Summary: If you haven’t backed up your devices yet, all of your documents, photos, and personal information could be permanently gone if they ever get damaged. Those hundreds of files may never be accessible if you device is lost, stolen, or damaged, but some backup services can really run up a bill.

However, online backup is the easiest and most effective way to make sure that you don’t lose priceless information on your hard drive. While there are services out there that will try to nickel and dime you, there are a lot of great programs that provide you with plenty of storage space at a great price.

If you want to backup your devices but are worried about the cost, get iDrive now.

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Why Are My Files at Risk?

We’ve all been there before – the moment of panic when you drop your cell phone, lose your tablet, or discover your computer has been infected with a virus. These accidents can happen in no time flat, and in that moment, everything on your system could be gone for good.

Think of what you have stored on your devices right now – photos, contact information, tax documents, home movies – the list goes on. It’s crazy to think that all of it could just disappear, but if you don’t have your devices backed up, that’s exactly what could happen.

How Does Online Backup Work?

Online backup is pretty straightforward. Rather than storing your files on a physical device like an SD card or an external hard drive, your backed up files are actually copied and uploaded to a remote server.

While copying your files and sticking them on a little chip is a great first step, ultimately that storage device is just as vulnerable to problems as your device is.

Another thing to keep in mind is that with online backup services, your files are usually continuously backed up.

What this means is that you don’t have to set up a manual upload every time you want to update your backed up files – the software automatically copies and uploads anything on your devices that is added or modified.

Top 3 Online Backup Services

A lot of people are hesitant to use an online backup service just because of the extra expense involved. However, the popularity of these services has driven costs way down, and you can usually get a great service for just a few bucks a month. Here are a few of the top services on the web right now, and what their pricing structure is like.

#1 Choice:  iDrive – 9/10 – Unlimited free trial, lowest price

iDrive is a service that sells you on their service just by showing you how good it is. They’re one of the only companies I’ve ever seen that doesn’t have a time limit on their free trial, so you could in theory use it indefinitely if you didn’t have much you needed to backup (the storage space limit on the trial is 5 GB).

Even with their paid plans, their pricing is incredible. Their most basic service plan is less than $45 a year, and allows you to back up any device you want, provided you stay under their 1 TB storage space limit.

Considering most typical users only have a few hundred gigabytes of files to backup, a terabyte should be more than enough storage space for the average customer.

iDrive is also one of the few backup services that includes backup of every device in their service plan. Their software is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux systems, and you can use their apps to sync and access your files on the go, as well as back up all of the data on those – music, photos, contact, everything.

iDrive takes is a step further with their service with their top notch security – there’s absolutely nothing cute rate about this company. Their storage is geo redundant and 100% managed by them, and includes cool features like end to end encryption, remote wipe, and an optional private encryption key.

Throw in their file sharing options and incredible customer support, and you have one of the best backup services you’re going to find, and at a price that shakes out to less than $4 a month.

For the best price and the most features for your money, get iDrive today.

#2:  CrashPlan – 6/10 – Unlimited storage space, limited free trial

CrashPlan is a good option for people that have an unusually large volume of files to back up, but there are a few things to keep in mind with them. First of all, their rates aren’t nearly as affordable as iDrive’s. Though CrashPlan comes with unlimited storage space, file recovery, and versioning, their plans are $60 a year.

In addition, if you’re wanting to test drive a backup service before you fully commit with a service plan, you should keep in mind that you can only get so far with CrashPlan – their trial is limited to 30 days.

However, that unlimited storage space prospect is pretty tempting. Just keep in mind that while iDrive lets you back up your mobile devices, CrashPlan doesn’t – you can only sync and manage your account with their apps. You also can’t share files with this backup service.

CrashPlan is a reasonably secure program though. They’re not geo redundant like iDrive, but they also offer a private encryption key, encryption of your data and files, zero third party involvement, and a remote wipe feature in case any of your devices ever get stolen.

You can find more about CrashPlan here.

#3: Acronis– 4/10 – Lots of service limitations and high prices

Acronis is definitely not a budget friendly option if you’re looking for an online backup service that won’t break the bank. Not only are their rates significantly higher than the competition, but their plans include a lot less than you get with iDrive.

Their basic plan starts out at $50 per year, but literally only includes backup of a PC. If you have a Mac, or even just a cellphone, you’ll have to opt for their multiple device plan, even if you only actually have on to backup. On top of that, you only get 24/7 support with their premium plan – how cheap is that?

Acronis includes unlimited storage space, but their security isn’t quite as thorough as iDrive’s. Their service isn’t geo redundant, and you also don’t get the remote wipe feature. Even their mobile device backup is limited to just photos and videos –  you can’t backup music files or contacts.

Honestly, I can’t even think of a scenario where it would benefit the budget-conscious to use Acronis – it’s price gouging, plain and simple. The more affordable option, with great features, is iDrive.

Acronis is here.

Conclusion: Use iDrive for Secure Backup Anytime, Anywhere

Considering how important all the information on your devices is, how can you afford not to get them backed up? You’ll want to get the best security and the most features for money. With iDrive, here’s the value you’re getting for your yearly fee:

• major storage space
• mobile device backup
• geo redundant storage
• remote wipe
• intense system security
• file sharing
• performance and customer support

For plenty of storage space, great customer service, and software that even beginners can use at a great price, get iDrive right away.