Online Backup Ratings: Compared the top two Online Backup Services
There are two main players in the online backup service world. Carbonite and Mozy, both of which offer Free trials and unlimited space. So what separates these two besides the online backup prices? Is it features or reliability?
I’ve used both of these services and prepared the following online backup ratings to compare them feature for feature as well as added in my own comments where applicable.
Carbontie
Reliability: I’ve been using Carbonite now for 4 months and haven’t had any trouble with my connection, recovering files, or availability of their service. I guess I’ve had 100% uptime with them so far. This was one feature that I couldn’t seem to get working right from the get go with Mozy. During my initial backup (which was about 1GB of stuff) I kept dropping my connection with them.
Features: Carbonite uses a small desktop application to sync your PC files with their backup servers. It’s with this application that you select which files you want to upload, and it keeps them updated as new files are added or as old ones are modified.
A great feature I like with Carbonite is that you can select a file for backup any time when browsing your hard drive or folders. It’s as simple as:
Right Click the File -> Carbonite -> Back this Up
that’s it you’re done, and you’ll know the file is part of your backup set because there will be a small dot on the bottom right hand corner of the file icon. If it’s green then the file has been successfully backed up.
See Image below: Screen shot of right click and Dot on file
Restoring files with Carbonite is easy, there’s a desktop folder added after you install the backup application. By double clicking on this folder you see all the items that are located in your backup set. At any point in time you can open this folder and right click on any file or folder to see the options for restoring a file.
Space: Carbonite offers unlimited storage capacity
Price: $49.95 for the year, discounts if you sign up for more then one year.
Try Carbonite Free for 14 days now
Mozy Backup
Reliability: I mentioned this above, but I personally had some trouble with connections to the Mozy backup servers. When I was attempting to upload my initial backup files, how ever since I did only test this on my machine I can’t say that everyone trying Mozy would have this trouble.
Features: Mozy, like Carbonite, uses a small application that’s downloaded and installed on your PC to connect your machine and the Mozy backup servers. It’s with this program you select which files you want backed up, and which folders.
Mozy uses an incremental backup system, so once you’re initial backup is complete any new files or modified files in the folders you’ve selected to keep backed up will be added to the original backup set.
Space: Mozy offers unlimited backup space with a paid account, or a 2 G free account to test their services.
Price: Mozy Home Backup service is $4.99 a month, also a free trial account available
Over All I was a bigger fan of Carbonite then Mozy. I think this point probably shines through in these online backup ratings. Of course I’m only one user. I’ve placed some other consumer comments for each service on my Carbonite review and Mozy backup review pages.
Since each company offers a Free trial you can test both online backup services before you have to spend a dime.
The online backup prices are similar. It’s $50 a year for Carbonite, where as Mozy is $4.99 a month (about $60 bucks a year).
For me I like the feature of being able to select a file on my desktop or anywhere one my computer and add it to my Backup set with Carbonite, it’s more cumbersome to do this with Mozy. That combined with the easier time I had with my initial backup using Carbonite and I have choose them as my winner.