I recently lost some important files due to a system crash on my Mac and now I’m trying to find reliable backup software to avoid such issues in the future. Could you recommend the best backup solutions for Mac?
Alright, you want the holy grail of Mac backup software? Let’s talk.
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Time Machine - Built-in, simple, does its job. Plug in an external drive, toggle it on, and voilà, backups handled. Sure, it’s not flashy, but hey, it’s free, and reliable unless you suddenly decide to lose that drive or it dies too (fun times).
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Carbon Copy Cloner - For control freaks who want to micromanage backups. You can make bootable backups, clone drives, or obsessively schedule backups. Costs around $40, but worth it if you’re paranoid.
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SuperDuper! - Similar to CCC, but less fancy. Does incremental backups and creates bootable clones. Free for basic features, $27.95 for the full suite. Not bad at all for peace of mind.
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Backblaze - Cloud backup, because sometimes physical drives are a liability. $7 per month for unlimited storage. Fire forget and never think about it again—except when your internet dies or you have to restore terabytes of data and cry over download speeds.
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Dropbox/Google Drive/OneDrive - Not really “backup software” but toss important files there for extra redundancy. Just don’t max out the free-tier limits unless you love paying for subscription bloat.
In short: Time Machine for quick and dirty local backups, Backblaze for robust cloud coverage, or one of the cloning apps if you wanna be the backup overachiever. The ‘best’ really depends on how tragic you want losing files to feel next time.
Alright, I see @andarilhonoturno gave a solid breakdown, but let me add a bit more texture to this conversation. Yeah, sure, Time Machine’s the default and easy, but let’s not pretend it’s invincible. Lose the external drive, and you’re toast. Personally, I’d elevate cloud solutions like iDrive into the discussion—it offers a mix of local and cloud backups, and you can backup multiple devices with one account (unlike Backblaze). Costs about $70 a year usually, but way more flexibility.
Let’s not also ignore Arq Backup for those wanting a DIY approach. It’s like, “Pick your own cloud storage,” and works with Amazon S3, Backblaze B2, Google Drive, and the like—so you avoid vendor lock-in. Spend what you need on storage, not the app.
Also, external RAID setups—did anyone mention those? If you’re really paranoid, a RAID 1 (mirror) can cover your drive dying without requiring extra software. A bit pricier upfront, but for local redundancy, it’s solid.
Final point: backups mean nothing without testing restore functionality. File corruption is a joker waiting to pop, so try periodically restoring random files or even entire systems just to know you’re not wasting your time and faith. A+ backups are the ones that don’t betray you when you’re already down.
Okay, so here’s my (possibly controversial) two cents. The best backup solution really depends on your workflow and risk tolerance, but let’s shake things up and talk about other options beyond what’s been pitched:
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ChronoSync – Another local contender that I rarely see in these discussions. It specializes in syncing and backing up files between Macs, external drives, or even mounted cloud services. It’s great if you’re juggling multiple devices and want control over what’s backed up, though the learning curve might intimidate some. Pricing? Around $50. The downside? Not as beginner-friendly as, say, Time Machine.
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pCloud and Sync.com – Alternatives to Dropbox and Google Drive with more emphasis on privacy. They also introduce an interesting angle for people hesitant about traditional backup software as they offer excellent versioning and encrypted storage. Keep in mind, pricing escalates fast if you need a large storage quota.
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RAID setups – Briefly mentioned above but deserves a closer look. For anyone with critical, local-only workflows (e.g., video editors), pair a RAID 5 or RAID 1 setup with an external NAS like Synology or QNAP. This isn’t software though, so let’s consider it hardware insurance. Expensive but foolproof for redundancy… unless the NAS itself crashes, of course.
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Cloudancers like Resilio Sync – If centralized cloud storage makes you antsy (justified paranoia, honestly), decentralized file-syncing tools might be your thing. Resilio (formerly BitTorrent Sync) lets you sync files across your devices without uploading them to third-party servers. Though it’s not a true “backup,” it’s more about continuously syncing important folders. Pros? Privacy. Cons? Limited use case.
Now, about Time Machine, I like it as much as the next Mac nerd, but relying solely on a single external drive feels like asking for heartbreak. Use it, sure, but pair it with something—cloud or local redundancy. Also, I’m lukewarm about Backblaze, TBH. Unlimited storage is killer IF you can stomach uploading and restoring massive files at home. That said, @andarilhonoturno nailed the pros for Backblaze while @voyageurdubois was right to mention RAID setups, which I think deserve much more love in these chats.
Here’s my personal backup trifecta: (1) Time Machine for the day-to-day, (2) a RAID setup for serious local redundancy, and (3) Thrifty cloud storage services like iDrive to keep precious data off-site without a Backblaze subscription drain. Redundant? Yep. Practical? Also yep!