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AOMEI Backupper is our best overall pick for personal Windows users: it has a free single-PC plan and covers backup and drive cloning. For Mac, Carbon Copy Cloner costs $49.99 once per household. Businesses should compare IDrive Business for multi-device coverage and CrashPlan for retention and legal hold. If you need to recover deleted files rather than protect devices, consider Disk Drill or EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard. Prices and plan details are unevenly published, so check storage caps, license rules and restore requirements before switching.
Quick picksThe shortlist
AOMEI BackupperAOMEI BackupperBest overall · $3.33/mo
Carbon Copy ClonerCarbon Copy ClonerBest for Mac · Custom
IDrive BusinessIDrive BusinessBest for small businesses · $13.99/mo
EaseUS Todo BackupEaseUS Todo BackupBest free Windows backup · $3.33/mo
Macrium ReflectMacrium ReflectBest for disk imaging · $4.17/mo
Backblaze Business BackupBackblaze Business BackupBest for workstation fleets · $6.95/mo
CrashPlanCrashPlanBest for Microsoft 365 · $2.50/mo
Disk DrillDisk DrillBest for file recovery · $7.42/mo
MSP360MSP360Best for MSPs · $1.67/mo
Commvault CloudCommvault CloudBest for enterprise workloads · $1.70/mo
01Compared at a glance
| Tool | Score | From | Free plan | Trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AOMEI BackupperAOMEI Backupper | 6.8 | $3.33/mo | Yes | — |
| Carbon Copy ClonerCarbon Copy Cloner | 8.2 | Custom | No | 30 days |
| IDrive BusinessIDrive Business | 7.2 | $13.99/mo | Yes | 7 days |
| EaseUS Todo BackupEaseUS Todo Backup | 6.6 | $3.33/mo | Yes | — |
| Macrium ReflectMacrium Reflect | 7.0 | $4.17/mo | No | 30 days |
| Backblaze Business BackupBackblaze Business Backup | 6.8 | $6.95/mo | Yes | — |
| CrashPlanCrashPlan | 6.2 | $2.50/mo | No | 14 days |
| Disk DrillDisk Drill | 6.8 | $7.42/mo | Yes | Yes |
| MSP360MSP360 | 6.8 | $1.67/mo | Yes | 15 days |
| Commvault CloudCommvault Cloud | 7.3 | $1.70/mo | No | 30 days |
02The picks, in detail
- Best overallAOMEI BackupperAOMEI Backupper
AOMEI Backupper is a practical starting point for personal Windows users who want backup and drive-cloning tools. Its free plan covers one PC, and the listed starting price is $3.33. It also suits people upgrading a drive. The trade-off: pricing details are incomplete, and businesses licensing multiple PCs should check the applicable terms rather than assume the personal plan fits.
What works
- Backs up systems, disks, partitions, and files
- Includes OS migration to an SSD
- Supports hard-drive cloning
What doesn't
- Monthly billing prices aren't published
- Free-trial duration isn't published
- Cloud storage costs extra on listed plans
- Best for MacCarbon Copy ClonerCarbon Copy Cloner
Carbon Copy Cloner is the clearest Mac-focused pick here for scheduled backups, multiple Macs and moving data to a new Mac. It costs $49.99 once per household, according to the published pricing details. That makes the price easier to assess than products with custom quotes. Check the license rules before using it for work; the household price does not establish business-use rights.
What works
- One-time $49.99 household license covers all computers in one household
- 30-day free trial
- Custom schedules and backup contents
What doesn't
- Commercial license costs $49.99 per computer before volume discounts
- Pricing above 50 corporate licenses is not published
- The $125 Pro License excludes scheduled client backups
- Best for small businessesIDrive BusinessIDrive Business
IDrive Business covers several device types and offers unlimited user accounts, file versions and snapshots, making it a fit for teams that need more than workstation-only backup. The listed starting price is $13.99. The main caveats are storage caps and unclear renewal pricing. Confirm how much storage your devices need and what the renewal will cost before moving a team.
What works
- Listed tiers include unlimited users
- Supports computers, servers, Exchange, SQL and NAS
- Retains up to 30 previous file versions
What doesn't
- Entry tier includes 500 GB
- Year-two standard prices are not published
- 500 GB tier's monthly price is not published
- Best free Windows backupEaseUS Todo BackupEaseUS Todo Backup
EaseUS Todo Backup suits Windows users who want a free plan and a simple starting point for personal PC backups. The listed paid starting price is $3.33. Its one-click setup may appeal to buyers who want fewer configuration decisions, but a completed backup is not proof that a restore will be easy. Check your recovery process before relying on it.
What works
- Free plan covers one PC
- Home costs $39.95 for one year
- One-click system, disk, and file backups
What doesn't
- Home’s annual price is charged upfront
- Monthly billing price is not published
- Trial duration is not published
- Best for disk imagingMacrium ReflectMacrium Reflect
Macrium Reflect is worth considering for imaging one home Windows PC, backing up business workstations and servers, or deploying Windows across a device fleet. The listed starting price is $4.17, and the published details describe its pricing as annual. That may not suit buyers seeking a perpetual license. Check the current plan and licensing terms for your number of devices.
What works
- Creates complete system images for backup and recovery
- Rapid Delta Restore restores only changed data blocks
- Supports Windows XP SP3 through modern Windows editions
What doesn't
- No free plan; the listed free trial lasts 30 days
- Annual plans are billed upfront; monthly rates are not published
- Reflect X Home covers one PC per license
- Best for workstation fleetsBackblaze Business BackupBackblaze Business Backup
Backblaze Business Backup is aimed at teams that want automatic, unlimited backup for Mac and PC workstations, with coverage described as scaling from one to 1,000 computers. The listed starting price is $6.95, but no Computer Backup price is supplied. Treat that figure cautiously: get the price for the specific workstation product and fleet size before comparing it with alternatives.
What works
- Automatically backs up computer files
- Unlimited cloud backup
- Supports Mac and PC workstations
What doesn't
- Computer Backup pricing isn’t listed in the published pricing
- The $6.95/TB/month price is for B2, not workstation backup
- No Reddit discussions were published to assess user sentiment
- Best for Microsoft 365CrashPlanCrashPlan
CrashPlan is a business-oriented option for teams backing up Microsoft 365 and other workloads, with retention and legal hold among its listed strengths. The listed starting price is $2.50. Storage limits and restore expectations need checking before you switch; the published details do not specify a storage allowance or explain how restores work for your particular workload.
What works
- One console covers Microsoft 365, Entra ID, Google Workspace, endpoints and servers.
- Homepage says unlimited retention and versioning are included at no extra cost.
- Granular recovery includes files, emails, folders, SharePoint sites and systems.
What doesn't
- Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace small-business plans include 50 GB pooled storage per user.
- The small-business server plan includes 250 GB pooled storage per server.
- Additional storage costs $90 per year per 250 GB.
- Best for file recoveryDisk DrillDisk Drill
Disk Drill supports Mac and Windows recovery and lets buyers check found files before paying, which is useful when recoverability is uncertain. The listed starting price is $7.42, and our comparison flags an $89 annual cost. Preview results carefully and weigh that ongoing cost against your expected recovery needs; this is a recovery tool, not a substitute for keeping backups.
What works
- Supports recovery on Mac and Windows
- Previews found files before recovery
- Includes recovery-chance estimates
What doesn't
- Free Windows recovery stops at 100 MB
- Free macOS plan only recovers protected files
- PRO costs $89 per year
- Best for MSPsMSP360MSP360
MSP360 combines backup options with RMM and can send backups to local or cloud storage, making it a budget-conscious candidate for MSPs and teams with basic backup needs. The listed starting price is $1.67, and a free plan is noted. Pricing details are incomplete, and the management experience is described as sometimes confusing, so check the full costs and workflow before standardizing on it.
What works
- Supports Windows, macOS, Linux, servers and virtual machines
- Works with local storage and several cloud providers
- Free local backup includes up to 5 TB
What doesn't
- Managed Backup pricing is not published
- Monthly prices are not published
- Microsoft 365 backup excludes SharePoint, Teams and Shared Drives
- Best for enterprise workloadsCommvault CloudCommvault Cloud
Commvault Cloud covers mixed workloads, Microsoft 365 backup and managed cloud recovery, so it belongs on the shortlist for enterprises with varied protection needs. The listed starting price is $1.70, but licensing and custom-tier costs need scrutiny. Confirm what the quoted tier covers, how much control your team retains and which workloads are included before comparing the price with other enterprise options.
What works
- Unified security, identity and recovery platform
- Recovery across hybrid and cloud environments
- Published prices for several workload types
What doesn't
- Annual-billing rates are not published
- Three recovery tiers require custom quotes
- Custom-tier usage limits are not published
03How we chose
We compare backup and recovery tools using published pricing, plan limits, product documentation and Reddit sentiment where those sources are available. We give more weight to details that affect a buying decision: what data can be protected, how recovery is described, and what limits or costs a buyer should check. We do not claim hands-on testing. The published published material names products but includes no pricing, plan limits, documentation or Reddit posts, so we cannot verify product-specific differences here. Missing details should be treated as not published in our source set, not as included.
04Choose for the recovery job, not the category label
Start by writing down what needs protection: endpoints, servers, cloud accounts, databases, or another workload. Then define the disruption you need to recover from and how quickly service must return. A tool that fits one workload may not cover another; do not assume every product in this category protects the same systems or restores them in the same way.
Before shortlisting, check the vendor’s documentation for supported environments, recovery steps, retention options and prerequisites. Ask whether recovery needs to happen on the original system or can use replacement hardware or another destination. If the product page does not answer a requirement, treat it as unconfirmed and ask the vendor. That is safer than choosing by feature names alone, especially when your recovery plan depends on a specific workload or recovery path.
05Compare total cost and test the exit before switching
Compare the price of the plan that covers your actual workload, not just the lowest advertised starting price. Check what drives the bill, which limits apply, and whether storage, protected devices, retention, or support change the cost. If pricing or a cap is not published, mark it as unknown and request a written quote. Do not assume an unlisted feature or limit is included.
Before switching, document how you would restore data and how you would leave the service. Confirm what export or recovery options the vendor documents, what access you need during an outage, and whether your existing backups can be used elsewhere. Plan a small, non-critical recovery exercise before moving everything. That is a decision checklist, not a claim that we tested these products. Keep the old recovery path until the replacement is verified against your requirements.
Questions people ask
What should we compare first when choosing backup software?
Start with the systems and data you need to protect, then check documented recovery options, plan limits and pricing for that workload. Compare only products whose documentation addresses your requirements. If a price, cap or recovery detail is not published in the material you have, treat it as unknown and ask the vendor.
Is backup software the same as data recovery software?
Not necessarily. The category includes products described as backup and recovery tools, but product names alone do not establish what each one protects or how it restores data. Check the documentation for the specific recovery scenario you need, and do not assume a tool can restore a system just because it can recover files.
How can we compare prices when vendors do not publish them?
Mark the price as not published rather than estimating it. Ask vendors for a quote covering your workload, required retention and support needs, and request any applicable plan limits in writing. Compare the resulting quotes on the same scope; a starting price without its coverage details is not a like-for-like comparison.
What should we do before replacing an existing backup tool?
Write down the data and recovery scenarios the current setup covers. Check the replacement’s documentation for those same needs, clarify any unknown limits, and plan a small recovery exercise before moving everything. Keep the old recovery path available until you have verified that the replacement meets your requirements.