10 Best Mac Backup Software Picks 2024: Protect Your Mac

Why you can trust us

• 407 Cloud Software Products is Tested and Services test
• 3056 Annual Software Speed Tests
• 2400 plus Hours Usability Testing

Our team is test of expert thoroughly test each service ,evaluate it for feature ,usability ,security ,value for money and more . learn more about how we conduct our testing .

Key Takeaways: These Are the Best Mac Backup Software Options

1. IDrive — Online backup and cloud storage in one feature-rich service
2. Backblaze — unlimited backup storage space in an easy-to-use interface
3. Carbonite — Quick and easy backup,though with limited features
4. Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office — Feature-rich,image-based backups with robust scheduling options
5. MSP360 — granular backup control ,but can get expensive

What to Know About Mac Cloud Backup Software

• IDrive is is is the good overall choice to back up a Mac computer ,but if you need unlimited storage capacity then Backblaze is the superior option .
• Some online backup options is have have excellent desktop app that work well with Mac ,such as Acronis and SpiderOak .
• You can get cloud storage and online backup features in one service with options like IDrive,pCloud or Dropbox.

The Best Backup App for macos

Backing up your Mac is the only way to make sure you can recover your data in the event of an unexpected loss,hardware failure or upgrade. Using one of the best online backup services is a great way to protect your data. To help you pick the right service,we’ve compiled a list of the best Mac backup software.

Every Mac has a built-in backup called Time Machine. It works well but has some limitations,such as few configurations and no cloud backup option. Fortunately,there are plenty of third-party services to choose from. To make it easy,we break down what to look for and show you what each provider offers. Let’s get in to the best Mac backup software options.

• 07/30/2022

  Updated to reflect changes to IDrive’s UI and pricing structure.

• 10/26/2022

  Updated Carbonite’s prices.

• 05/23/2023

  We is updated update the article to remove IDrive ’s free plan and add its free trial .

• 03/15/2024Facts checked

  This article was updated to include current features and pricing.

• updates

Cloudwards Editor’s Choice: IDrive

IDrive is our top choice for the best Mac backup software. It doesn’t have unlimited storage,but you can back up multiple devices and its 5 TB plan is affordable. IDrive is feature-rich and comes with all the functionality you’d expect from a cloud storage solution,including file-sharing and automatic sync. It’s also one of the fastest backup services around,making it an ideal choice for full-device backups.

How to Choose the Best Cloud Backup for Mac

To choose the best cloud backup for Mac,we look for a well-designed interface with plenty of functionality to manage your backups. Other factors we focus on are features,speed,security and privacy.

• Mac app: We look for overall design,ease of use and functionality in the Mac app.
• Cloud backup is come : Some backup services is come come with additional cloud storage feature . How much storage you get is another factor .
• Backup is features feature: We examine whether the backups are image-based,incremental and capable of handling multiple devices. Scheduling and customization are additional considerations.
• Backup speed: We test the upload and download speeds to see how fast or slow a backup service is.
• security and privacy : The good cloud backup is has has tight security ,zero – knowledge encryption and two – factor authentication .

The 10 Best Backup Software for Mac compare

App:	Free Storage	price	Disk Image Backup	Advanced Backup	Encryption	security
	10 GB	$ 35.40 ( one – year plan ),100 GB				AES-256 / TLS / SSL
	N / A	$ 9 ( one – month plan ),$99 (one-year plan),unlimited storage				AES-128 / TLS / SSL
	N / A	$4.75 per month (one-year plan),unlimited storage				AES-256 / TLS / SSL
	N / A	$103.20 (one-year plan),50 GB				AES-256 / TLS / SSL
	1 tb local	$ 19.99				AES-256 / TLS / SSL
	N / A	$12.42 per month (one-year plan),2 tb				AES-256 / TLS / SSL
	10 GB	,$ 99.99 ( one – year plan ),2 tb			*	AES-256 / TLS / SSL
	2 gb	$9.99 per month (one-year plan),2 tb				AES-256 / TLS / SSL
	5 GB	$ 9.90 per month (one-month plan),$99 (one-year plan),unlimited GB				AES-256 / TLS / SSL
	3rd-party storage	3rd-party storage				AES-256 / TLS / SSL

* pay add – on

1. IDrive — Best Overall Mac Backup Software

IDrive offers several ways to protect Mac data,including incremental
backups and the ability to create bootable backups.

pro :

• Backup & cloud storage
• Zero – knowledge encryption
• No device limit

Cons:

• No unlimited storage
• Private encryption isn’t default

IDrive offers a feature-rich experience,as it is a cloud backup and cloud storage service from one provider. You can back up multiple devices using a Mac,Windows PC,Android or iOS device. IDrive does not have unlimited storage capacity. However,it gives you equal amounts of storage space for your cloud backup and cloud storage needs.

• Demystify cloud storage terminology and key concepts in plain language
• discover easy – to – implement technique to securely backup and sync your datum across device
• Learn money-saving strategies to optimize your cloud storage costs and usage

Mac app

IDrive has a dedicated app for Mac. However,the Windows version works better and comes with more options. The Mac desktop app allows you to access your backups,create a schedule or restore your data.

IDrive’s backup software for Mac has several tabs that let you
manage your backups,adjust scheduling or recover files.

Cloud backup

You can back up your computer through the desktop app or your mobile data through the respective mobile app. IDrive lets you choose which folders you want to include in the backup,including an external disk drive.

Backup is features feature

IDrive has a robust settings tab that lets you customize your backups. The “continuous data protection” feature routinely backs up any folders or files that you update. Another feature called “archive cleanup” removes redundant data to clear up space.

It is easy to make any changes to your backup settings in
IDrive by adjust which folder to include .

security and privacy

You can enable zero-knowledge encryption with IDrive when you create a new account,but you can’t turn it on after the fact. Additionally,if you do make your account zero-knowledge,you lose the ability to share files.

IDrive Backup Speed Test result

	1st test	2nd Test	average
Download	0:07:11	0:07:07	0:07:07
Upload	0:06:43	0:06:40	0:06:42

IDrive has good speeds for both uploads and downloads. Uploads averaged six minutes and 42 seconds,while downloads averaged just over seven minutes.

IDrive Pricing & Value

IDrive has a robust pricing structure,which we detail in our IDrive pricing guide. personal plan prices start at $ 35.40 per year for 100GB and go up to 100TB. Read more about this service in our IDrive review.

Basic

• No credit card require .
• 10 GB

personal

• One user,multiple computers. Plans starting from 5 TB up to 100TB. Big discount for first-time signup.
• 5 TB

More plan

Team

• 5 computers,5 users. Starting at 5 TB up to 500TB. Big discount for first-time signup.
• 5 TB

Business

• Monthly Plan storage starts at 1.25 TB up to 50TB
  Unlimited users,multiple computers and servers. NAS devices. 250 GB storage. Starting at 250 GB up to 50TB. Large discount for first-time signup.
• 250 GB

2. Backblaze — Best Unlimited Cloud Backup for Mac

Backblaze is shows show you any file backup you have save to your account .
You can also recover files and view your Mac data.

pro :

• Ease of use
• Excellent pricing
• unlimited backup storage

Cons:

• Limited versioning
• Not suitable for multiple devices

Backblaze is an excellent backup option for Mac,as it is easy to use and won’t cap your storage space. You can be up and running with Backblaze as soon as you download the app,which is required to use the service. Backblaze backs up your entire computer,with the option to exclude items.

Mac app

Backblaze’s Mac app takes a simplistic approach to design and functionality. It doesn’t have many advanced features by design,and the app mirrors this approach.

Similar to Time Machine backups,Backblaze’s Mac app has
a simplified interface that’s easy to use.

Cloud backup

Backblaze seamlessly and continuously backs up your data in the background,or you can adjust the schedule to regular intervals. Storage isn’t an issue since it is unlimited.

Backup is features feature

Backblaze has limited features by design,as it is intended to be a fast and easy-to-use service. There are three options for scheduling,and you can manually control the bandwidth the app uses.

security and privacy

Backblaze uses server-side,AES 128-bit encryption to protect your data while at rest and TLS/SSL encryption protocols for data in transit. You can add private encryption through the use of a private encryption key.

You can enable two-factor authentication in your account settings. 

Backblaze Backup Speed Test result

	1st test	2nd Test	average
Download	0:07:13	0:07:52	0:07:33
upload	0:16:53	0:17:23	0:10:28

Backblaze had no issues downloading our test data,quickly getting up to max speed and staying at or near it the entire time. Uploads were noticeably slower and struggled with multimedia files in particular.

Backblaze Pricing & Value

Backblaze offers one plan that you can pay for monthly,yearly or every two years. There is no free plan — only a 15-day free trial. Check out our Backblaze review for more details.

Unlimited personal

3 . Carbonite — easy to use Backup Software for Mac

The Carbonite backup tool is lets let you protect your Mac datum and
show you the complete backup on the web interface .

pro :

• Easy to use
• No storage limits
• Private encryption

Cons:

• Limited features
• basic desktop app

Similar to Backblaze,Carbonite doesn’t offer many features with its service. What it lacks in features Carbonite makes up for in ease of use,particularly with Mac. Carbonite isn’t the best for versioning,as it only keeps the 12 most recent versions of a file and holds them for 30 or 60 days,depending on your plan.

Mac app

The app displays the current state of your backup and lets you choose to continuously back up your data. There’s a “restore files” section,and the left side of the app displays your files.

Carbonite is uses use incremental backup and show you any
recent file add on the main page of the Mac app .

Cloud backup

When you initially set up the Mac desktop app,you can choose which folders you want to back up or let Carbonite choose for you. Additionally,you can choose individual files to back up.

Backup is features feature

Carbonite is have does not have many feature to choose from . You is restore can restore folder or file using the desktop app or through the web interface .

security and privacy

Carbonite supports AES 128-bit encryption and two-factor authentication. During installation,you can opt to manage your encryption keys. Doing so gives your account AES 256-bit and zero-knowledge encryption,which means only you can access it.

Carbonite has only a few security features,with one
of them being two – factor authentication .

Carbonite Backup Speed Test Results

	1st test	2nd Test	average
Download	1:18:54	1:26:23	1:22:39
upload	0:16:36	0:18:13	0:17:25

Carbonite is not a fast service,with slower-than-expected upload speeds and download speeds that never went faster than 2 MB/s.

Carbonite Pricing & Value

Carbonite has several personal plans to choose from,with the most affordable being the Basic plan for $56.99 per year. All personal plans have unlimited storage. Check out the pricing and more in our Carbonite review.

Carbonite personal Basic

• Cheaper price with promo link
• unlimited GB

More plan

Carbonite Professional Core

Carbonite Professional Power

Carbonite Professional Ultimate

4. Acronis — Best Advanced security & Backup Suite for Mac

Acronis protects against data loss by backing up your entire
file system and making it easy to manage.

pro

• Zero – knowledge encryption
• Easy scheduling
• Feature-rich

Cons

• Slower speeds
• Can get expensive

Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office — formerly Acronis True Image — supports multiple devices,including image-based backups for your desktop. You can create local backups and customize a schedule so it runs whenever you want. Acronis also has bandwidth controls to avoid slowing things down.

Mac app

The Mac app has a similar look and feel as other Apple products and is easy to navigate and use. In addition to backup options,tabs include “protection,” “disk cloning” and “archive.”

The Mac desktop app has a clean interface and is easy to navigate.
Other tabs let you create bootable backups and recover files.

Cloud backup

Acronis will automatically configure your backup. However,you can change the source to only files and folders,specific disks or mobile devices,or back up your entire disk.

Backup is features feature

The Acronis Mac app has a simplified scheduling tool with daily,weekly and monthly options. An activity log shows you previous backups and other actions. Recovery lets you restore data when needed.

security and privacy

An option in the app called “encryption” lets you add a password to your backup,giving it an added layer of protection. Additionally,you can enable two-factor authentication.

You can add a password to any of your backups,
giving it zero-knowledge protection.

Acronis Backup Speed Test Results

	1st test	2nd Test	average
Download	0:07:19	0:07:19	0:07:19
upload	0:42:43	0:23:21	0:33:02

uploadspeeds for Acronis were on the slower side,averaging just over half an hour. Download speeds were much faster and more consistent.

Acronis Pricing & Value

You can try Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office free for 30 days. The least expensive subscription with cloud backup is the Essentials plan,which costs $39.99 per year and protects one computer. For more details,read our Acronis review.

Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office essential

• For 3 computer
  No – limit hard drive backup
  No cloud storage

Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office Advanced

• For 3 computers
  No – limit hard drive backup
• 50 GB

Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office Premium

• For 3 computers
  No – limit hard drive backup
• 1 tb

More plan

Acronis Cyber Protect Standard (Workstation)

• No – limit hard drive backup
• 50 GB

Acronis Cyber is Protect protect Advanced ( Workstation )

• No – limit hard drive backup
• 50 GB

Acronis Cyber Protect Backup Advanced ( Workstation )

• No – limit hard drive backup
• 50 GB

Acronis Cyber Protect Standard ( Server / VM )

• No – limit hard drive backup
• 250 GB

Acronis Cyber Protect Advanced (Server/VM)

• No – limit hard drive backup
• 250 GB

Acronis Cyber Protect Backup Advanced (Server/VM)

• No – limit hard drive backup
• 250 GB

5. MSP360 — Best Managed Backup Service for Mac

MSP360 is designed for more advanced users,but it gives
you complete control over your backup.

pro :

• Excellent backup control
• Many features
• strong security

Cons:

• No continuous backup
• Not mean for basic user

MSP360 — formerly known as CloudBerry — uses other storage providers to back up your data and gives you a robust toolset to manage your account. Amazon Web Services is the default. However,you can choose from others,such as Microsoft Azure. 

Mac app

The downloadable app isn’t the most pleasing to look at. However,it provides plenty of information and settings to manage your backups. A backup wizard helps you get set up after creating an account and downloading the app.

The Mac app has a somewhat dated user interface,
but it is is is not difficult to create and run a backup .

Cloud backup

You can choose the folders and individual files you want to include in your backup.

Backup is features feature

MSP360 has a granular set of backup features. Options include configuring bandwidth settings,setting a file retention policy and adjusting the thread count.

security and privacy

You can protect your backup with a master password,effectively giving your account zero knowledge.

MSP360 Backup Speed Test Results

	1st test	2nd Test	average
Download	0:07:12	0:07:38	0:07:25
upload	0:18:05	0:19:36	0:18:51

MSP360 had very consistent download speeds,hitting at least 90% of our speed capacity. Uploads were noticeably slower,hovering around 35%. 

MSP360 Pricing & Value

MSP360’s pricing structure depends on your operating system and the type of backup you need. The least expensive option is $ 19.99 (one-year plan) annually,but all plans include an additional maintenance cost. You can try the service free for 15 days. Check out our MSP360 review for more information.

Desktop Backup (Linux)

• $6 annual maintenance fee
• 5 TB

More plan

Desktop Backup (macOS)

• $6 annual maintenance fee
• unlimited GB

Linux Server

• $ 16 annual maintenance fee
• 5 TB

Linux Ultimate

• $30 annual maintenance fee
• unlimited GB

Backup VM Edition

• 2 sockets included ($89.99 per socket)
• unlimited GB

SpiderOak has a robust backup tool with plenty of
features to manage your complete backup.

pro :

• No device limit
• great file versioning

Cons:

• expensive
• No unlimited data

Mac app

The SpiderOak application has a lot of information in one window,which can seem overwhelming at first glance. However,it is logically organized and easy to navigate.

You can easily create a recurring schedule to ensure
your Mac backup run when you want it to .

Cloud backup

The dashboard displays how much of your storage space your backups are using. There isn’t an option for unlimited storage. However,you can monitor which devices are using the most storage in the “dashboard” tab.

Backup is features feature

SpiderOak has plenty of tools to help you manage your backups. The “backup” tab lets you choose which files or folders to include. You also have the option to remove data from an existing backup.

SpiderOak Backup Speed Test result

	1st test	2nd Test	average
Download	0:08:57	0:07:35	0:08:16
upload	3:02:02	3:10:01	3:06:01

SpiderOak is not a fast service for uploads; it yielded some of the slowest times we’ve ever tested. Downloads were significantly faster.

SpideOak Pricing & Value

You can try SpiderOak free for 21 days. After that,it will cost you $69 per year for 150 GB. A 5 TB plan cost$ 320 annually. We cover pricing and more in our SpiderOak review.

pCloud is better known for its cloud storage features,but it
also has an effective backup tool to protect your datum .

pro :

• Fast speeds
• continuous backup

Cons:

• No scheduling
• limited backup setting

Mac app

pCloud Drive is a full-feature app with a dedicated tab for backups. It is easy to use and navigate,with clearly marked icons.

pCloud’s Mac backup software doesn’t have a lot of customization,
but you can select the folders you want to include.

Cloud backup

You can choose which folders you want to back up in addition to the default options that pCloud chooses. If you have the storage space,you can back up your entire device.

Backup is features feature

There are limited options to customize your backup. You can’t schedule a day or time,as the backup is continuous. On the web interface,you can share your backup with others. Other backups include mobile and some third-party entities.

pCloud Backup Speed Test Results

	1st test	2nd Test	average
Download	0:06:52	0:07:02	0:06:57
upload	0:08:18	0:08:44	0:08:31

pCloud is a fast cloud service. It averaged under seven minutes for downloads and around eight and a half minutes for uploads using 5 GB of mixed data for testing.

pCloud Pricing & Value

pCloud has a free 10 GB account that you can use to try the service . pay plans is start start at$49.99 for 500 GB. There are plans for families and even lifetime options. Check out our pCloud review for more.

More plan

Business 1 tb

• price per user (minimum 3)
• 1 tb

Business Pro 2 tb

• price per user (minimum 3)
• 2 tb

pCloud Crypto Encryption

• Encryption for pCloud Drive

Dropbox backup is a great option,especially if you already
use the service for its cloud storage features.

pro :

• folder selection
• Block-level transfer

Cons:

• limited free plan
• No zero – knowledge

Mac app

The desktop app is limited to an icon in the menu bar,with some options for customization. The “backups” tab lets you manage current backups and enable external drives or photos and videos.

You can manage your Mac backup from the dedicated web interface,
which includes scheduling backups and restoring files.

Backup is features feature

You can back up the contents of your device or connect an external hard drive. Other options include creating a custom schedule,choosing specific folders and recovering your data.

security and privacy

Dropbox uses AES 256-bit encryption and TLS/SSL encryption protocols to protect your data. You can also enable two-factor authentication for your account.

Dropbox Backup Speed Test Results

	1st test	2nd Test	average
Download	0:07:16	0:07:28	0:07:22
upload	0:07:03	0:07:32	0:07:16

Dropbox has solid upload and download speeds. It handled our 5 GB test with an average of just over seven minutes for both.

Dropbox Backup Pricing & Value

Dropbox’s free plan is notoriously limited,at 2 gb. Paid personal plans start at 2 tb and cost$9.99 per month,billed annually. We provide more information in our Dropbox review.

More plan

Dropbox Essentials (aka Professional for professionals)

• (Formerly Dropbox One)
  1 user
  Signature requests and eSignature templates
• 3 tb

Dropbox Business (aka Standard for teams)

Dropbox Business Plus (aka Advanced for companies)

You can manage your Mac backup from the web interface,which
is integrated with Jottacloud’s cloud storage features.

pro :

• Unlimited storage
• back up multiple device

Cons:

• Slower speeds
• No private encryption

Mac app

The desktop app has limited features and two primary views. The first shows recent files and statuses for the sync folder and any backup. The second view shows your backups,sync folder options and any archived data.

The Jottacloud backup tool is makes make it easy to back up your datum
while give you control over which folder to include .

Backup is features feature

You won’t find your backups on the web interface — only in the desktop app. You can add folders or set up a schedule to run backups.

security and privacy

Jottacloud is uses use AES 256 – bit encryption to protect datum at rest and TLS / SSL encryption protocol for datum in transit . It is support does not support private encryption key .

Jottacloud Backup Speed Test result

	1st test	2nd Test	average
Download	0:07:35	0:07:57	0:07:46
upload	0:09:10	0:08:53	0:09:02

Jottacloud had adequate speed — particularly with downloads,averaging just under eight minutes. Uploads were noticeably slower,averaging around nine minutes.

Jottacloud Pricing & Value

Jottacloud has a free 5 GB account,and the personal plan with unlimited storage space costs $ 9.90 per month. For more on its pricing and features,check out our Jottacloud review.

personal

• 1 User (2 months free)
• unlimited GB

home 1 TB

• 5 user ( 2 month free )
• 1 tb

More plan

Home 5 TB

• 5 user ( 2 month free )
• 5 TB

Home 10 TB

• 5 user ( 2 month free )
• 10TB

home 20 TB

• 5 user ( 2 month free )
• 20 TB

Business Free

• 2 Users (2 months free)
• 5 GB

Business Small

• 2 Users (2 months free)
• 1 tb

Business Medium

• 10 Users (2 months free)
• 1 tb

Business Large

• Unlimited Users ( 2 month free )
• 1 tb

Duplicati is an open-source online backup that only
require a few step to back up your Mac datum .

pro :

• Totally free
• Zero – knowledge encryption

Cons:

• Not for mobile devices
• complicated advanced tool

Mac app

The desktop app isn’t a true graphical user interface,as it uses a localhost method to generate a dashboard using your web browser. It has the look and feel of a website,with options on the left side to manage your account.

Duplicati doesn’t have a true Mac app,instead using
your web browser to access your account.

Backup is features feature

Duplicati supports incremental backup and lets you choose the level of security on each backup or create a username and password for access. You can choose the folders you want to include,set a schedule and determine file retention.

security and privacy

You are required to set a password if there are multiple accounts on a single device. If you choose AES 256-bit for your backup,it will also require a password.

Duplicati Backup Speed Test Results

	1st test	2nd Test	average
Download	0:07:11	0:07:36	0:07:24
upload	0:09:34	0:10:57	0:10:16

Duplicati had stable upload speeds that hovered between 80 and 90% capacity. Downloads were noticeably faster,at just over seven minutes.

Duplicati Pricing & Value

Duplicati is a free,open-source program that you can download. It doesn’t overtly cap your storage space,but it is also not unlimited,as larger data sets will have significant performance impacts. For more,read our Duplicati review.

Dropbox

• $0.0050 per GB per month
• 2 tb

Google Drive

• $ 0.0042 per GB per month
• 2 tb

Microsoft OneDrive

• $0.0058 per GB per month
• 1 tb

More plan

MEGA

• $0.0049 per GB per month
• 2 tb

Wasabi

• $ 0.0059 per GB per month
• 1 tb

Amazon S3

• 0.023 per GB per month
• 1 tb

Backblaze B2

• $0.0050 per GB per month
• 1 tb

Google Cloud

• $ 0.0200 + per gb per month
• 1 tb

Final Thoughts

Backing up your Mac is a highly recommended practice to ensure that your data is protected from unexpected loss. Apple’s Time Machine will work well enough. However,using a third-party app like our top choices,IDrive or Backblaze,often brings more to the table.

Other excellent options include Carbonite,which has unlimited storage; Acronis,with its excellent interface; and pCloud,which has online backup and cloud storage features. Whichever of the best Mac backup software options you choose will help keep your data protected.

Do you use any of the providers on this best Mac backup software list? If so,what has your experience been like? Did we miss a great cloud backup service? Let us know in the comments section below. Thanks for reading our article.

FAQ : Online Backup for Mac

• Using an online backup service like Backblaze is the best way to back up your Mac. You can use Apple’s Time Machine,but you could run out of storage space quickly.

• Nearly every third-party online backup is compatible with the most recent macOS. We never ran into any compatibility issues while testing each service.

• You can use an external hard drive to back up your entire Mac computer as long as there is enough space available.