Choosing an online backup product can be difficult.  So, here at the Web Backup Guide we aim to simplify that process by showing you the options and comparing the products that are available.

There are many competing products and the best way to find the one that is right for you is to give them a go so we have provided links to free trials for each of the most popular pieces of software.  We have tried them all and they are simple to install and use.

When looking for the best online backup software product to suit your needs it is important to think about how much data space you will need (we recommend going for an unlimited plan so that you don’t need to think too hard about it) and where your files are located.  Some of the products will back up mapped network drives and some wont – don’t confuse this with USB harddrives – these are completely different and most backup software can handle USB drives but, if in doubt, check with them before you buy.

Some offer monthly payment plans and some have an annual fee instead – there are also some with free accounts for small amounts of data.

Look at the web backup products in the table and use the Free Trial to see if it’s the one for you!

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There are some differences through and, here, we look at the three systems and provide a comparison for the home and small business user.

All three are now available for both PC and Mac OS X and offer small applications which are downloadable directly from their websites. Installation is easy with just a few clicks.

The selection of which data gets the web backup treatment is where the first differences really start to show. Both Mozy and Carbonite allow you to choose which data to back up making your online store customizable and reduces the size of the upload. However, neither application allows you to back up applications or system files. BackBlaze peforms a complete backup similar to that completed by Time Machine on the Mac. Backblaze has a 4GB limit on any single file uploaded – limits for the others are to be confirmed.

Security is a hot topic and all three secure your data by encrypting it on your computer before sending it to the online backup server – both the transfer and the eventual storage are subject to security protocols also.

One significant difference is the ability to include external USB hard drives in your web backup. Carbonite does not allow this at all where as BackBlaze can handle the backup easily. Mozy claims to offer these backups but there are reports that it is only successful if the drive is permanently connected which is not great for laptop users.

The real test of your web backup is the ability to get your file back if you lose them. All three offer a web interface for retrieving individual files and this can also be used to access a file remotely when away from home as well as to restore a lost file. Complete restores need to be completed by re-installing their application from the internet and entering your account details to get access to the online backup data.

Mozy offers a DVD option for retrieving your data for a small fee where as BackBlaze offers both DVD and USB Key options. Carbonite has neither option at present.

‘Versioning’ of data is something that software developers are more familiar with and refers to the process of retrieving a pervious version of a file (for example, the one you saved yesterday without today’s changes). BackBlaze allow you to retrieve a previous version of a file up to 4 weeks old.

The cost of each web backup service is similar, around $50 USD / £35 per year. Carbonite and BackBlaze have a 15 day free trial with unlimited data wihile Mozy have a 2GB limited trial account with no expiry.

Backblaze and Mozy both offer monthly payment options as well as a yearly payment for a discount. Carbonite is a yearly payment only.

If the small differences above don’t help you decide then taking a free trial is the best way to find a web backup software application that is right for you.

Carbonite – 15 Day Free Trial
BackBlaze – 15 Day Free Trial
Mozy – 2GB Free Trial Account

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