularly wrong with SugarSync, but there is also nothing about their service that can be recommended. Across every metric-security, storage, customer service, sharing capabilities-a higher-rated service on our list has outperformed SugarSync. Whether you're looking for unlimited backup, low-cost secure storage, or file-sharing, there are better and cheaper companies on our list.
More Online Backup Service Reviews
The 9 Best Online Backup Services
Which Online Backup Service is the Best?
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 Service FAQ
Continued from above...
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:
- Disk imaging. A full disk imaging compresses your entire computer into an easily-transported file. Disk imaging is a great choice for a full backup (including your OS and any virtual machines), but may be overkill for the casual user. Decide if you need something at this level before you start looking for an online backup service, so that you only pay for what you'll actually use.
- Cloud. A cloud service allows you to edit files hosted on an external server. This can be an excellent way to secure files and programs you are actively editing or sharing with others.
- Deletion policies. Keep in mind that most backup services have a 30-day deletion policy unless they explicitly say otherwise. This means that if your computer doesn't communicate with their servers for 30 days, or it detects that you've deleted a file on your hard drive, it will be deleted in their backup. That being said, the best services on our list do not auto delete your backups or files.
- Customer service. If you are going to be trusting a company to backup your data, responsive and robust customer service is a must. Be sure to check customer reviews before signing up for a backup service.
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.
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