Backing up your Mac is the only way to make sure you can recover your data in the event of an unexpected loss, hardware failure or upgrade. Using one of the best online backup services is a great way to protect your data. To help you pick the right service, we’ve compiled a list of the best Mac backup software.
Every Mac has a built-in backup called Time Machine. It works well but has some limitations, such as few configurations and no cloud backup option. Fortunately, there are plenty of third-party services to choose from. To make it easy, we break down what to look for and show you what each provider offers. Let’s get in to the best Mac backup software options.
07/30/2022
Updated to reflect changes to IDrive’s UI and pricing structure.
10/26/2022
Updated Carbonite’s prices.
05/23/2023
We updated the article to remove IDrive’s free plan and add its free trial.
03/15/2024 Facts checked
This article was updated to include current features and pricing.
Cloudwards Editor’s Choice: IDrive
IDrive is our top choice for the best Mac backup software. It doesn’t have unlimited storage, but you can back up multiple devices and its 5TB plan is affordable. IDrive is feature-rich and comes with all the functionality you’d expect from a cloud storage solution, including file-sharing and automatic sync. It’s also one of the fastest backup services around, making it an ideal choice for full-device backups.
To choose the best cloud backup for Mac, we look for a well-designed interface with plenty of functionality to manage your backups. Other factors we focus on are features, speed, security and privacy.
Mac app: We look for overall design, ease of use and functionality in the Mac app.
Cloud backup: Some backup services come with additional cloud storage features. How much storage you get is another factor.
Backup features: We examine whether the backups are image-based, incremental and capable of handling multiple devices. Scheduling and customization are additional considerations.
Backup speed: We test the upload and download speeds to see how fast or slow a backup service is.
Security and privacy: The best cloud backup has tight security, zero-knowledge encryption and two-factor authentication.
IDrive offers a feature-rich experience, as it is a cloud backup and cloud storage service from one provider. You can back up multiple devices using a Mac, Windows PC, Android or iOS device. IDrive does not have unlimited storage capacity. However, it gives you equal amounts of storage space for your cloud backup and cloud storage needs.
Mac app
IDrive has a dedicated app for Mac. However, the Windows version works better and comes with more options. The Mac desktop app allows you to access your backups, create a schedule or restore your data.
Cloud backup
You can back up your computer through the desktop app or your mobile data through the respective mobile app. IDrive lets you choose which folders you want to include in the backup, including an external disk drive.
Backup features
IDrive has a robust settings tab that lets you customize your backups. The “continuous data protection” feature routinely backs up any folders or files that you update. Another feature called “archive cleanup” removes redundant data to clear up space.
Security and privacy
You can enable zero-knowledge encryption with IDrive when you create a new account, but you can’t turn it on after the fact. Additionally, if you do make your account zero-knowledge, you lose the ability to share files.
IDrive Backup Speed Test Results
1st Test
2nd Test
Average
Download
0:07:11
0:07:07
0:07:07
Upload
0:06:43
0:06:40
0:06:42
IDrive has good speeds for both uploads and downloads. Uploads averaged six minutes and 42 seconds, while downloads averaged just over seven minutes.
IDrive Pricing & Value
IDrive has a robust pricing structure, which we detail in our IDrive pricing guide. Personal plan prices start at $2.95 per year for 100GB and go up to 100TB. Read more about this service in our IDrive review.
Backblaze is an excellent backup option for Mac, as it is easy to use and won’t cap your storage space. You can be up and running with Backblaze as soon as you download the app, which is required to use the service. Backblaze backs up your entire computer, with the option to exclude items.
Mac app
Backblaze’s Mac app takes a simplistic approach to design and functionality. It doesn’t have many advanced features by design, and the app mirrors this approach.
Cloud backup
Backblaze seamlessly and continuously backs up your data in the background, or you can adjust the schedule to regular intervals. Storage isn’t an issue since it is unlimited.
Backup features
Backblaze has limited features by design, as it is intended to be a fast and easy-to-use service. There are three options for scheduling, and you can manually control the bandwidth the app uses.
Security and privacy
Backblaze uses server-side, AES 128-bit encryption to protect your data while at rest and TLS/SSL encryption protocols for data in transit. You can add private encryption through the use of a private encryption key.
Backblaze Backup Speed Test Results
1st Test
2nd Test
Average
Download
0:07:13
0:07:52
0:07:33
Upload
0:16:53
0:17:23
0:10:28
Backblaze had no issues downloading our test data, quickly getting up to max speed and staying at or near it the entire time. Uploads were noticeably slower and struggled with multimedia files in particular.
Backblaze Pricing & Value
Backblaze offers one plan that you can pay for monthly, yearly or every two years. There is no free plan — only a 15-day free trial. Check out our Backblaze review for more details.
Unlimited Personal
Unlimited GB
1-month plan, 1-year plan
1-month plan
$9/month
1-year plan
$8.25/month
$99 billed every year
Save 8%
2-year plan
$7.88/month
$189 billed every 2 years
Save 12%
3. Carbonite — Easy to Use Backup Software for Mac
Similar to Backblaze, Carbonite doesn’t offer many features with its service. What it lacks in features Carbonite makes up for in ease of use, particularly with Mac. Carbonite isn’t the best for versioning, as it only keeps the 12 most recent versions of a file and holds them for 30 or 60 days, depending on your plan.
Mac app
The app displays the current state of your backup and lets you choose to continuously back up your data. There’s a “restore files” section, and the left side of the app displays your files.
Cloud backup
When you initially set up the Mac desktop app, you can choose which folders you want to back up or let Carbonite choose for you. Additionally, you can choose individual files to back up.
Backup features
Carbonite does not have many features to choose from. You can restore folders or files using the desktop app or through the web interface.
Security and privacy
Carbonite supports AES 128-bit encryption and two-factor authentication. During installation, you can opt to manage your encryption keys. Doing so gives your account AES 256-bit and zero-knowledge encryption, which means only you can access it.
Carbonite Backup Speed Test Results
1st Test
2nd Test
Average
Download
1:18:54
1:26:23
1:22:39
Upload
0:16:36
0:18:13
0:17:25
Carbonite is not a fast service, with slower-than-expected upload speeds and download speeds that never went faster than 2 MB/s.
Carbonite Pricing & Value
Carbonite has several personal plans to choose from, with the most affordable being the Basic plan for $95.99 per year. All personal plans have unlimited storage. Check out the pricing and more in our Carbonite review.
Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office — formerly Acronis True Image — supports multiple devices, including image-based backups for your desktop. You can create local backups and customize a schedule so it runs whenever you want. Acronis also has bandwidth controls to avoid slowing things down.
Mac app
The Mac app has a similar look and feel as other Apple products and is easy to navigate and use. In addition to backup options, tabs include “protection,” “disk cloning” and “archive.”
Cloud backup
Acronis will automatically configure your backup. However, you can change the source to only files and folders, specific disks or mobile devices, or back up your entire disk.
Backup features
The Acronis Mac app has a simplified scheduling tool with daily, weekly and monthly options. An activity log shows you previous backups and other actions. Recovery lets you restore data when needed.
Security and privacy
An option in the app called “encryption” lets you add a password to your backup, giving it an added layer of protection. Additionally, you can enable two-factor authentication.
Acronis Backup Speed Test Results
1st Test
2nd Test
Average
Download
0:07:19
0:07:19
0:07:19
Upload
0:42:43
0:23:21
0:33:02
Upload speeds for Acronis were on the slower side, averaging just over half an hour. Download speeds were much faster and more consistent.
Acronis Pricing & Value
You can try Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office free for 30 days. The least expensive subscription with cloud backup is the Essentials plan, which costs $49.99 per year and protects one computer. For more details, read our Acronis review.
MSP360 — formerly known as CloudBerry — uses other storage providers to back up your data and gives you a robust toolset to manage your account. Amazon Web Services is the default. However, you can choose from others, such as Microsoft Azure.
Mac app
The downloadable app isn’t the most pleasing to look at. However, it provides plenty of information and settings to manage your backups. A backup wizard helps you get set up after creating an account and downloading the app.
Cloud backup
You can choose the folders and individual files you want to include in your backup.
Backup features
MSP360 has a granular set of backup features. Options include configuring bandwidth settings, setting a file retention policy and adjusting the thread count.
Security and privacy
You can protect your backup with a master password, effectively giving your account zero knowledge.
MSP360 Backup Speed Test Results
1st Test
2nd Test
Average
Download
0:07:12
0:07:38
0:07:25
Upload
0:18:05
0:19:36
0:18:51
MSP360 had very consistent download speeds, hitting at least 90% of our speed capacity. Uploads were noticeably slower, hovering around 35%.
MSP360 Pricing & Value
MSP360’s pricing structure depends on your operating system and the type of backup you need. The least expensive option is $29.99 annually, but all plans include an additional maintenance cost. You can try the service free for 15 days. Check out our MSP360 review for more information.
The SpiderOak application has a lot of information in one window, which can seem overwhelming at first glance. However, it is logically organized and easy to navigate.
Cloud backup
The dashboard displays how much of your storage space your backups are using. There isn’t an option for unlimited storage. However, you can monitor which devices are using the most storage in the “dashboard” tab.
Backup features
SpiderOak has plenty of tools to help you manage your backups. The “backup” tab lets you choose which files or folders to include. You also have the option to remove data from an existing backup.
SpiderOak Backup Speed Test Results
1st Test
2nd Test
Average
Download
0:08:57
0:07:35
0:08:16
Upload
3:02:02
3:10:01
3:06:01
SpiderOak is not a fast service for uploads; it yielded some of the slowest times we’ve ever tested. Downloads were significantly faster.
pCloud Drive is a full-feature app with a dedicated tab for backups. It is easy to use and navigate, with clearly marked icons.
Cloud backup
You can choose which folders you want to back up in addition to the default options that pCloud chooses. If you have the storage space, you can back up your entire device.
Backup features
There are limited options to customize your backup. You can’t schedule a day or time, as the backup is continuous. On the web interface, you can share your backup with others. Other backups include mobile and some third-party entities.
pCloud Backup Speed Test Results
1st Test
2nd Test
Average
Download
0:06:52
0:07:02
0:06:57
Upload
0:08:18
0:08:44
0:08:31
pCloud is a fast cloud service. It averaged under seven minutes for downloads and around eight and a half minutes for uploads using 5GB of mixed data for testing.
pCloud Pricing & Value
pCloud has a free 10GB account that you can use to try the service. Paid plans start at $49.99 for 500GB. There are plans for families and even lifetime options. Check out our pCloud review for more.
The desktop app is limited to an icon in the menu bar, with some options for customization. The “backups” tab lets you manage current backups and enable external drives or photos and videos.
Backup features
You can back up the contents of your device or connect an external hard drive. Other options include creating a custom schedule, choosing specific folders and recovering your data.
Security and privacy
Dropbox uses AES 256-bit encryption and TLS/SSL encryption protocols to protect your data. You can also enable two-factor authentication for your account.
Dropbox Backup Speed Test Results
1st Test
2nd Test
Average
Download
0:07:16
0:07:28
0:07:22
Upload
0:07:03
0:07:32
0:07:16
Dropbox has solid upload and download speeds. It handled our 5GB test with an average of just over seven minutes for both.
Dropbox Backup Pricing & Value
Dropbox’s free plan is notoriously limited, at 2GB. Paid personal plans start at 2TB and cost $9.99 per month, billed annually. We provide more information in our Dropbox review.
The desktop app has limited features and two primary views. The first shows recent files and statuses for the sync folder and any backup. The second view shows your backups, sync folder options and any archived data.
Backup features
You won’t find your backups on the web interface — only in the desktop app. You can add folders or set up a schedule to run backups.
Security and privacy
Jottacloud uses AES 256-bit encryption to protect data at rest and TLS/SSL encryption protocols for data in transit. It does not support private encryption keys.
Jottacloud Backup Speed Test Results
1st Test
2nd Test
Average
Download
0:07:35
0:07:57
0:07:46
Upload
0:09:10
0:08:53
0:09:02
Jottacloud had adequate speed — particularly with downloads, averaging just under eight minutes. Uploads were noticeably slower, averaging around nine minutes.
Jottacloud Pricing & Value
Jottacloud has a free 5GB account, and the Personal plan with unlimited storage space costs $9.90 per month. For more on its pricing and features, check out our Jottacloud review.
The desktop app isn’t a true graphical user interface, as it uses a localhost method to generate a dashboard using your web browser. It has the look and feel of a website, with options on the left side to manage your account.
Backup features
Duplicati supports incremental backup and lets you choose the level of security on each backup or create a username and password for access. You can choose the folders you want to include, set a schedule and determine file retention.
Security and privacy
You are required to set a password if there are multiple accounts on a single device. If you choose AES 256-bit for your backup, it will also require a password.
Duplicati Backup Speed Test Results
1st Test
2nd Test
Average
Download
0:07:11
0:07:36
0:07:24
Upload
0:09:34
0:10:57
0:10:16
Duplicati had stable upload speeds that hovered between 80 and 90% capacity. Downloads were noticeably faster, at just over seven minutes.
Duplicati Pricing & Value
Duplicati is a free, open-source program that you can download. It doesn’t overtly cap your storage space, but it is also not unlimited, as larger data sets will have significant performance impacts. For more, read our Duplicati review.
Backing up your Mac is a highly recommended practice to ensure that your data is protected from unexpected loss. Apple’s Time Machine will work well enough. However, using a third-party app like our top choices, IDrive or Backblaze, often brings more to the table.
Other excellent options include Carbonite, which has unlimited storage; Acronis, with its excellent interface; and pCloud, which has online backup and cloud storage features. Whichever of the best Mac backup software options you choose will help keep your data protected.
Do you use any of the providers on this best Mac backup software list? If so, what has your experience been like? Did we miss a great cloud backup service? Let us know in the comments section below. Thanks for reading our article.
FAQ: Online Backup for Mac
Using an online backup service like Backblaze is the best way to back up your Mac. You can use Apple’s Time Machine, but you could run out of storage space quickly.
Nearly every third-party online backup is compatible with the most recent macOS. We never ran into any compatibility issues while testing each service.
Backblaze, Carbonite and IDrive are excellent online backup tools that you can use for a full-system Mac backup.
You can use an external hard drive to back up your entire Mac computer as long as there is enough space available.
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