How to Back up Your Files Now That CrashPlan Is Not an Option
CrashPlan, one of the best cloud backup services, announced today that it will end its consumer support . CrashPlan Home will be discontinued on October 23, 2018. While the option to subscribe or renew CrashPlan Home is no longer available, current CrashPlan Home users will receive an additional 60 days of backup service for free.
When one of the best cloud backup services stops supporting consumers, you may be a little worried about where you will keep your computer’s important files in case of a disaster. Luckily for you, there are quite a few replacement options out there that offer similar features at competitive prices (or you can create your own for the cheap).
Choose another service
While CrashPlan suggests you move your data to Carbonite , another cloud-based backup service, there are a few more options to consider before leaving the ship. Backup services offer different price levels, use different backup methods (some sync continuously, others sync once a day), and may or may not back up your external drives.
Carbonite is a worthy replacement, and it recently added two-factor authentication to further protect your privacy. Unfortunately, it forces you to manually select the files and folders you want to back up. In addition, a paid subscription is required to back up your music files. Video files require a paid Personal Plus or Personal Prime subscription. For files larger than 4 GB, you must manually add them to the backup file list.
Carbonite can be too restrictive for some users looking for a smoother experience, whether for them or a loved one. There is always Backblaze , another high-end cloud backup service. While CrashPlan was our backup service, Backblaze came in second and was easier to use thanks to its simple setup process and default option to back up everything on your computer. It also backs up external drives and doesn’t care about file sizes.
Choose your own backup service
Users who want a little more control over their backup service can create their own using a combination of suitable cloud backup and cloud storage software. Cloud backup software like Arq works just like CrashPlan and Backblaze, keeping your files securely away from the office.
Arq can back up your entire computer or just select folders. It backs up network drives, external drives, files of any size, and stores your data in any cloud storage you choose, be it Google , Amazon , Microsoft or anyone else. You can even store data on your own server or NAS , although it is recommended that you keep a backup of your data somewhere else (such as an external server). You’ll have to pay for cloud storage on whichever platform you choose, but the $ 50 Arq one-time purchase price and being able to pay only for as much data as you need can save you money in the long run.
In an emergency
You should definitely have a backup plan in case your PC or Mac crashes. Using a real cloud backup service would save me the agony of a whole weekend after my computer refused to boot. On the other hand, you may not have enough time or money to buy it.
You can cheaply store your data out of the office with cloud storage services like Google Backup & Sync or Dropbox. With Google’s suggestion, you can choose which folders on your computer you want to sync with Google Drive. It doesn’t have to be your only remote backup, but if you’re stranded and need to host your data somewhere, it will work well enough until you decide to purchase the actual cloud backup service.
Don’t want to leave CrashPlan? Well, according to The Next Web, you don’t need to. You can sign up for CrashPlan for Small Business , which will cost you $ 10 per month. Current CrashPlan users can sign up for a 75% discount for the first year and you will not be charged until your existing Home subscription expires.
This article has been updated to include the Small Business CrashPlan option.