Buyer’s guide · Technology
Best Cloud Backup Software in 2026: Pricing & Comparison
We compared four cloud backup services on public pricing, free tiers, unlimited vs capped storage and multi-device support so you can pick a personal or small-business plan quickly.
- One computer, unlimited data, simple price: Backblaze — published from about $7.88–$9 per computer per month.
- Multiple devices and a free starter: IDrive — free 10 GB, then storage-based plans that cover many computers under one account.
- Traditional per-computer consumer backup: Carbonite — published Basic around $8/mo or ~$96/year per computer.
- Backup plus cyber protection features: Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office — yearly licenses from roughly $50 with cloud storage tiers.
Cloud backup software continuously or on a schedule copies user data (and sometimes system images) to a remote store so a failed disk or ransomware event does not erase the only copy. Consumer and small-business products differ on whether storage is unlimited per computer, capped by terabytes, how many devices share a seat, and whether antivirus or ransomware tools are bundled.
We evaluated every vendor on the same fields: published pricing, free plan or trial, storage model, device coverage, and main limitation. Order is not a quality ranking. Sort rule: public $0 / published price first, quote-led last.
| Platform | Published pricing | Free plan or trial | Best for | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. IDrive | Free 10 GB; Personal from ~$10/mo (5 TB) | Free 10 GB; trials on paid | Multi-device accounts with storage caps | Visit → |
| 2. Backblaze | From ~$7.88–$9/computer/mo unlimited | 15-day trial (no permanent free) | One (or more) computers with unlimited data | Visit → |
| 3. Carbonite | Basic ~$8/mo or ~$96/year per computer | Free trial | Simple per-computer consumer backup | Visit → |
| 4. Acronis | From ~$50/year (Essentials) upward | Trial available | Image backup plus cyber protection | Visit → |
Prices are public list prices in USD, checked 20 Oct 2026. Annual and multi-year discounts change the effective monthly rate. Confirm current offers and cloud-storage allotments on the vendor site. How we evaluated: see methodology below.
How to read cloud backup pricing
Two common models exist: unlimited storage per computer (Backblaze-style) and storage-cap accounts that can cover many devices (IDrive-style). Consumer plans rarely include servers or Microsoft 365 without an add-on or a business SKU. Always check retention of deleted files and version history; those rules matter more after a ransomware incident than the sticker price.
The 4 companies in detail
IDrive
Multi-device storage-cap accounts
Best for: households or small teams that want one storage pool for many computers, phones and external drives, with a free 10 GB starter.
| Published pricing | Free 10 GB; Mini ~$0.25/mo (100 GB); Personal ~$10–12/mo for 5 TB (first-year discounts common); Team and Business higher |
|---|---|
| Free plan or trial | Free 10 GB (no credit card); trials and first-year promotions on paid plans |
| Core focus | Multi-device backup, NAS support, Express physical seed/restore options, server add-ons |
| Main limitation | Storage is capped; first-year promo prices rise on renewal |
- Genuine free tier and low-cost Mini plan for light users.
- One account can cover many devices against a shared storage quota.
- Heavy data sets require higher TB tiers; promotional pricing is not the long-term rate.
Backblaze
Unlimited data per computer
Best for: users who want a simple unlimited backup price for one or more personal or business computers without watching a storage meter.
| Published pricing | About $9/computer/mo monthly; ~$8.25/mo annual; ~$7.88/mo two-year; Business and Enterprise Control available |
|---|---|
| Free plan or trial | 15-day trial; no permanent free plan |
| Core focus | Continuous unlimited cloud backup of user data and connected externals, simple restore |
| Main limitation | Priced per computer; no free forever tier |
- Published unlimited storage at a transparent per-computer rate.
- Business plans add group admin and centralized billing.
- No permanent free plan; each computer needs its own subscription.
Carbonite
Simple per-computer consumer backup
Best for: individuals who want a familiar per-computer subscription with multi-year discounts and optional higher tiers for more devices or servers.
| Published pricing | Basic around $8/mo or ~$96/year per computer; multi-year discounts; higher Safe/Professional tiers for more capacity or devices |
|---|---|
| Free plan or trial | Free trial available |
| Core focus | Automatic encrypted backup of personal files, optional image and server options on higher plans |
| Main limitation | Basic is one computer; storage or device needs push you to higher SKUs |
- Clear consumer pricing with multi-year savings.
- Long-standing brand with phone support on many plans.
- Unlimited marketing claims still have practical limits on system files or external drives depending on tier.
Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office
Image backup plus cyber protection
Best for: users who want full-image backup, ransomware protection and cloud storage in one yearly license rather than pure continuous file backup.
| Published pricing | Essentials from roughly $50/year; Advanced and Premium higher with more cloud storage and protection features |
|---|---|
| Free plan or trial | Trial commonly available |
| Core focus | Disk imaging, active protection, cloud storage allotments, multi-device packs |
| Main limitation | Cloud storage is metered by plan; overage or higher tier needed for large data sets |
- Combines classic image backup with cyber-protection features.
- Yearly licensing can be cheaper for light cloud use than monthly unlimited plans.
- Cloud storage is not unlimited; choose the tier that matches your data volume.
Kurums Match
I have one computer and a lot of data
I need several computers and phones under one bill
IDrive Personal or Team plans share a storage pool across devices. Start with the free 10 GB to test the client, then size the TB tier.
I want full disk image and ransomware tools, not only file backup
Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office is built around imaging plus protection. Check the cloud storage included in the Essentials vs higher tiers.
I prefer a classic consumer brand with multi-year discounts
Carbonite Basic and higher Safe plans remain a straightforward per-computer subscription with multi-year pricing.
Buying tip
Test a restore of a few large files and a full folder tree before you depend on any plan. Upload speed and restore speed from your region matter more than the monthly price. Prefer annual or two-year billing only after a successful trial restore.
How this comparison was put together
We read public pricing pages for IDrive, Backblaze, Carbonite and Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office on 20 October 2026. Prices are list prices in USD; promotional first-year rates are noted where vendors publish them. Free tiers and trial lengths come from the same sources. Order follows the published-price sort rule, not a quality score.
FAQ
Is unlimited backup really unlimited?
Do these plans back up external drives and NAS?
Most support external USB drives; NAS and server backup often require a higher tier or add-on. Confirm on the feature matrix for your exact plan.
What about version history and deleted files?
Retention windows vary (30 days, 90 days, unlimited versions, etc.). For ransomware recovery you need enough history to go back before the infection point.
Disclosure: Kurums is reader-supported. Some links may be affiliate or sponsored links, marked as such; they never affect rankings or the order of tools on this page.
Discover more from Kurums | Business Intelligence
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.