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Backing up important data is one of the most critical tasks for any Windows PC user, yet this is a task often overlooked until it’s too late and permanent data loss becomes a harsh reality. A sudden hard drive failure, a malware attack or an accidental file deletion can wipe out years of precious photos, important documents and irreplaceable files as well as often making the PC itself unusable and unusable until it is repaired or Windows reinstalled.

Whilst modern versions of the Windows operating system do feature basic backup tools built-in at no additional cost, these are usually limited in the features they offer, unintuitive and lacking in advanced features such as the provision of encryption, historic file versioning and integration with cloud storage providers. Investing in a reliable and robust third-party Windows backup solution can often help in overcoming these common issues and limitations with the Windows built-in solutions and provide a more effective means for protecting your digital life.

This specialist guide focuses on some of the core backup concepts to be aware of when backing up a Windows device before listing 10 of the best third-party Windows backup software titles worthy of consideration.

Check out my top Windows backup choice...

Backup Pro 26

ashampoo.com

Full Review

File vs Disk Imaging Backups

One of the most important considerations when backing up data on a Windows device is whether to make use of file or full disk image backups (or maybe even a combination of both under certain circumstances).

This choice of backup type is potentially a very important decision given the chosen type will have a big impact on exactly what is being backed-up on a device and how it is being saved. This choice will also impact how easily data is recoverable after certain events including hard disk failures, accidental file overwrites and even ransomware attacks which could potentially leave a Windows PC unusable.

Top 5 Free Backup Software Choices:

Below is a quick look at the top 5 Windows backup software titles mentioned in this guide, scroll down for the full and detailed list of Windows backup software.

	Solution	Pricing	Website
1	Backup Pro 26	From $16 / year (3x PCs)	Visit Website
2	ToDo BackUp	Free / Home @ $39.95 / year	Visit Website
3	True Image	From $49.99 / year	Visit Website
4	Backblaze Backup	$9 / month	Visit Website
5	BackUp Maker	Free / Pro @ $39.90 (2x PCs)	Visit Website

Both of these methods have their pros and cons with a file-level approach often being faster, more flexible and requiring less disk space for the storing of backups. Disk image backups on the other hand are much more comprehensive covering all data on a disk alongside the operating system plus any installed application by default (albeit full disk image backups do often take longer to complete and require more disk space for storage versus a file-level backup).

File Backups:

In many respects the default backup type for many Windows backup applications, file-level backups work by allowing the user to select exactly which files and folders from the device in question are to be included in the backup set. The main advantage of this approach is that Windows PC users are able to effectively select only the areas of the PC which they would like to be backed up (e.g. only the “My Documents” folder) and exclude everything else which isn’t required by default.

By selecting only files which are to be included in the backup set manually (or maybe via a preset selection tool if the software supports it, e.g. all photos), the size of the backup set can be kept to a minimum making it easier to store and manage. Smaller backup sets are also easier and faster to transmit across the internet when making use of cloud storage services or dedicated cloud backup software given this high level of storage optimisation.

NB – The majority of cloud focused backup services (e.g. Backblaze, Carbonite and CrashPlan) usually focus on providing file-level backups as this remains the best use of such a service for many PC users.

File-level backups also have the advantage of being really easy and (usually) really fast to recover data from when the need arises. In almost all cases the file-level recovery process allows PC users to simply select only the files and folders which are to be recovered leaving everything else omitted by default. This results in streamlined data recovery operations allowing Windows users to recover the files they require with the minimal of fuss.

Disk Image Backups:

In contrast to file-level backups, disk image backups can back up an entire hard disk drive by taking an “image” (an exact 1:1 copy) of the disk (or multiple disks) which make up a Windows PC. This approach is more comprehensive than the file-level approach by ensuring all data stored upon the disk (including the Windows operating system plus all installed applications) are included in the backup set by default.

This approach of automatically including all data stored upon the disk means that disk image backups are usually a more reliable and robust solution for backing up an entire system within a single backup job. By including everything (all data) residing upon a disk we will naturally also ensure that all important files, folders and installed applications are also included as well (you can’t simply forget to include a specific file or folder with this backup approach).

NB – Certain disk imaging backup software titles (including Acronis True Image) do allow items to be excluded from disk image backups (e.g. all .ISO files can be excluded via the use of an exclusions filter).

Whilst disk image backups do provide better coverage, they are usually slower to run and almost always produce much larger files sizes meaning they are often harder to store and, in many cases, impractical for use with cloud storage services (unless very high-speed internet is available). They do, however, have the advantage that everything from a single file through to the entire Windows system (with all data and installed applications) can be restored from a single backup set making image-based backups suitable for both day-to-day use or recovering from catastrophic events such as hardware failure or a ransomware attack.

NB – Disk image backups can also be a really useful tool when migrating to a new PC. Many backup software applications which support disk image backup also support dissimilar recovery meaning an existing system can be backed-up on old hardware and then recovered to new hardware (a new PC) without the need to re-install the operating system and applications Again.

Windows Backup Storage Locations

When backing-up a Windows device it is important to plan where the backed-up data is to be stored and upon what medium it will be kept. This could be as simple as making use of an external hard drive, flash drive or CD/DVD media as well as making use of cloud storage services including Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Backblaze B2, pCloud and Dropbox amongst many others.

Regardless of which approach is taken, it is also important to consider where this storage medium is to be kept, how secure and safe its location is and how easily the device can be accessed if required for new backup or restore operations. Keeping backups physically close to the Windows PC being backed-up (e.g. on an external hard drive next to the device) can be very convenient, but with this convenience comes risks lowering the overall usefulness of the backup protection provided (e.g. an unfortunate fire destroying the Windows PC being backed-up will almost certainly also destroy the external hard disk next to it thus resulting in total data loss).

It is for reasons such as this that it becomes important to understand how safe and reliable any backed-up data is and is a great time to introduce the well-adopted 3-2-1 backup rule.

The 3-2-1 Backup Rule:

The 3-2-1 backup is a great way of ensuring any data backed-up from a Windows device is kept safe by storing it across multiple physical locations and storage mediums. The general rules for this 3-2-1 principal are:

Having at least THREE copies of any backed-up data stored across at least 3 different mediums (devices) at any given time (e.g. a Windows PC, an external hard drive and on a third-party cloud storage service).
Having TWO copies of the backed-up data stored locally on at least 2 different storage mediums. For example, one copy on the Windows PC (the original copy) and a second copy on an external hard drive or NAS device.
Having ONE copy of the backed-up data stored off-site (this could include the use of a cloud storage service to easily provide this offsite copy).

Once implemented correctly, the 3-2-1 backup strategy becomes a highly resilient method for ensuring backed-up data is always available and accessible when required. Even if a particular site or device is taken out of action (lost / destroyed etc.) then at least two additional copies of any backed-up data across at least one or two different storage mediums will still exist for recovery purposes.

Historic Versioning & Backup Security

Securing any data backed-up from a Windows PC is a very important consideration. This is a task which not only involves securing and making private the contents of any files and folders backed-up from the device in question, but also ensuring the integrity of any backed-up data is kept in-tact.

Backup Encryption:

Generally speaking, one of the most effective methods for protecting any data backed-up from a Windows device is to make use of strong, zero-knowledge encryption which is applied automatically by the Windows backup software as a part of the backup operation. This will result in a backup set which, once stored either locally or upon cloud storage, will remain encrypted, private and unreadable to anyone except the device original owner.

Most premium Windows backup solutions now provide support for encrypting any backed-up data built-in to the software itself. This makes the process of applying such strong data encryption as simple as a setting a password during the initial configuration of the backup set.

NB – Warning, if set, make sure to never forget the backup encryption password as this will almost certainly leave any backed-up data unrecoverable in such circumstances. It is recommended to make use of a good password manager for storing data encryption keys safely.

Whilst various different encryption standards exist, it is advised to look for backup software supporting AES 256-bit encryption given this is highly secure, reliable and included in many free and premium Windows backups software titles already (the below list of recommended Windows backup software titles points out those with AES 256-bit support already included).

Historic Versioning:

Another really important feature of Windows backup software to be aware of is that of historic file versioning and the level of historic file versioning which the backup solution in question can retain.

Simply put, historic versioning refers to any old versions of files which can remain backed-up despite the original copy of said file having being changed (i.e. essentially an old or potentially outdated copy of the file). Whilst keeping such old copies (versions) of files might seem unimportant at first mention, there are several important benefits to doing so including providing protection against accidentally overwriting file contents plus even protection from highly destructive malware and ransomware.

For example, if your Windows device did suffer from a ransomware attack (maliciously overwriting or encrypting all important file contents in the process) then normal access to your files would become impossible. In such cases, being able to recover the previous version of these files from a backup ensures the files contents are still available before any malicious overwriting of the files in question happened.

NB – It is important to note that (generally speaking) synchronising files between devices does not constitute a good form of backup. In the example highlighted above, if files were maliciously encrypted by ransomware and then synchronised to a different device, the second device would also then contain a copy of these unusable files (meaning this type of “backup” would be of no use).

Advanced Windows Backup Features

When searching for the best Windows backup software there are many additional backup related features available across many different software titles which might be worthy of consideration based upon your own requirements.

These features could be as simple as built-in support for your favourite third-party cloud storage service through to advanced features for recovering disk image backups to dissimilar (new) hardware or even synchronising files and folders between different devices.

Some additional useful features of Windows backup software might include:

Strong file encryption (ideally AES 256-bit or stronger)
Automatic file & folder synchronisation between devices
Automatic scheduling (or real time) backups
Bootable recovery (rescue) media
Support for recovering to dissimilar hardware
Disk cloning and disk partition management tools
Secure disk and data erasure tools
Support for running additional jobs before and after backups run
Built-in cloud storage and cloud sharing functionality

Also be sure to keep a look out for Windows backup software titles featuring multi-device licences when applicable. With many Windows backup software titles now priced on a per-device basis, these multi-device licences could help to significantly lower the cost of backing-up multiple Windows PCs when applicable to do so.

Windows Backup Software FAQs

What is the best way to backup an entire Windows PC?

One of the best methods for ensuring all data, applications and the Windows operating system itself are backed-up is to make use of software supporting full disk image backups. Disk imaging ensures that a full image (or exact 1:1 copy) of any disks can be taken ensuring everything stored upon the disk (including the operating system and all applications) is automatically included in the backup.

Can a Windows PC be backed-up for free?

Yes, not only does Windows itself include some basic backup tools, but many third-party backup software vendors now produce free editions of their tools alongside several good quality open-source alternatives. Taking the time to study the full range of free Windows backup software on offer is a great way of finding out what features are available and which tools best suit your own backup requirements.

NB – Be realistic when looking for free Windows backup software, if a free solution doesn’t meet your needs, then it might be better to pay for premium backup software and ensure this very important task is done correctly.

How can backup software help protect Windows devices against ransomware?

Whilst keeping any installed software titles and the Windows operating system up to date alongside a good anti-virus software suite will help to secure a device, good backup software can also play an important part in further securing a Windows device against malware attacks.

Making use of historic file versioning ensures that old and undamaged versions of any backed up files remain accessible and, when making use of disk image backups, an entire windows device (system) can potentially be recovered to an earlier date before any malware related issues were encountered.

What is the easiest way of backing up a Windows PC to the cloud?

One of the easiest ways of backing up a Windows PC to the cloud is to make use of a dedicated cloud backup service (this is a backup software and cloud storage allocation combined into a single product, usually on a subscription basis). Some popular cloud storage services include Backblaze, Carbonite, Acronis True Image and Crashplan amongst various others supporting the Windows platform.

Additionally, many Windows backup software titles including Ashampoo Backup Pro, EaseUS ToDo Backup and Arq allow their users to integrate backups with their own third-party cloud storage accounts directly within application itself.

What is the best way of securing a Windows backup?

Whilst storing backups in a safe and secure location (or with a trusted cloud storage provider) is a good start, the application of strong AES 256-bit encryption (or stronger) remains the best method for ensuring any backed-up data remains safe and private. Whilst it is possible to apply such encryption after the backup set is complete (either directly or via a cloud solution which automatically encrypts any data uploaded to it), many Windows backup software titles now provide built-in AES 256-bit encryption support directly.

Top 12 Best Windows Backup Software

Below is a list of my current top 10 favourite Windows backup software titles as per my own personal review of each individual title.

Remember, any ratings, reviews and opinions given below reflect my own opinions and these should be treated only as a guide and not a recommendation. When purchasing any form of Windows backup software, always be sure to check the details of the offering out for yourself and try and to make use of any free trials, whenever possible, to help ensure any given solution is correct before committing to a purchase.

1) Ashampoo Backup Pro 26

Backup Pro 26 is the latest in this line of highly rated and fully featured Windows backup software from expert software developers, Ashampoo.

The well-designed interface and easy to use desktop application makes configuring new Windows backup sets both very quick and simple within what is now a very well refined Windows application. This is in-part thanks to the easy-to-use backup wizard and pre-made backup plan templates which make Backup Pro 26, without doubt, one of the best tools for getting a working backup in place on a Windows PC (with all modern versions of Windows up to and including the latest Windows 11 now fully supported).

It is also worthy of note how much of an “all-rounder” Backup Pro 26 is with both file and disk image backups supported alongside custom historic file versioning periods, full, incremental and differential backup methodologies, powerful automatic scheduling plus support for managing multiple backup sets simultaneously.

Further solidifying this as my favourite all-round Windows backup solution are the good number of advanced backup features on offer. This includes built-in support for many popular third-party cloud storage services (including Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox plus many others via the use of WebDAV), free email notifications (via a free to register My Ashampoo account), strong AES 256-bit data encryption, bootable WinPE-based recovery media plus the ability to mount disk image backups as virtual drives within Windows.

Full Review

Ashampoo Backup Pro 26 is priced at a one-off cost of just $60 for a single, perpetual licence with a subscription edition also available from just $16 per year across 3 PCs. Users of older versions of Backup Pro can also upgrade to this latest version for just $20 and a 30-day free trial of the software is also available via the official Ashampoo website.

2) EaseUS ToDo Backup

Available in both premium and highly functional free-to-use editions, ToDo Backup is the leading multi-purpose Windows backup solution from software development experts, EaseUS.

The ToDo Backup application itself is notable as being very easy to use and highly effective and this helps with getting an initial Windows backup set in place and operating quickly. In fact, the guided interface walks Windows PC users through the various backup types and configuration options available (including both file-level and full disk image backups) making this tool one of the best for getting Windows devices backed-up with the minimal of fuss.

Key features of ToDo Backup include support for full, incremental and differential methodologies alongside the EaseUS SMART backup technology which automatically ensures the correct and most optimised backup methodology for any given backup set is always used (although this is available in premium editions only). We also see support for file and disk / system image backups, good automatic scheduling options plus customised historic versioning allowing whatever historic time frame to be set as required for optimal data protection.

Backing up this core functionality are many additional features including AES 256-bit encryption, third-party cloud integration (including Google Drive, pCloud and Dropbox), the ability to mount disk image backups as virtual drives within Windows, disk cloning and SSD migration plus support for recovering full system image backups to dissimilar hardware via bootable recovery media.

Full Review

EaseUS ToDo Backup is available from just $39.95 per year, $59.95 per year with 1TB of cloud storage included or from $59.95 with free lifetime upgrades. A free-to-use edition of the software is available as is a 30-day free trial of the premium ToDo Home edition, both of which can be obtained via the official EaseUS website.

3) Acronis True Image

Widely known for their highly regarded disk imaging technology, True Image is the latest security focused Windows backup solution from leading backup software experts, Acronis.

Formally known as Cyber Protect Home Office before changing its name back to True Image in 2024, Acronis have continued to build upon and refine this highly-rated Windows backup software offering. In addition to the excellent disk imaging-based backup tools which remain a core part of the software, Acronis now offer built-in cloud storage as a central part of True Image subscriptions alongside a fully featured premium antivirus solution integrated directly into the product itself.

The core Windows backup functionality provided by True Image remains strong with support for backing up individual files, folders, disks, partitions and even entire systems via the advanced disk image backup functionality. Storage options include support for locally attached hard drives (or locally available NAS / network storage) or, alternatively, backups can now be stored directly upon the Acronis cloud which is integrated into most editions of the software (with the exception of the Essentials edition which is missing any cloud storage functionality).

Advanced features integrated into True Image include support for full AES 256-bit encryption, good automatic scheduling, large file archiving tools (via the Acronis cloud), dedicated disk cloning and SSD migration tools, secure drive erasure plus the ability to mount disk image backups as virtual drives within Windows. Additionally, True Image also contains a fully featured premium antivirus solution which not only helps to ensure all backed-up files remain virus free, it also brings to any Windows PC additional protection against modern threats including ransomware and illicit crypto mining.

Full Review

Acronis True Image is priced from just $49.99 per year for the Essential edition or from $54.99 for the Advanced edition which includes an allocation of Acronis cloud storage alongside the full built-in antivirus suite. Also available is a full 30-day free trial of True Image via the official Acronis website.

4) Backblaze

Backblaze is a cloud-based backup solution which is undeniably one of the quickest and easiest ways of getting a full Windows backup in operation. This ease-of-use is partially thanks to the highly automated setup process which automatically selects all important files on a Windows device alongside the integration of unlimited cloud storage provided directly from Backblaze themselves.

It is this highly automatic approach which makes Backblaze an ideal choice for getting a safe and effective Windows backup in place with the minimal of fuss. Once signed up for the service and the software downloaded, the special installer will automatically select all important files which need to be included and will also automatically connect to the Backblaze cloud before starting the automatic (real-time) backups immediately afterwards (it really is very easy to set-up).

Despite being very easy to use, Backblaze still offers many highly useful Windows backup related features. This includes unlimited cloud storage right out of the box, 1-year of historic file versioning, automatic AES 256-bit encryption (with the option to use your own private encryption keys) plus special file downloader tools and web-based access for recovering data when required. Despite this powerful set of features, it should be noted Backblaze is a file-focused cloud backup solution meaning disk image backups are not supported nor is the ability to utilise multiple different backup sets.

Full Review

Backblaze is priced from just $9 per month (per device) with discounts available on annual plans from just $99 and 2-year plans at just $189. A 15-day free trial of the full service is also available via the official Backblaze website.

5) ASCOMP BackUp Maker

BackUp Maker is the highly rated and free-to-use Windows backup utility from expert software developers, ASCOMP.

Featuring a lightweight, well-designed and easy to use desktop application, getting an initial Windows backup in-place via BackUp Maker remains a quick and straightforward process. Support is included for full, incremental and differential backup methodologies as well as the storing of data on locally attached drives, network shares (NAS devices) as well as to various cloud third-party cloud storage providers including Google Drive, pCloud and Microsoft OneDrive amongst others.

Additional backup functionality found within ASCOMP BackUp Maker includes advanced scheduling support for the making of Windows backups automatically, implementation of strong AES 256-bit encryption for enhanced data protection, WebDAV and FTPS connectivity plus the ability to set custom historic file versioning timeframes for enhanced protection against malware and ransomware attacks.

Full Review

ASCOMP BackUp Maker is 100% free for personal, non-commercial use with a commercial licence available for a one-off cost of just $39.90 across two Windows devices. More information on both editions of BackUp Maker can be found via the official ASCOMP website.

6) AOMEI Backupper

Developed by leading developers AOMEI, Backupper is a well-designed and easy to use backup solution capable of making both file-level and full disk-image backups making it ideal for keeping Windows PCs safe.

Available in both a highly functional free edition (AOMEI Backupper Standard) plus a more advanced premium edition (Backupper Professional), Backupper is ideal for a for anyone looking to get their Windows device backed-up with a highly refined backup tool. Full disk imaging backups with (sector-by-sector imaging) are supported in both editions of the tool with the professional edition also including advanced disk cloning and SSD migration functionality plus universal restore technology allowing image recovery to dissimilar hardware.

Advanced backup features in both editions include sector-by-sector imaging, real-time and scheduled backups, folder synchronisation plus automatic SSD 4K alignment when applicable. The Professional edition brings more tools and features including the full disk cloning feature-set, AES-192 data encryption, cloud storage support, disk and partition management tools plus support for advanced file-type filters and use of the differential backup methodology.

Full Review

AOMEI Backupper Standard is 100% free for personal, non-commercial use. Professional editions (starting from $39.95) offer additional features including differential backups, encryption plus advanced disk cloning functionality. More information on Backupper can be found via the official AOMEI website.

7) Macrium Reflect X

Reflect Home X is the latest edition of the highly functional, reliable and robust disk imaging-based backup software solution from Windows disk imaging experts, Macrium.

Having ended support for the highly popular Macrium Reflect Free line of free-to-use backup software in early 2023, Reflect Home X is now the flagship Windows backup and disk cloning software from Marium. This is a backup solution which, whilst unfortunately lacking any built-in support for cloud storage of any kind, does provide one of the strongest and most functional disk, partition and full system image-based backup solutions available as of today.

In addition to this strong disk imaging focused approach, Macrium Reflect X also supports making file-level backups, Full, incremental and differential backup methodologies, AES 256-bit encryption, good scheduling options, Rapid Delta Restore technology for faster restore operations, the ability to mount disk images as virtual drives within Windows and up to 2x faster backups than in previous editions of the software.

Also available from Reflect X is specialist a bootable recovery media toolset which allows use of the Macrium ReDeploy component for recovering disk image backups to new or dissimilar hardware, use of the Image Guardian module for preserving the integrity of any backed-up data whilst in storage plus support for the latest generation of ARM-based Windows systems.

Full Review

Macrium Reflect X is priced from just $49.99 per year for a single device or from $99.98 per year for a 4-device licence. More information on Reflect X subscriptions plus the option to make use of a full 30-day free trial can be found via the official Macrium Reflect homepage.

8) Iperius Backup

Iperius Backup is the highly versatile Windows PC and server backup application from data backup experts, Iperius.

Available in a highly functional free edition plus several premium editions supporting both Windows PC and servers, Iperius is ideal for a wide range of Windows backup tasks. This includes support for both file-level and full disk image backups (in the premium edition) with the ability to save both locally or to one of many third-party cloud storage provides thanks to the excellent built-in cloud storage support (including Google Drive, OneDrive, AWS S3 and Backblaze B2 amongst many others in premium editions of the tool).

Excellent cloud storage support aside and all editions of Iperius include support for managing multiple backup jobs, backup scheduling and automation, secure AES 256-bit encryption and data compression plus the use of incremental backup technology for faster more disk space efficient backups.

Additional useful feature sin the premium editions of Iperius include support for direct disk cloning, use of the Iperius recovery environment, FTP/FTPS support, automatic application updates, synchronisation between devices plus the ability to backup open files on Windows via the use of VSS technology.

Full Review

Iperius is available in a highly useful and 100% free-to-use edition with the premium “Basic PC” edition providing the full set of backup and disk cloning functionality for individual Windows PC users. More information on all editions of Iperius can be found via the official Iperius website.

9) O&O DiskImage 21 Premium

DiskImage 21 Premium is the latest Windows backup solution from expert software developers, O&O Software.

At the core of DiskImage 21 is a strong set of disk imaging features (hence the name) which sees the software capable not only of making full disk, partition or system image backups, but also providing several advanced recovery options relating to them. Advanced disk image recovery options include being able to mount disk image files as virtual drives within Windows, convert disk image backups into virtual drives (VHD and VHDX formats) for use with virtual machines and even recover disk image backups to new or dissimilar hardware with support from the O&O bootable recovery media.

In Addition to this strong set of disk imaging functionality, also included within DiskImage 21 is support for making file level backups both to locally attached storage and NAS devices (although it features no built-in cloud support), support for direct disk cloning (and SSD migration) via the built in disk cloning tool, one-click disk cloning and image backup capabilities, good scheduling options plus an easy-to-use configuration wizard which makes getting new Windows backups in place both quick and easy.

Additional useful features of DiskImage 21 sees the installation of a recovery partition which is automatically placed upon the system disk (and which is useful for recovering from in times when the original Windows operating system might not boot), the ability to apply strong AES 256-bit encryption to all data plus the option to configure custom historic versioning periods for additional malware and ransomware protection.

Full Review

O&O DiskImage 21 Premium is priced from a one-off $49.95 for a single PC or from $69.95 for a 5x PC perpetual licence. DiskImage 21 is also available as a part of the O&O PowerPack which includes several other O&O software titles form just $99.99 per year (across 5x PCs) alongside a 30-day free trial available via the official O&O Software website.

10) Crashplan

CrashPlan (Formally CrashPlan for Small Business) is a highly-rated and cloud-focused backup solution from well-established cloud backup developers, Code42.

One of the most notable features of CrashPlan is its commitment to providing one of the best cloud-focused backup software solutions for both home and small business users with device software available for Windows, macOS and Linux devices. This also sees the CrashPlan service providing an unlimited allocation of secure cloud storage on the newly formed CrashPlan Professional plan plus support for unlimited historic file versioning for a very reasonable cost of just $8 per month (or $88 per year) per device.

As a cloud focused Windows backup solution, CrashPlan has, by default, the ability to backup files and folders directly to the CrashPlan cloud and this also includes provision for backing up an unlimited number of external hard disk drives as well (drives which don’t need to be regularly re-connected to the backed-up device in order to remain a part of the backup set as is the case with many other cloud backup solutions). Once backed-up, any files can be recovered directly from the CrashPlan desktop backup application itself or via the CrashPlan cloud portal which can also be used to manage any devices added to the account.

Security wise and CrashPlan offers strong AES 256-bit encryption for all backed-up data which is switched on automatically and applied to all backup sets by default. Backing this security up further is support for unlimited historic file versioning with additional immutable ransomware features making CrashPlan a strong contender for anyone seeking strong data protection amongst other cloud backup functionality.

Full Review

CrashPlan Pro is priced from just $8 per month (per device) or from $88 per year and includes unlimited cloud storage as a part of the plan. More information on other CrashPlan plans plus the full 14-day free trial can be found via the official CrashPlan website.

11) iDrive

iDrive is well known for providing a comprehensive cloud storage offering which, amongst several other key features, provides Windows users with a fully functional cloud backup solution.

Supporting both file-level and full disk imagining backups to the cloud, real-time (continuous) operation, the keeping of up to 30 previous versions of files, a fully functional cloud drive with secure file sharing plus web-based access to any backed-up files, iDrive is a highly featureful Windows backup solution. Enhancing the iDrive functionality are various related cloud features including automatic folder synchronisation between devices (iDrive support unlimited personal devices per account), support for Windows, MacOS and Linux devices, apps for iOS and Android plus easy secure file sharing via the iDrive web portal which also allows for easy configuration of the entire service.

Other notable advanced features include support for strong AES 256-bit encryption for all data backed up to the cloud, built-in disk imaging and disk cloning tools plus built in 2FA (multifactor) authentication support for enhanced cloud drive protection.

Full Review

iDrive is priced from just $2.95 per year for 100GB of cloud storage with various other allocations of cloud storage available up to 100TB on the personal plans (business plans are also available). More information on the iDrive backup service as well as the completely 10GB free account can be found via the official iDrive website.

12) Arq Backup (Arq 7)

Arq is well known as a lightweight yet powerful cloud backup solution for both MacOS and Windows devices from independent software developers, Haystack Software.

Arq, now on version 7, stands out in the Windows backup software world thanks to its strong support for and integration of multiple popular third-party cloud storage services (including Google Drive, OneDrive, Backblaze B2 and pCloud amongst many others). This support now extends to Arq now supporting for their own cloud storage service (on selected plans at additional cost) alongside any AWS S3 compatible providers (including AWS themselves plus S3 compatible services including iDrive e2 and Backblaze B2).

Additional core features include support for managing multiple file-level backup sets, good automation and scheduling support, a simple and easy-to-use desktop application, strong data encryption support via AES 256-bit zero-knowledge encryption plus the ability to include multiple external hard drives and NAS / network drives as targets for backing-up.

Arq also provide a special restore-only application which, in the event that the regular Arq software is ever unavailable (or can’t be activated for whatever reason) any data backed-up using the Arq software can still be recovered.

Full Review

Arq 7 is priced from just $49.99 for a single perpetual licence or form $79.99 for the same perpetual licence across up to 5 personal devices. Also available is Arq premium which sees the same Arq software bundled with 1TB of cloud storage directly form Arq themselves for just $59.99 per year across 5 devices. A 30-day free trial is also available via the official Arq website.

Best Windows Backup Software Summary

Specialist third-party backup software can often prove the one of the most effective means of keeping a Windows PC effectively backed-up and its data secure. Whilst modern versions of Windows do feature some basic backup tools built-in to the operating system itself, these tools remain basic and lacking in advanced features such as cloud storage integration, AES 256-bit encryption, advanced historic versioning and advanced tools including disk cloning and SSD migration tools.

With these limitations in mind, the ability to install and configure third-party Windows backup software, be it a cloud focused solution or one favouring disk image backups, can often prove one of the best ways of enhancing the basic data protection features provided by Windows itself.