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iCloud may be the most convenient way to store your Mac’s data in the cloud, but it’s not a perfect service. If you have multiple Apple devices, use several iCloud services, or need to share your iCloud space with others, the program quickly reaches its limits – and for a hefty price tag.
Although Apple products are known to be very secure, that same gridlock protection does not apply to iCloud. From 2014’s “Celebgate” to 2019’s phone scam, security threats have plagued millions of iCloud users, encouraging many to seek cloud backup services elsewhere.
However, no single platform is right for everyone, and the wrong choice might cost you extra money, frustration, or confusion. Do you need to back up Apple devices for your whole family? Is unlimited data storage your top priority? Do you need a service that can protect your Mac with minimal effort?
I’ve tested the top platforms on the market to find the best cloud backups for Macs, iPads, and iPhones. Keep reading to get all the details and pick the best online backup service for you.
Short on Time? These Are the Best Cloud Storage/Backup Services for Mac in 2021:
IDrive1– One of the most comprehensive cloud backup platforms on the market
What We Looked For in the Best Cloud Backup Services for Mac in 2021
Ease of use: Some platforms require more technical experience, whereas others are more straightforward with a “set it and forget it” approach. Whether you’re a casual user looking for ease, an expert who wants more control when customizing your Mac’s cloud backup service, or somewhere in between, I have an option for you.
Backup features: While all these programs offer cloud backup for Macs, some also offer additional services. These features may include external drive backups, application and system backups, mobile device backups for your iPhone and iPad, automatic backups, continuous data backups in real time, mirror images of your Mac’s entire system, and courier recovery services in case you need a hard copy of your bulk data.
Value for money: Unlimited data storage, unlimited devices ransomware detection, blockchain certification, and even find-my-computer features for your Mac are some of the benefits you can get from the top online backups in the industry. These extra perks can help you decide whether a particular plan might be worth your money.
IDrive is one of the best cloud backup services for Mac users on the market. Its free and personal packages1 can be used with an unlimited number of computers and mobile devices (team and business packages are a little different).
The company is one of the few online backup services that provides a truly continuous backup option in real time. IDrive offers a wide range of backup options to protect more than just your Mac – backups for iPhones, iPads, external hard drives, systems, applications, open files, and even a disk clone to copy your Mac’s entire drive are offered with the service. The IDrive iOS app also allows you to back up contacts, calendar events, and photos from your iPhone or iPad.
With IDrive Express, the company will physically ship bulk data to you with a temporary storage device, as shipping a large quantity of data is often faster than downloading it all from the cloud.
However, unlike some of its competitors, such as Carbonite and Backblaze, none of IDrive’s plans offer unlimited data storage. Its file sharing options are also quite limited. There are no options for password-protected or even public links with its personal plans. If you want to share files via email, your recipient must also sign up for an IDrive account to download them.
Check out our expert IDrive review for more info.
If you want unlimited cloud backup for your Mac without a lot of fuss, Backblaze, which claims to be “the world’s easiest cloud backup,” might be for you.
Backblaze is designed to automatically back up all the files on your Mac, minus temporary files, empty folders, and operating system and application files. While this approach is simple and straightforward, it might be frustrating if you’d rather have more control over the exact files you upload. If you don’t want to backup specific files, you’d have to delete them one by one.
The company is one of the few systems that offers disaster recovery options for home consumers, adding an extra level of convenience in case you ever need to deal with a worst case scenario. Although this service has an extra fee, Backblaze will give you a refund if you return the USB flash drive or hard drive within 30 days. It also offers a localization feature if your Mac gets lost or stolen.
Backblaze offers unlimited storage, unlimited file retention, and unlimited file sizes for one computer. If you want to back up more than one Mac, you’d need to buy multiple subscriptions. It also doesn’t offer backups for iPhones or iPads.
Head over to our expert Backblaze review for more info.
Acronis may offer the most extensive security and backup options in the industry. Ransomware and malware protection, automatic data replication in the cloud, electronic signatures, and even blockchain certification are just some of the features you can get with one of its subscriptions. While these plans only include services for one Mac, you can upgrade your account to cover up to five. Backups for iPhones, iPads, external drives, systems, and applications are also provided with all plans1.
Acronis True Image provides comprehensive storage and data protection plans for home and office consumers (businesses and service providers are covered under a different brand). If you’re not sure which version is best for you, Acronis offers a 30-day free trial with features from all its True Image plans, such as 1 TB of cloud storage, all-in-one recovery drive, and blockchain data authentication.
The cloud backup service and cyber protection company offers a high level of functionality, freedom, and customization in all its plans. Full-disk backups, file sharing, folder syncing, versioning, and continuous backup options allow you to pick the exact features that best fit your needs. For a small fee, you can also schedule a phone call with a priority support engineer to install and configure the service for you.
However, although Acronis has a more expensive price tag than many of its competitors and offers an array of impressive features, Acronis does not offer unlimited storage – the main feature casual consumers might want. Many of its more technically advanced features will probably go unused by the average home consumer.
Read our expert Acronis review for more info.
Sometimes great customer service and a simple cloud backup to secure your files in the background is all you need. If that’s the case, Carbonite might be a good choice for you.
The company’s basic plan, while it doesn’t come with much, includes unlimited data storage – a feature lacking from most companies on this list. Carbonite is designed to back up your data in the background with minimal work on your part, so you can easily protect and store all the documents, files, photos, images, and music on your Mac with no fuss. It can also back up your Google Drive, OneDrive, and DropBox files that are locally synced to your computer.
The Plus and Prime plans come with automatic cloud backup, external drive backups, remote file access, and the Webroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus system, which is a top-rated, cloud-based antivirus program. Carbonite’s Prime plans also offer a courier recovery service.
However, Carbonite is the only option on this list that does not include an iOS mobile app. There are also no file sharing, disk imaging, or folder sharing features in its plans. In addition, Carbonite offers limited functionality for Macs compared to PCs, such as no private encryption key management, no versioning, and a lack of compatibility with macOS Finder and FileVault.
Read our expert Carbonite review for more details.
Zoolz has designed its programs to organize your files in a logical way. Its BigMIND cloud backup services use artificial intelligence (AI) and smart filters to add structure to your files, ensuring your data is easy to locate on your Mac, iPad, iPhone, and external hard drives. The company also uses facial recognition and AI image detection for your photos and organizes them accordingly.
BigMIND Home offers four plans for personal consumers, which cover 3 computers and 2 mobile devices at the free level up to 15 Macs and unlimited iPhones and iPads in the family plus plan. Mobile backups, social media backups, and hybrid backups are standard with all plans, and unlimited external drive backups are included with all paid plans. Zoolz also offers data syncing features for your social media platforms and other cloud storage services, such as Dropbox, OneDrive, and Google Drive.
While Zoolz is one of the few companies with a free account, the plan only offers 1 GB of storage and no tech support. Nevertheless, the free plan can back up 3 computers, 2 mobile devices, and 1 external drive – features missing from some of its competitors’ paid plans.
Despite the extensive list of features Zoolz offers, it has lower data storage limits compared to the other companies on this list, as the family plus option only has 1 TB of storage. In addition, its plans for home consumers do not provide private encryption keys, disaster recovery services, or folder-syncing options.
Check out our expert Zoolz review for more.
Free Storage?
1 GB
Amount of Storage on Basic Plan
100 GB
Number of Computers on Basic Plan
3 (plus 3 mobile devices)
Starting Price
$0
Services That Didn’t Make the Cut
GoogleDrive: Besides raising potential privacy concerns, like selling your sensitive data, GoogleDrive is only optimized for Android.
Microsoft OneDrive: Syncing files on OneDrive can take forever, and it’s an expensive service that’s only available to Windows users.
Amazon Drive: Some security concerns, plus no option for scheduled backups.
Which Cloud Backup Service Should You Choose?
Most Mac users will eventually face storage limitations due to the typically modest SSDs included with their devices. When this occurs, you will need to secure a cloud backup solution for your macOS system. Online backups offer a range of features, including unlimited storage and device support, ransomware protection, and image detection services. These services ensure that your Mac’s files, folders, and information are stored in the manner that best suits your needs.
If access to a variety of customizable features is a priority for you, IDrive1 or Acronis1 might be the platforms you want to consider. If unlimited data storage is important to you, especially if the online backup is for just one Mac, you should look into Backblaze1 or Carbonite.
However, if you merely want an additional free option to add a bit more data storage to your free 5 GB iCloud account, you also have a couple choices between IDrive and Zoolz BigMIND.
Here’s a quick chart to help you sort through the companies’ top features:
Cloud Backup Service
Standout Features
IDrive
Permanent free storage plan with extensive backup features
Unlimited computers and mobile devices included with personal plans
If you’re looking for a comprehensive cloud backup service, IDrive offers a full suite of featuresfor users of all levels to use on Macs, iPads, iPhones, and external drives. If you’re looking for a straightforward system with unlimited data to use on one Mac, you may want to consider Backblaze or Carbonite.
What considerations does a person have to think about when looking for cloud backup for Mac?
Price, amount of storage, security characteristics, backup features, and compatibility with macOS are a few of the features you should consider. If more than one person will be using the service, look at programs that allow multiple computers per plan or allow upgrades for additional Macs – unless you’re willing to buy several licenses or subscriptions.
And if you’ve ever been the victim of a catastrophic event that caused you to lose all your files, folders, documents, photos, and videos, backup services that offer offline recovery plans would be ideal to give you peace of mind.
What is the best alternative to iCloud?
If you want additional free cloud backup for your Mac, as iCloud offers 5 GB free of charge to all users, Zoolz BigMIND Home and IDrive would both be excellent options. If you’re looking for a full-featured cloud backup service for your Mac, iPad, and iPhone, IDrive or Acronis might be for you. If you need more data storage at a reasonable price, you might want to consider a platform with unlimited data, such as Backblaze or Carbonite.
Is Carbonite worth the money?
Yes. Carbonite offers a straightforward system with unlimited storage and highly responsive, award-winning customer service. Its user-friendly interface is an ideal choice for people who want to get their cloud backup service up and running with minimal effort or tech know-how. Its Plus and Prime cloud backup plans offer the most bang for your buck, as they come with a cloud-based antivirus program, external drive backups, remote file access, and automatic cloud backup. Prime accounts also offer a courier service for disaster recovery.
Alex is an experienced tech writer and loves helping people find the best solution for their needs. He has spent the majority of his career writing about everything from VPNs to website builders, and when he’s not writing, you can usually find him surfing the internet for the latest tech news and trends. Born in the Czech Republic, Alex now enjoys living as a digital nomad, traveling around the world whilst working remotely.
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