Quick answer: Our top pick is Carbonite, followed by Backblaze and Acronis True Image. Entry prices start near $5/mo. All 5 are compared below on price, strengths and the key trade-off of each, so you can match one to your needs.
The shortlist below is ordered for real-world value, not marketing budget. This guide rounds up the 5 tools we'd actually recommend for this job, with what each does best, what it costs, and who should pick it.
We weighted picks on output quality, value for money, learning curve and how well each tool fits the specific workflow in this guide. Pricing is summarised from public plans at the time of writing.
~$6/mo 150GB up to ~$29/mo 5TB (One Backup); pricing varies by plan
zero-knowledge-backup
The picks, ranked
1. Carbonite Cloud Backup
Set-and-forget unlimited automatic backup for a single computer, a long-standing consumer/SMB backup brand (OpenText). Best suited to teams that care most about personal-backup.
Why it's on this list: Veteran set-and-forget unlimited backup for a single computer, now under OpenText. Built for non-technical users wanting fully automatic, hands-off backup for one computer.
Standout features:
External drive backup on Plus and Prime tiers
Optional private encryption key for advanced privacy
Standout strength: Genuinely unlimited storage for one computer at a flat rate.
Worth knowing: Prime tier includes physical courier recovery of your backup.
Pricing: ~$8.34/mo (~$99.99/yr) Safe Basic unlimited (1 computer); Plus/Prime and business tiers higher
Unlimited personal computer backup for one flat price, plus B2 object storage that undercuts AWS S3 on price and egress. A strong default when personal-backup is the priority.
Why it's on this list: Unlimited single-computer backup paired with the cheapest mainstream S3-compatible object storage. Made for individuals wanting cheap set-and-forget backup, and developers needing low-cost S3-compatible object storage.
Standout features:
Restore by web download or paid USB drive/HDD courier (refundable on return)
Optional private encryption key for backups
Standout strength: Simplest unlimited personal backup at a low flat rate.
Worth knowing: No minimum storage retention period on B2.
Pricing: Personal Backup ~$9/mo or ~$99/yr unlimited (1 computer); B2 ~$6/TB/mo
Full disk-image backup combined with built-in anti-malware/anti-ransomware in one consumer cyber-protection product. Picked here for how cleanly it handles disk-imaging.
Why it's on this list: Full disk-image backup fused with built-in anti-ransomware in one cyber-protection product. Aimed squarely at power users wanting disk imaging plus security in a single backup application.
Standout features:
Microsoft 365 account backup
Blockchain notarization of files on Premium
Standout strength: Flexible local-only or local+cloud backup.
UK consumer/SMB service combining unlimited online Backup with a separate Briefcase sync drive. Picked here for how cleanly it handles unlimited-backup.
Why it's on this list: UK service pairing unlimited single-PC backup with a separate Briefcase sync drive. Built for uK/EU consumers and small businesses wanting unlimited backup plus a sync drive in one brand.
Standout features:
Pro Suite combines unlimited backup for up to 5 computers with Briefcase
UK-based service
Standout strength: Unlimited backup space for one computer.
Worth knowing: Briefcase is a separate sync drive (2-5TB), not the same as backup space.
Pricing: ~$8.99/mo Backup unlimited (1 PC); Pro Suite ~$25/mo adds Briefcase + multi-device
Long-standing zero-knowledge (No Knowledge) backup and sync where files are encrypted on-device before upload. It stands out for zero-knowledge-backup without a heavy setup cost.
Why it's on this list: A pioneer of 'No Knowledge' zero-knowledge backup where everything is encrypted on-device first. Aimed squarely at privacy-first users wanting zero-knowledge backup across unlimited devices, who can tolerate slower speeds.
Standout features:
'No Knowledge' (zero-knowledge) encryption: files encrypted on-device before upload
2048-bit RSA and 256-bit AES encryption
Standout strength: Unlimited devices on every plan.
Worth knowing: Every plan supports unlimited devices.
Pricing: ~$6/mo 150GB up to ~$29/mo 5TB (One Backup); pricing varies by plan
Don't over-think the ranking: the gap between adjacent picks is small. Decide what you can't compromise on — price, a specific strength, or learning curve — and let that pick for you. Free tiers and trials mean a 30-minute hands-on test beats another hour of reading.
FAQ
What is the best option in this list?
For most people, Carbonite is the strongest all-round pick in this guide, but the right choice depends on your budget and exact workflow.
Are there free options?
These are mostly paid tools; most offer a trial or money-back window, so check each entry's pricing line above before you buy.
How were these tools chosen?
Each pick is judged on fit for the specific job in this guide — its real strengths, pricing and who it suits — using features and facts drawn from independent reviews and the vendors' own documentation, cited in Sources below.
How often is this guide updated?
We revisit pricing and rankings regularly as vendors change plans and ship features.
Sources
The features, strengths and facts cited for each pick above are drawn from these independent reviews and vendor pages: