Phone and Tablet SecurityReviews

Best Online Backup Service for Android Phones



Summary: While mobile devices are great for staying connected on the go, they’re also very susceptible to damage and loss.

With so many of us taking photos and storing all of our contact information on our smartphones, them being lost, stolen, or damaged beyond repair can be devastating.

With an online backup service that offers Android apps, you can easily protect your data from permanent loss.

By coping and backing up your files to a secure location, backup services mean even if your Android phone is gone, your files aren’t.

For affordable mobile backup of all of your Android devices, get iDrive now.

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Why Are My Files at Risk?

If you’re like most people, your cell phone goes everywhere with you.

Android phones have entwined themselves deeply into many users’ everyday lives, and it’s startling to think of how much we rely on these devices, so think about this:

If your Android phone was suddenly stolen, how many of the phone numbers would you know off the top of your head?

And that’s just information. What about photos – how many of them would you be able to retrieve?

Those videos of your son on his bike? The tax forms you downloaded for your agent? How much of that could you retrieve?

If you’re not backing up your Android phone, the answer is none of it.

Unless you’re remotely backing up your device, once they’re gone, the files and information go with them, and possibly into the hands of someone without the best of intentions.

 

How Does Online Backup Work?

Online backup services basically work by making copies of your files, and then uploading them to be stored on secure servers.

When you sign up for a service plan, you’re prompted to download and install the software.

If the company also offers mobile backup, you can download apps, and at the very least use them to manage your account.

 

Top 3 Online Backup Services for Android Phones

There are a lot of backup services out there to choose from, and not all of them will completely backup your Android devices.

Here’s a quick list of a few of the most popular ones, and how they stack up for protecting the contents of your Droids.

 

#1 Choice:  iDrive – 9/10 – Back up everything on your mobile devices for a low yearly rate

iDrive is one of the few backup services that offers backup of external hard drives, PCs, Macs, Linux, and mobile devices.

They have apps for both Apple and Android phones, so you can back up absolutely everything on them, from contacts to videos.

Plus, with 1 TB of storage space included in their plans, you have more than enough room for it all.

iDrive is one of the best priced backup services you’ll find too.

Even with their long list of features and massive amounts of storage space, their plans are only about $45 per year, and that’s including their great customer support too.

There are a lot of concerns being raised over the security and privacy of cloud storage and backup services, but iDrive is one of the companies you definitely don’t have to worry about.

They’re one of the few companies that have full control and ownership over their data centers, and have more than one to make your file backup completely geo redundant.

From upload to storage, iDrive also encrypts all of their users’ files with military grade 256 bit encryption, and also includes an optional private encryption key.

This means, you can set your own private key that even they don’t have access to (so don’t lose it, once it’s gone, your files remain encrypted forever).

In addition, if your phone ever gets stolen, you can keep the thief from getting your personal information by using their remote wipe feature to completely erase everything on the device.

For the best deal on secure storage and online backup of your Android, get iDrive today.

 

#2:  CrashPlan – 8/10 – Unlimited storage space, but can’t back up mobile devices

CrashPlan has a lot of great features, like unlimited storage space and file recovery, but their service doesn’t support mobile device backup at all.

While their software is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux, their apps are only for account management and syncing, so you’ll have to stick with iDrive to back up those devices.

CrashPlan also lacks iDrive’s geo redundancy, so if their one and only data center is ever damaged, your backed up files are gone for good.

Though they do encrypt your files and give you an optional private encryption key, it’s still not quite as comprehensive as iDrive’s security.

In addition, their software isn’t the most user-friendly out there.

Even if you just wound up using them for your desktop devices, the setup isn’t very intuitive and may confuse some beginning users.

All in all, CrashPlan is a good option for desktop backup, but their complete lack of mobile device backup is limiting to say the least.

If you need a backup service specifically for backing up your Android phone, use iDrive instead.

CrashPlan can be found at this website.

 

#3: Acronis– 5/10 – Only backs up photos and videos

Acronis is another backup service that comes with unlimited storage space, so it’s a tempting option for some users.

However, unlike iDrive, their mobile device backup is strictly limited to photos and videos – you can’t back up your contacts or apps with their service.

Also, though Acronis is compatible with Windows and Mac systems, they don’t have software available for Linux devices yet.

Though Acronis has reasonable security with encryption and private key options, their backup isn’t geo redundant, and they also don’t have iDrive’s handy remote wipe feature.

On top of that, their terms and conditions outline some sketchy language about who has access to your files – something you’ll definitely want to read through before you sign up.

The biggest deal breaker with Acronis though is definitely their price tag. Everything costs extra with this company, including mobile backup.

Their service plan that includes this feature is a whopping $70 annually – about $25 more than iDrive for less features.

The choice is simple really – why settle for fewer features and a higher price tag? Get it all at a way better price with iDrive.

Acronis is here.

 

Conclusion: Use iDrive for Secure Backup Anytime, Anywhere

We use our smartphones for everything, from sharing photos, to accessing bank account details. So what happens when that phone gets damaged or stolen?

With iDrive online backup service, you can get features to protect your information and your files from permanent loss:

Not every backup service allows you to back up the entire contents of your Android phone, and iDrive is one of the few that does it at an incredible price.

For all of these features, plus plenty of storage space, and customer support that’s there when you need it, use iDrive to back up your Android phone.

Jen

Jen. News maker and gatherer. Editor-in-Chief of Secure Thoughts.