Acronis Cyber Protect vs. Backblaze Backup. Reviewed July 2024
Cloud backup software is crucial if you want to safeguard your digital life. When a cloud backup runs, it stores encrypted copies of your data in the cloud backup storage.
When it comes to backup services, reliability and security are non-negotiable. The essentials of any backup service are that the backups must run when scheduled, providing an encrypted mirror copy of your live data automatically. An offsite backup is your shield against data loss caused by hardware failures, malware attacks, or accidental deletions.
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Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office and Backblaze Personal Backup are two of the best cloud backup solutions we have tested. Acronis cloud backup offers comprehensive features, like system image, file level, disk cloning, incremental backups, ransomware protection, Microsoft 365, and 50GB storage.
Backblaze pricing is a game-changer in the industry. Their more affordable Backblaze plans come with the added benefit of unlimited storage. Backblaze backup will protect your attached storage, unlimited files and file size, making it a cost-effective solution for your backup needs.
Choosing the correct backup service will depend on your wants and needs for a data backup service. This Backblaze and Acronis review will explore their features, pricing, performance, security, user-friendliness, support, and compatibility.
Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office
£45.91 per year
What We Like:
- Comprehensive protection with backup and anti-malware features
- Local and cloud backup options for data redundancy
- Full Business Features
- Cross-platform compatibility (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android)
- Microsoft 365 Backup. This includes email and OneDrive
What We Don't Like:
- It is more expensive than some other backup and recovery solutions because it is quota-based
- No unlimited cloud storage for larger data sets and removable drives
- No monthly subscription option
Choose Acronis if:
- You want a wide range of advanced cloud backup features and the ability to customise your online backup
- Your backed-up data encryption must be strong enough to protect your data at rest
- You need compatibility across multiple platforms for your devices
Backblaze backup
£89.68 per year
What We Like:
- Unlimited storage for extensive data protection
- Simple and user-friendly interface
- Cost-effective pricing with unlimited backup
- Native Mac and PC code (no Java)
- File sharing using links. Just like Dropbox
What We Don't Like:
- Only 30-day retention in the basic plan
- Limited to cloud backups, not suitable for local backups
- Supports only Windows and Mac platforms
- No advanced features like support for M365 or bare metal
Choose Backblaze if:
- You are looking for a simple, automated backup solution that requires minimal effort
- You are on a budget and have loads of data on your local and removable drives
- Quick and easy lost file recovery and deleted file recovery
Features and Functionality: Backblaze vs. Acronis
Feature | Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office | Backblaze |
Backup Solution | Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android | Windows, Mac |
Backup types | The entire system, individual files and folders, specific applications, bootable media, disk cloning | The entire system, individual files and folders |
Storage Options | NAS devices, external hard drives, cloud services | External hard drives, cloud services (if connected or synced to your computer) |
Accessibility | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
Noteworthy Features | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
Active Disk Cloning | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
Dual Protection | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
Ransomware Defence | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
Backup Cleanup | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
Backup Validation | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
Unlimited Storage | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
Encryption | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
File Versioning | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
File Sharing | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
User Friendly | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
Acronis Cloud Backup Portal
Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office is a fully featured cloud backup solution that allows you to generate entire system image backups or selectively target individual files and folders. Versatile storage options include local drives, external devices, network drives, or cloud repositories. Accessibility is seamless via the Acronis web portal or mobile app.
- Active disk cloning: Seamlessly clone your system onto another drive.
- Dual protection: For extra data durability, you can create two backup copies on a local drive and one in the cloud.
- Ransomware defence: Employ Acronis Active Protection to prevent malicious encryption behaviour.
- Backup cleanup: You can free up space on your backup drive by deleting old or unnecessary backups with Acronis Backup Cleanup.
- Backup validation: Assure backup integrity with Acronis Backup Validation, which detects errors and corruption.
Backblaze Cloud Backup Portal
Backblaze Personal Backup offers an uncomplicated, budget-friendly cloud-based backup service. Backblaze personal pricing is among the most competitive, and the service offers these great features.
- Unlimited cloud storage: Got 50 years of photos? No problem, because you get free unlimited cloud storage.
- Continuous Backup: Backblaze automatically backs up your files every 10 minutes. It adjusts the upload rate to minimise system load and detects changes within 2 hours. The backup schedule can be manually adjusted in the settings to once per day or only when I click the “Backup Now” button.
- Data Encryption: Backblaze encryption is critical in transit and at rest. What does data encryption mean? It means it is difficult for an actor to decrypt your data if they gain access to it.
- File versioning: Backup file versioning is very important if you have to restore file versions older than the standard 30-day retention provided by Backblaze.
- File sharing: Enable file sharing through expiring download links. This excellent feature, seen in Dropbox and OneDrive, is necessary for collaboration.
Acronis vs Backblaze Personal Backup caters to varied user requirements, whether through Acronis’ extensive features or Backblaze’s user-friendly simplicity.
User Interface and Ease of Use:
Your chosen cloud backup solution must have an intuitive user interface. Compare Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office and Backblaze Personal Backup to highlight the importance of seamless data management.
Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office offers a sleek interface categorised into Backup & Recovery, Protection, Archives, Sync, Tools, Account sections, and Settings, accessible through a left-hand sidebar. Users have a wide range of controls, from creating backup plans for entire systems, disks, or files to customising settings like encryption and notifications.
Recovery facilitates data restoration from local or cloud backups, while Tools encompass disk cloning and ransomware protection. The Account section enables the management of cloud storage and subscription details.
Backblaze Personal Backup has a minimalist interface that emphasises backup status and settings. Users can swiftly access the interface through the system tray or menu bar icon. The interface effortlessly pauses resumes or initiates backups by displaying essential backup details such as file counts and last backup timestamps.
The settings menu offers configuration options for backup schedules, bandwidth control, encryption, and exclusions. Additionally, online account access enables file viewing, data restoration, and account management.
Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office vs. Backblaze Personal Backup delivers user-friendly interfaces catering to diverse preferences. While Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office provides an expansive feature set for advanced customisation, Backblaze Personal Backup excels in simplicity and hassle-free functionality.
Backup Speed and Performance:
Backup speed is a crucial consideration when selecting a backup service. It pertains to how swiftly the service transfers data from your computer to the cloud or other storage devices.
On the other hand, backup performance evaluates the service’s proficiency in handling diverse data types, encryption, compression, and other elements influencing the efficiency of the backup process.
Backup speed and performance depend on several factors, such as:
- The file type and size affect the backup process.
- The speed and reliability of the internet connection
- The encryption and compression methods used by the backup software
- The availability and performance of the backup servers
- The configuration and optimisation of the backup software
Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office
Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office and Backblaze Personal Backup are both cloud-based backup solutions that offer encryption, compression, deduplication, incremental and differential backups, and other features to enhance backup speed and performance. However, some differences between them might affect your backup experience.
On the Activity of each successful backup, you will find the backup file size, average backup speed, the time Acronis spent for this file to take backup, the file size at the time of recovery and the backup method you chose.
Following are some of the notable points that will affect the performance and speed of the Acronis backup:
- Allows you to choose between three compression levels: none, regular, or high
- Allows you to adjust the bandwidth usage and backup priority
- Allows you to schedule backups or run them continuously
- Allows you to backup to local drives, network shares, or NAS devices in addition to the cloud
- Allows you to store data on multiple data centres around the world to ensure fast and reliable backups
Backblaze Personal Backup:
The Backblaze Performance tab is a function within the Backblaze software designed for users to optimise their backup speed.
- Estimated Backup: The Performance tab at the top estimates the daily backup capacity based on recent speed tests and throttle settings.
- Automatic Throttle: This setting limits upload speed to 70-90% of your connection speed to the Backblaze data centre. It balances quick backups with uninterrupted web activities.
- Manual Throttle: By unchecking “Automatic Throttle,” you activate “Manual Throttle” and reveal a slider. This slider lets you manually control the upload speed of your files.
- It uses the LZ4 compression algorithm.
- Automatically adjusts the bandwidth usage and backup priority.
- Runs backups continuously in the background
- It only backs up to the cloud.
- Uses one data centre in the US for backups
Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office offers more flexibility and control over encryption, compression settings, and backup destination options.
Backblaze Personal Backup uses a more straightforward encryption and compression approach and a single data centre for backups. The best way to compare these two services’ backup speed and performance is to try them with your data and internet connection. Both products offer free trials.
Security and Encryption:
Acronis and Backblaze both prioritise data security with robust encryption mechanisms. Acronis implements AES-256 encryption, offering users the choice between default or custom encryption keys.
Users are responsible for its protection if opting for a personal key because Acronis doesn’t store it anywhere or provide recovery support.
Backblaze employs AES-128 encryption, allowing users to choose between default and custom encryption keys. Users who prefer a personal key are responsible for its protection and recall, as Backblaze does not offer recovery support.
Acronis and Backblaze products use two-factor identification (2FA) to help make their accounts safer. Using 2FA, account users receive a unique code to their phone or an app during login, preventing unauthorised access even if someone learns their password somehow.
Both Acronis and Backblaze make sure their users’ information is very safe. They use high-quality security measures and strong encryption to protect the most critical data possible.
Backup Destinations:
When choosing a backup solution, it is crucial to consider backup destinations. Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office vs Backblaze Personal Backup offers distinct approaches.
Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office is a comprehensive software that enables entire system image backups and file-level backups. Users can store backups on Acronis Cloud with 1 TB free of space, external hard drives, and local drives.
This flexibility empowers users to customise and control backup destinations for different needs, offering encryption and compression options for added security and space savings.
Backblaze Personal Backup is a simple, automated service that backs all data to its cloud servers. Users need not choose specific folders; the service runs continuously in the background. The External Drive feature allows local backups for those who desire them.
Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office appeals to users seeking customisation and control, while Backblaze prioritises ease and convenience. The choice between them depends on individual preferences and requirements.
Cross-Platform Compatibility:
Cross-platform compatibility is another crucial factor when choosing a backup solution: If it works with your computer systems and gadgets.
Users can utilise both Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office and Backblaze Personal Backup on different devices, but they have some differences in their features and rules.
Feature | Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office | Backblaze |
Supported platforms | Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android | Windows, Mac |
Backup types | The entire system, individual files and folders, specific applications, bootable media, disk cloning | The entire system, individual files and folders |
Supported devices | NAS devices, external hard drives, cloud services | External hard drives, cloud services (if connected or synced to your computer) |
Online access |
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Mobile app |
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YesData Recovery and Restoration:
Data recovery and restoration are vital in any backup solution. Let’s compare Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office and Backblaze Personal Backup.
Data Recovery and Restoration | Acronis | Backblaze |
File Recovery | Users can retrieve individual files from local or cloud backups using the software or web portal, with versioning available. | Users can retrieve individual files from cloud backups through the web portal or mobile app, with version history available. |
Disk/Partition Recovery | A disk or partition recovery from local backups using the software is possible with modification options. | Not supported. |
System Recovery | Users can recover the entire system from local or cloud backups using the software or bootable media, even on a different computer with different hardware. | Not supported. |
Cloud-to-Cloud Recovery | Cloud backups can be recovered to other cloud storage services through the Acronis Cloud web portal. | Not supported. |
Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office offers more data recovery and restoration options, allowing recovery of personal files, entire systems, disks, or partitions. The software provides greater flexibility in choosing restoration destinations and modifying data.
With its more straightforward approach, Backblaze offers three recovery methods, but it is still limited to personal file recovery and lacks support for differential backups.
- Downloadable ZIP File: This method creates a ZIP file of the files you request, which is available for download for seven days. You can access your files immediately and at no cost.
- Save Files to B2: This option allows you to save your restored files directly to a B2 Cloud Storage bucket. This feature is helpful if you wish to retain a copy of your restored files in the cloud for future access.
- USB Hard Drive: Backblaze can send you a physical hard drive with restored files. Choose this option if you need to restore data and can’t download it.
Ultimately, the best choice depends on individual needs. Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office excels in comprehensive and flexible backup and restoration, while Backblaze Personal Backup provides a straightforward and cost-effective solution for personal file recovery.
Acronis Pricing
Like other Acronis products, Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office offers various subscription levels to meet users’ needs. It provides three basic membership types: the Essential, Advanced, and Premium plans.
Some features available at every tier include an absolute image backup, powerful ransomware protection, and cloud storage. At the same time, it is necessary to note that the service has recently raised prices and decreased the number of devices included in protection.
Earlier, the essential plan started at $39.99 per year for up to three computers, and the Advanced and Premium plans cost $42.49 and $94.99, respectively. The current price for the Essential plan is $49.99, the advanced plan is $57.99, and the Premium plan is $124.99 per year, respectively, with a reduction to single computers.
Even though Acronis offers all of the comprehensive features, the above Acronis cloud backup pricing and change in covered device trends could affect its value proposition when competing against the other options.
Backblaze Pricing
Backblaze adopts a more straightforward approach by presenting a single personal plan that fully features all fundamental backup requirements. The pricing structure is clear and wallet-friendly, making it particularly attractive for users searching for unlimited backup capabilities without the intricacies associated with managing multiple subscription tiers.
Backblaze has a more straightforward and cheaper pricing model. Its only plan covers everything you need for cloud backup. You can save some money by signing up for a longer term.
Both Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office and Backblaze offer unlimited data backup for your computer, but they have different approaches to pricing and subscription plans.
Acronis lets you select other editions with additional features and cloud storage capacities, but it is more expensive than Backblaze, especially if you want to use the cloud backup feature.
Customer Support and Documentation:
When choosing a backup solution, consider the provider’s quality of customer support and documentation.
Support Type | Acronis | Backblaze |
Phone Support | 24/7 for all subscription plans | Available for Premium and Business plan subscribers |
Chat Support | 24/7 for all subscription plans | Available for Premium and Business Plan subscribers |
Email Support | Available | Available for all users |
Support Quality | Some users report long wait times, language barriers, and unhelpful responses. | Generally positive experiences with email support; limitations with phone and chat support |
Conclusion
Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office offers comprehensive features, customisation, and diverse recovery options for users who value control and system-level protection. Its advanced interfaces, strong encryption, and cross-platform compatibility make it a robust solution, though its complexity and higher price may require consideration.
Backblaze Personal Backup excels in simplicity, affordability, and automated backups. It’s a user-friendly choice for individuals seeking hassle-free file recovery. While lacking certain features, it provides straightforward backup solutions, making it ideal for those valuing ease of use and cost-effective pricing.