Is online backup better than an external hard drive?

Welcome back to alltrickskindom ! today we got u a question that, Is online backup better than an external hard drive? which will definitely make you think once before backing up your data. You all are aware of taking backups of your data regularly for ensuring that your data is save even if you lost your gadget.

So here the Question arises, Is online backup better than backing up to an external hard drive at home? If you think so then we got you an answer.
With all of the security concerns and service fees adding up over time, surely backing up locally is better, right?

In other words, is it worthwhile to use online backup when there are plenty of other, time-tested ways to backup data on a computer?

Yes, I think so, and most others in the technology industry would probably agree.
The one clear advantage that online backup has over local backup is that your data is stored away from home or office, meaning that your important data is free from local disasters like fires and floods that could impact your external hard drive, optical discs, or other local backup destinations or media.

Having your data stored in a physically secure, enterprise-grade data center also means that it’s protected from theft as well as most common hardware failures.

Local backup is only a better option, in my opinion, if one of the following is true: a) your connection to the Internet is very slow, or b) your Internet connection is metered. Since backing up online requires a lot of Internet usage, these two situations make it difficult to backup successfully.

So, in my opinion, while local backup may have an advantage or two over online backup, overall the benefits of backing up using a reputable online backup service outweigh the negatives, at least for most people in most situations.

So, i think you guys have got your answers for ques. Is online backup better than an external hard drive?



Here We are also providing you some names of cloud storage’s with their specifications which are totally free:-

1.  Symform

Symform offers 10 GB of free online backup space. Permanently. No joke.

Get 10 GB Free with Symform

Next to Bitcasa’s “friendly” possibilities of dozens of free gigabytes (see their summary further down the list), 10 GB of online backup space is the most I’ve ever seen offered.

You can earn even more free backup space if you’re willing to section off parts of your own hard drive space for other Symform users to use. They call it “paying with bytes” and is certainly an interesting way of backing up online for “free.”
To be clear, that first 10 GB is completely free forever, no strings attached.

 

2.  Cyphertite

Cyphertite Basic gives you 8 GB of backup space for free.

Get 8 GB Free with Cyphertite Basic

Open source software, easy setup, and super-simple web-based interface make Cyphertite an excellent choice.

 

3.  Bitcasa Free

With Bitcasa Free, you get 5 GB of backup space for free, with a maximum of 20 GB with friend referrals.

• Get 5 to 20 GB Free with Bitcasa
• In Depth Review of Bitcasa
• A Tour of the Bitcasa Backup Service

Excellent mobile access, drive-like access in Windows and Mac OS, and very easy folder syncing make Bitcasa a very good choice, no matter how much space you’re after.

 

4.  MiMedia

MiMedia gives out 10 GB of free storage space and offers automatic backups.
Get 10 GB Free with MiMedia
A downside to MiMedia is that it can only be used for photos, movies, music, and documents. Common file types like ZIP and EXE will not be backed up.
However, MiMedia is a nice choice if storing media files is all you’re concerned about.
A mobile app and a Windows desktop program are available for uploading your media files.

5.  IDrive Basic

IDrive’s Basic plan grants 5 GB of free online storage space.
Get 5 GB Free with IDrive Basic
As like most of the other free backup offerings, you get to enjoy all the features of IDrive’s premium offering: IDrive Pro.
One special bonus with IDrive Basic: unlimited device backup. In other words, you can backup all of the computers, smartphones, and tablets in your home that you wish, all to this single account. Just keep the total under 5 GB!

6.  Jottacloud Free

The Jottacloud Free online backup plan offers 5 GB for free, with the ability to increase it by 100 GB through friend referrals. It supports backup from an unlimited number of devices and functions just as the for-pay plans that are also available.
Get 5 GB Free with Jottacloud Free
The servers Jottacloud uses are located in Norway.

7.  Memopal

Memopal offers 3 GB for free and allows installation from an unlimited number of computers.
Get 3 GB Free with Memopal

Memopal’s backup software is supported on just about every operating system and has apps for every mobile device imaginable. If you’re having trouble finding a free online backup plan because you’re using Linux and have a BlackBerry, then you’re in luck.

8.  SpiderOak

SpiderOak works a bit differently in regards to free online backup space. With SpiderOak, the first 2 GB of online backup space in any backup plan they offer is completely free.

They also have a refer-a-friend programwhich earns you an additional free GB of space for each friend that signs up. The maximum reward is 10GB, meaning that you could snag yourself a relatively huge12 GB of free space… so long as you have good friends.

• Get 2 GB Free with SpiderOak
• In Depth Review of SpiderOak
• A Tour of the SpiderOak Backup Service

If you choose to go over whatever free amount you have then you’ll start to incur charges.

9.  MozyHome Free

Mozy offers 2 GB of free online backup in their Mozy Home Free plan.

Mozy also has a friend referral program that could earn you 5 GB of additional free space, for a total of 7 GB.

• Get 2 to 7 GB Free with MozyHome Free
• In Depth Review of Mozy
• A Tour of the Mozy Backup Service

MozyHome Free uses the same software and sports the same features as their premium MozyHome plans, minus only the live technical support.

10.  ElephantDrive Lite Edition

ElephantDrive’s Lite Edition plan offers 2 GB of free online backup space.

Get 2 GB Free with ElephantDrive Lite Edition

The Lite Edition has all the great features that ElephantDrive’s premium plans have including military grade encryption, support for up to three computers or devices, and of course automatic backup.

11.  MyOtherDrive Free

MyOtherDrive gives away 2 GB of free online backup.

Get 2 GB Free with MyOtherDrive

MyOtherDrive’s free plan does not offer the premium offering’s “file linking” capabilities and you may also see some advertisements within their program.

More About Free Online Backup

ADrive is another online backup service that offers a free plan but the desktop application that automatically backs up your files isn’t available, making it difficult to use as an actual backup service. SugarSync used to have a free plan but eventually ended it.

Important: While there are plenty of great commercial backup programs out there, the free ones these days tend to support as many, if not more, features. If you’re interested in local backup, check out my updated list of Free Backup Software before you pay for anything.

Tip: Why settle? The software provided by some online backup services allows simultaneous local and online backup. You can see which of my favorite cloud backup services support this by seeing which ones offer Multiple Backup Destination Options(s) in my Online Backup Comparison Chart.