Online Backup Review, the Final Chapter
Posted November 9th, 2009 by kyleSince my last review of online backup choices, I discovered that CrashPlan now offers unlimited online backup options, putting their pricing right in line with the other least costly options. Since my Mozy subscription was about to end, I decided to take another look, and I’m glad I did.
CrashPlan is unique in that it supports multiple backup destinations — a local hard drive or network share or a friend’s computer, as well as online backup (all but the online option are completely free). You decide where and when your backups will run. It backs up open files, uses strong encryption, and supports incremental (block-level) updates and bandwidth throttling. It can backup everything — it doesn’t limit file sizes or types that will be backed up. It offers very granular choices on retaining of old versions of files. It supports Windows, Mac, and Linux. They even offer an unlimited family plan option for multiple computers.
I configured a local drive and CrashPlan Central destinations (about 180GB of content). The local drive backup completed in a few hours, and in one week it’s already one fourth of the way done backing up online. It Just Works.
CrashPlan is now the unequivocal leader in online backup. They have found the sweet spot of features, usability, and price. Thank you CrashPlan!
November 10th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
So, how do they make money for free online backup? They mention ads, where are those displayed? Are they shown while the backup is running or at different times as well?
November 10th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
Their online backup service, CrashPlan Central, is not free (but they do offer unlimited storage options). Also, the free version for local and friend destinations is for personal use only and does not include support.
http://www.crashplan.com/consumer/personal.html
http://www.crashplan.com/consumer/store.vtl
You can also purchase CrashPlan+ ($60), which has some extra features and no ads (and can be used for non-personal use). I purchased CrashPlan+, so I don’t know exactly where the ads are displayed, but I suspect they would be displayed in the GUI for backup status and configuration.
http://www.crashplan.com/consumer/features.html
November 14th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Thank you for the article, Kyle. My Mozy subscription is about to end, too, and I was thinking about evaluating what else was available. Your post makes it much easier. Thanks again.