I've always relied on company IT for backups, but now I have my first laptop and I'm looking for a reliable backup solution. I want something that can automatically back up my data overnight, similar to iCloud, so if my laptop gets damaged or lost, I can easily set up a new one and restore everything. I've noticed there are many options online with different costs. I'm open to either a local device on my WiFi or a cloud service. I just want to find the best balance of cost and practicality. If this isn't the right place for this question, please let me know where I should ask!
5 Answers
There are lots of options out there! Your best choice really depends on your budget, how fast your internet is, and how much hassle you're okay with during the backup process. If you don’t mind losing a day or two of data, you have more flexibility.
You might want to consider using Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive, especially if you already use their other services. They're quite flexible and reliable for backups.
I highly recommend IDrive for online backup; it's one of the most affordable options for what they offer. Personally, I use a Synology NAS for local backups and pair it with IDrive for off-site storage.
If you're considering a cloud solution step for transferring files, keep in mind that it's not the best for one-time transfers. A local backup drive might be more efficient, but solutions like OneDrive, Google Drive, and other cloud services can definitely help with ongoing backups. The cheaper options are usually OneDrive and Google Drive.
It really depends on your personal use case. I use OneDrive for my files and also have a workspace account for work-related tasks. While NAS solutions are solid too, having an off-site option is safer in case of disasters at home.
I can handle losing a day or two of data. I don’t care about the type of backup (cloud or hard drive) since my data is pretty minimal — just some PDFs and spreadsheets.