Carbonite vs CrashPlan

Detailed side-by-side comparison

Carbonite

From $6/mo

Carbonite is a cloud backup solution that serves both businesses and individuals with automatic continuous data protection and unlimited storage options. It emphasizes ease of use with automatic operation and offers multiple recovery methods including a unique courier recovery service for large data restoration needs.

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CrashPlan

From $10/mo

CrashPlan is an enterprise-focused cloud backup platform designed primarily for businesses requiring comprehensive endpoint protection across desktops, laptops, and servers. It excels in centralized management capabilities and offers robust file versioning with strong compliance features suitable for organizations with strict data retention requirements.

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Feature Comparison

Feature	Carbonite	CrashPlan
Target Audience	Designed for both individual consumers and businesses with flexible plans for different user types	Primarily enterprise-focused with features tailored for IT administrators and business environments requiring centralized control
Storage Capacity	Unlimited cloud storage on most plans with no restrictions on backup size	Unlimited cloud storage per device without throttling, ensuring consistent performance across all endpoints
Platform Support	Supports Windows and Mac systems with external hard drive backup capabilities	Cross-platform support including Windows, Mac, and Linux systems for broader enterprise compatibility
File Versioning	Offers version history but with more limited retention compared to enterprise competitors	Advanced file versioning with customizable retention policies suitable for compliance and long-term recovery needs
Recovery Options	Multiple recovery methods including remote file access and unique courier recovery service for physical hard drive delivery	Standard cloud recovery with reliable restoration processes, though without physical courier delivery options
Administration	Simple setup with automatic operation, ideal for users who prefer minimal configuration	Centralized administration console for IT teams to manage multiple endpoints, policies, and user permissions from a single interface

Pricing Comparison

Carbonite starts at $6/month making it more budget-friendly for individuals and small businesses, while CrashPlan begins at $10/month reflecting its enterprise-grade features and advanced management capabilities. The $4 difference represents the value of centralized administration, advanced versioning, and broader platform support that businesses may require.

Verdict

Choose Carbonite if...

Choose Carbonite if you're an individual user or small business seeking an affordable, easy-to-use backup solution with unlimited storage and appreciate the convenience of courier recovery for large data restoration. It's ideal for users who prioritize simplicity and don't need advanced IT management features.

Choose CrashPlan if...

Choose CrashPlan if you're an enterprise or growing business that needs centralized endpoint management, advanced file versioning policies, and cross-platform support including Linux. It's the better choice for organizations with compliance requirements, IT administrators managing multiple devices, or businesses requiring robust version history and retention controls.

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Cloud Storage

Pros & Cons

Carbonite

Pros

+ Unlimited storage on most plans
+ Easy setup and automatic operation
+ Strong encryption and security features
+ Multiple recovery options including courier delivery

Cons

- Can be slow for initial backup of large data sets
- Limited version history compared to competitors
- Higher pricing compared to some alternatives

CrashPlan

Pros

+ Unlimited backup storage without throttling
+ Strong security with end-to-end encryption
+ Excellent file version history and retention policies
+ Reliable cross-platform compatibility

Cons

- No free tier for individual users
- Higher price point compared to consumer alternatives
- Initial backup can be slow for large datasets