Tech Talk: The Best Online Backup Services
Published
on Monday, February 18, 2019
in
Internet
If you're like most people, you probably don't think about backing up your data until it's too late, like after a computer crashes or you lose data in some other way. But with cloud backup services, there's no reason to lose data again.
How do cloud backup services work?
When you first sign up, the service will help you set up a folder on your computer. Every file you put in that folder automatically backs up. If you open a document in that folder and work on it, it syncs and uploads to the cloud once you save it (assuming you're connected to the internet).
Most services offer different price tiers based on your storage needs. Make sure you know; you don't want to sign up for a service that has a limit of 100GB if you've got 2TB of data. A typical Microsoft Word document is measured in kilobytes (kb). 1,000 kilobytes make a megabyte (MB), 1,000 megabytes make a gigabyte (GB), and 1,000 gigabytes make a terabyte (TB).
Finally, some cloud backup services let you back up on multiple computers, but most are tied to a single computer and you must pay more to use them on multiple devices.
Cloud backup options
Here are three of the best options as of Feb. 2019:
- iDrive. This option offers 5GB of storage free with their Basic Plan. Personal plans include 2TB and 5TB plans for $69.50 or $99.50 per year, respectively. iDrive can be used on multiple computers with no additional charge.
- Acronis True Image. Plans with this option start at $49.99 per year for 250GB. You can add additional space or multiple computers for more money.
- SOS Online Backup. At $4.99 per month (or $45 for a year up front), you can use SOS on up to 5 computers (and unlimited mobile devices) and store 50GB. Prices go up from there.
Losing your files stinks—we've all been there. Cloud backup services are easy to use and relatively inexpensive. A worthy investment for your peace of mind.
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