Carbonite and Backblaze are highly popular names in the world of online backup services. Both of them are known for their affordability, unlimited cloud storage and great functionality. While Carbonite was launched before Backblaze and it is a well-established and successful business, Backblaze has managed to build a strong reputation in the industry and it has a loyal customer base. Given that these two online backup solutions offer similar features, it is difficult to decide which one to choose. To help you make the decision, we will compare them neck to neck.
Ease of Use
There is not a clear winner in this category since both Carbonite and Backblaze are very easy to use. Backblaze’s software can be installed easily and once it is running, it will start backing up your data immediately. The same can be said about Carbonite and files are also selected for backup without input required, everything is done automatically and efficiently with both services. It is possible to restore files easily from the web interface and with Carbonite, you can also restore files from the desktop software. Backblaze only allows you to restore files from the web interface.
Price
In this category, Backblaze takes the advantage since it is less expensive than Carbonite. With Backblaze you pay $5 per computer for one month and all the plans offer the same features. When you extend the subscription to one year, you can save money as the total cost is $50, making the monthly price just over $4.10. Carbonite has a basic plan that costs $59.99 per year per computer, making the monthly cost nearly $5.
It is important to note that this plan doesn’t offer all the features supported by Carbonite. In order to get options like external hard drive back up and mirror image backup, you will need to upgrade to a Plus plan ($99.99) or to the Prime plan, which also offers automatic video backup and courier recovery service.
Features
While Carbonite offers some exclusive features, Backblaze gives you more flexibility in terms of the type of files that can be backed up. The option to backup external drives is included with Backblaze, but Carbonite offers it for an additional cost. The two services support the below features:
- Strong encryption
- Easy restores
- Unlimited cloud storage space
- Automatic throttling
Some of Backblaze’s specific features are automatic video backup, automatic backup of files over 4GB, external hard drive backup available for no additional cost. On the other hands, Carbonite’s exclusive features include public file sharing and the option to sync and share files.The Plus plan offers mirror image backup, which allows you to create a local backup of your entire hard drive.
Both Backblaze and Carbonite give you the possibility of restoring files to a USB hard drive that is then sent to you by post. The advantage of this option is that it is faster than restoring files over internet. With Carbonite, this feature is only available in the Prime plan and a service fee of $9.99. Backblaze offers this for $189 for a 4TB hard drive.
Platforms
These two services offer software compatible with Windows and Mac, while Linux is left out in both cases. Carbonite has a slight advantage thanks to its Sync and Share option for Windows and Mac, which allows you to sync files across your devices. Android and iOS are also supported for both online backup services.
While the apps let you access your backed up files on the go, you won’t be able to upload files. However, Carbonite’s Sync and Share app supports additional functionality. Carbonite’s app automatically backs up your Android’s smartphone data including photos and videos, which is very practical.
Speed
Here Backblaze takes again the lead, thanks to the good results offered in speed tests. You can upload files quickly (8 Mbps) and download speeds are also quite impressive at 31 Mbps. With Carbonite, it is possible to upload files at 3.1 Mbps and files are downloaded at 4.7 Mbps, according to speed tests.
Security
In terms of security, both services offer strong protection for your files. They encrypt the data on their servers and then encrypt it again (using SSL) while it is being transferred online. They both offer bank-grade security to keep your files secure at all times.
Additionally, both Backblaze and Carbonite give you the possibility of using a personal passphrase for encryption. This measure enhances the security of your data as it gives you control of the encryption key. The only thing to consider is that it is not possible to recover the passphrase if you forget it. It is your sole responsibility to keep your passphrase safe and to make sure that it is easy to remember for you.
Support
Both companies offer customer support that is professional and knowledgeable, but only Carbonite gives you the possibility of contacting them by phone. Backblaze provides support via email, every day of the week. Usually, the response take about 24 hours. They also offer assistance via live chat from 9 AM to 5 PM, PST. Carbonite’s support can be reached everyday (except US holidays) between 8:30 AM to 9 PM, EST. They are available by phone, live chat and email.
Conclusion – Which one should you choose?
Although both services offer a high level of quality and the final decision will depend on your personal requirements and preferences, Backblaze has a few features that give it an advantage over Carbonite. Backblaze offers more flexibility for backing up files, it is faster and costs less. That being said, it should be noted that Carbonite is the only one that offers mirror image (local) backups, apart from cloud backups. Plus, the Sync and Share feature is a convenient solution when you need to collaborate on files.
