There are many aspects to consider when it comes to choosing an online backup solution. You need to think about the amount of computers that you want to backup, as well as the number of users that need to access the data. It is also important to ask yourself if you need to sync the files and the price that you are willing to pay for an online backup service. The last point is the focus of this article as we will explore if selecting the cheapest option is truly the best choice and we’ll take a look at the implications of going for the least expensive service. Everyone likes a good deal and there are many cheap online backup services available. However, before giving price the priority over other features, it is important that you consider a few aspects.
Cheapest Online Backup – What does it mean to you?
The concept of what is cheap may vary from one person to another, but taking the general approach, we will focus on the market average of online backup solutions for individual users. Overall, the longer the subscription you select, the more you save in the long run. Online backup providers offer great discounts on their yearly plans and the monthly cost is reduced when compared to what you pay for a single month subscription. There are even providers that offer extended subscriptions that last for years, such as CrashPlan’s four-year plan.
While you need to invest more initially and pay a larger amount of money upfront, the amount pay in the long run is significantly reduced. That being said, although monthly plans cost more, they give you greater flexibility because you can change to another provider if you are not happy with the service or need to use a different backup solution because your requirements have changed. You are not committed for a long period of time so if things change for you, it is possible to move to a different plan without having to wait for your subscription to expire. The longer the term of the subscription, the lower the cost but the best option is to stick to a annual plan as it allows you to enjoy discounts, without tying you up to a service for years.
What about free services?
Most cloud-based services offer a free trial or a free version with less features than their paid solution. With the free trial, you can test the full service for a limited amount of time, generally 30 days. If there is a free version available, you can use it for as long as you want, but the functionality may be very basic when compared to the paid service. Free accounts give you a limited amount of storage space that you can use for a few photos and documents. In both cases, you can get a taste of what the service offers before committing to a paid service. If you need a larger amount of storage and a wider range of features, a paid solution would be the best option.
Cheap unlimited online backup services
With an unlimited online backup solution you will be able to protect as many files as you want. This is the best option if you have a large collection of photos, videos and important documents that you want to keep available whenever needed. It is possible to find monthly plans that offer unlimited online backup for about $5. This is an affordable solution and it is a reasonable price to pay to keep your data protected.
Since there are many online backup providers in the market, you can take advantage of the offers and special discounts that companies offer to get the attention of more customers. The price of storage is reducing year after year and it is possible to find low cost hard drives these days. At the same time, the demand is increasing. In general, things look good for the online backup and storage industry and for customers who want to prevent loss of data by backing up their files.
Conclusion
While price is an important aspect to consider when choosing an online backup solution, it should not be the main thing to keep in mind. If you really want to enjoy all the benefits of online backup, you should think about your requirements and the amount of data that you need to protect. It is possible to find affordable solutions and by setting up a yearly subscription, you can save money in the long run. Take a look at the features that the online backup service offers before making the decision.
