Overview:

Did you know Carbonite’s name comes from the fake substance (carbonite) used to freeze Han Solo in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back”? Could be the cool name or its unlimited data backup but Carbonite is one of the most recognizable online backup services on the market.

Carbonite is a no-frills, disaster recovery, backup service. Carbonite backs up your documents, music, email, browser bookmarks and financial data. But it doesn’t backup your computers operating system, picture, video or apps. Carbonite offers continuous data storage for Windows and Mac users. Setup the backup frequency and you’re all set. Carbonite also offers physical storage to recover files, much like Backblaze and IDrive.

Carbonite hosts a suite of personal to business backup and restore solutions. Pick from the options that apply to your needs (one computer, computers, one or more server, and compliance needs) and Carbonite helps determine the coverage you need. There is ‘Carbonite Safe’; a personal backup service, with varying tiers and costs. ‘Carbonite Server’ backs up your servers and also replicates them on to the cloud. Server fail to backup? No to worry. The second layer of cloud storage can restore the physical server for premium subscribers. Could be worth the money if you’re worried about your server failing or coming offline.

‘Carbonite Endpoint’ data protection helps lower the cost and damage caused by lost or stolen devices, ransomware, accidental deletions, and computer crashes for larger operations.

Carbonite’s backup speed is mid-range with its competitors. According to PC Mag, Carbonite comes in at #5 with 1 minute and 22 seconds to upload 100MB of backup data. Norton comes in at the fastest, 49 seconds. And IDrive in at 8th place with 1 minute and 50 seconds.

Pricing:

Carbonite offers three plans: Basic, Plus, and Prime. With all three plans, you’ll need to sign up for a year at least. They do not offer monthly rates. You can, however, sign up for a free trial, for either tier.

For $72 a year (BASIC) you can backup one computer and receive:

External Hard Drive backup Remote file access to computer file For $288 a year (PLUS) you can back multiple computers and receive:

For $600 a year (PREMIUM) you can back

All the basic and plus features Image Backup and Bare Metal Restore Backup for databases

Pros:

The best part of Carbonite is the setup. Simply “set it & forget it” backup. The continuous storage is a plus. Decent uploading speed. Easy to use interface.

Cons:

Carbonite follows an “all or nothing” approach to scheduling backups. You can’t schedule different folders to upload at different times. Carbonite is only available to Windows and Mac users. You will need to upgrade to experience all Carbonite has to offer. Long restore times and the discontinuation of photo and video backup is a huge drawback for most.

Conclusion:

There are more affordable, more full-spectrum backup services on the market. If you are looking for a basic disaster recovery plan then Carbonite works for you. But if you are looking to scale, collaborate, or archive then I’d skip Carbonite and look to a more robust service.