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CrashPlan focuses its cloud backup services on businesses, so it is not the best for personal use. However, it has great backup features and supports multiple users, making it worth considering. Read our CrashPlan review to learn more.
Key Takeaways: What Is CrashPlan & Is It Good to Use?
CrashPlan is a good choice for businesses, particularly small business customers, as it offers two plans with unlimited storage capacity.
CrashPlan has excellent file versioning that does not limit how many versions of a file you can keep. If you want to set a limit, you can.
CrashPlan has strong security features, but only the Enterprise plan offers the option to manage your encryption keys.
Facts & Expert Analysis About CrashPlan:
What’s in a name? CrashPlan was the original name used for the online storage service. In 2021, the name was changed to Code42 (a reference to ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’). Then, a cybersecurity company bought the service in 2022 and renamed it CrashPlan in 2023.1
Faster is better: We discuss speed later in this article, but it is worth highlighting just how dramatically CrashPlan’s speeds have increased, particularly for uploads. When we tested the upload speeds in 2021, it took more than an hour on average. In 2024, upload speeds were down to less than 20 minutes.
Not for “home” use: CrashPlan offered a home plan that supported individuals or those looking for personal backup until 2017.2 The shift to a more business-centric solution meant that CrashPlan Home changed to CrashPlan Essentials, effectively ending personal use for the service.
CrashPlan, previously known as Code42, offers online backup services focused primarily on professionals and business customers. Some elements of the service have changed in addition to the rebrand. Read on to see what’s new or improved and whether it’s a good choice for your business in our CrashPlan review.
CrashPlan makes our list of the best online backup services primarily as a good choice for businesses. As you will see in the sections below, unlimited storage capacity and excellent file versioning are the service’s strengths. However, CrashPlan is not a perfect solution — it is not good for personal use and could be more user-friendly.
01/31/2022
Cloudwards.net updated this article to reflect changes to CrashPlan and update the images. Review usedversion 8.8.1, Build Number 36 (PC/Linux), Version 1.0.15 (Android).
05/23/2024 Facts checked
This article has been rewritten to include new features, speed test results and pricing.
10/09/2024 Facts checked
Added new video review of CrashPlan.
What Is CrashPlan (Formerly Code42) & Who Is It For?
CrashPlan, a backup product formerly owned and created by Code42, is now part of private equity fund Mill Point Capital. CrashPlan is designed as a secure backup solution for business and enterprise-level customers, but it does have some support for individual users.
Is CrashPlan Good for a Small Business?
CrashPlan’s generous file versioning and data deletion policy make it great for small businesses. There are plenty of security features to keep data secure, and recovering data from an unexpected event such as ransomware is quick and effective.
Small businesses may be put off by the high cost of the service, which we will cover later. In essence, the best features and storage flexibility come from the Professional plan, but it could be a strain on a small business’s budget.
The Cloudwards Expert Opinion
Jason Stagnitto is a writer for Cloudwards. His writing and research for Cloudwards focus largely on cloud storage and online backup.
CrashPlan is a solid choice for most businesses, but it is not intended for individual or personal use, which certainly limits its overall appeal. It has excellent storage capacity, generous file versioning and a noticeable increase in upload and download speeds. However, it can be frustrating to use, even for those familiar with online backup services.
CrashPlan isn’t as feature rich as some competitors, but it can do everything you would expect from a cloud backup service. It has all the features needed for a functional backup with some nice customization options.
Generous Versioning
CrashPlan has unlimited file versioning on all of its plans with no limit, so you’ll never have to worry about losing older versions. File versioning lets you revert to an older version of a file, which is important for many different user types. Additionally, you can set a limit on file versioning, giving you control over your versioning policy.
Customizable Backups
You can manage the files and folders included in a backup by selecting “manage files” in the desktop app. Add or remove folders and files by selecting or deselecting each item.
One element you can’t change is the system and application backup; CrashPlan will back up these items whether you want it to or not. For most, this won’t be an issue. However, for those who want total control over what gets backed up, CrashPlan only offering partial customization may be an issue.
Bandwidth Management
CrashPlan has robust bandwidth settings that let you manage the send rate when performing backups. Stick with the preset values, such as 100 kbps to up to 2 Mbps, or set a custom sending rate limit.
Other network settings let you restrict network interfaces, though you’ll need to have an advanced understanding of interface addresses, as the options that populate do not have conventional names. The network address resembles a hexadecimal string. You can also enable a proxy server if you have one.
External Devices
With CrashPlan, you are not limited to only using the cloud to back up your data. If you have an external hard drive or a network-attached storage device, you can connect them to your CrashPlan account and back up your data to either option. NAS is only available on Mac and Linux.
CrashPlan supports Windows servers, but only for small businesses, Ubuntu operating systems and virtual desktop interfaces from Amazon WorkSpaces.
CrashPlan is not overly difficult to use once you get used to the workflow process and how the desktop application and web interface interact with each other. It is almost immediately apparent that CrashPlan is designed for businesses. However, it is not as user-friendly as IDrive, for example, which you can read about in our IDrive review.
CrashPlan’s desktop app does not work unless you are logged in to your account on the web. We tested this and weren’t able to use the CrashPlan desktop interface offline. Navigating the desktop app and the web interface isn’t difficult, but it can be tricky to find what you are looking for. The organization and options seemed geared more toward administrators than users.
CrashPlan macOS & Windows Apps
You need to be logged in to an account not only to use the desktop app but also to download it in the first place. Only after you log in do you have access to the desktop app. If it is your first time using the app, you’ll have the option to create a new backup or replace an existing one.
Regardless of which option you choose, CrashPlan will automatically begin backing up your data. You’ll need to pause the backup if you don’t want it to run. In addition, if you are idle for any longer than a few minutes, you’ll need to log back in to the desktop interface. This is a decent feature for security, but from a user experience perspective, it quickly becomes tiresome.
Visually and functionally, there is no difference between the Mac and PC desktop apps. You can manage your files, adjust settings and restore your data the same way using either one. There are some differences in the folders that are required for a backup, which we will cover in the section on file backup and restoration later.
CrashPlan Android & iOS Apps
CrashPlan no longer offers mobile apps for iOS or Android. If you want backup services for your mobile devices, you’ll need to find a different provider — check out one of CrashPlan’s most competent rival, Acronis. We have an in-depth guide comparing CrashPlan vs Acronis.
CrashPlan Pricing: CrashPlan Essential, CrashPlan Pro & CrashPlan Enterprise
75 % – Good
CrashPlan is not the most affordable online backup service, though its prices aren’t much higher than its competitors’. However, if you are looking for a budget-friendly service, CrashPlan probably won’t meet your needs.
CrashPlan has three plan options, with each tier offering more features and better customer support than the previous one. The highest-priced plan also offers the option to host your encryption keys. We’ll go into more detail on this feature in the section on privacy.
It should be noted that CrashPlan does not have a personal plan option. However, its business plans have no minimum user requirements, so you could use it as an individual as long as you provide a business name when signing up.
CrashPlan Money-Back Guarantee
Unfortunately, CrashPlan does not have a money-back guarantee for any of its plans.
CrashPlan Pricing Plan Breakdown: Cost & Cloud Storage Capacity
CrashPlan has three plans: Essential, Professional and Enterprise. Each plan comes with a 14-day free trial. There is no free version of CrashPlan. When signing up for an annual plan, you have the option to pay a lower price by committing to two years with the Essential and Professional plans.
The Essential plan costs $2.99 per month and is not available as an annual plan. This plan is only for one user, with connections for up to two devices. The backup capacity is capped at 200GB, and it costs $1 per month for each additional 100GB.
The Professional plan costs $8 per user per month, $88 per user per year or $158 per user for two years. It has unlimited backup capacity and supports connections for two devices per user. The Professional plan increases data retention to 90 days, includes role-based access control and supports single sign-on.
The Enterprise plan costs $120 per user per year and is only available annually. It has unlimited capacity and supports up to four devices per user. Features include unlimited deleted file retention, individual user encryption and open API access.
Does CrashPlan Have Unlimited Storage?
Yes, CrashPlan’s Professional and Enterprise plans have unlimited backup storage capacity for each user. However, based on some anecdotal social media posts, any storage capacity over 50TB seems to have reduced speed and prompts a warning from CrashPlan to reduce the capacity.
We reached out to confirm this with CrashPlan, and we were informed that there is technically a limit. Backup archives can’t go beyond 60-80TB. CrashPlan defines a backup archive as a storage folder that contains a complete backup.
CrashPlan Essential
Storage & price is per user
Up to 2 devices per user
30-Day Deleted File Retention
A backup service is only as good as its backup features and capabilities. How much control you have and the type of backups available are also key considerations. CrashPlan makes it easy to back up your data and even easier to restore your folders or files when needed.
CrashPlan Backup Types
CrashPlan creates an image-based backup by capturing your OS, system data, applications, folders and files. It has options for full, continuous and incremental backups. CrashPlan supports automatic backups, which run every 15 minutes, even if you use an external HDD or NAS. However, NAS is not supported on Windows.
CrashPlan performs an initial full backup. After that, it performs incremental backups for data already present and only updates changed elements and new additions. Additionally, you can schedule your backup to run continuously. Hybrid backups are possible, as CrashPlan supports onsite and offsite backups.
Backing Up Files & Folders With CrashPlan
During the initial full backup, CrashPlan begins backing up your data based on the default configurations. If you want to change your backup data, you’ll need to go to “manage files” on the desktop app. There are a few options you won’t be able to change, depending on your operating system.
CrashPlan on a Mac requires you to back up the “applications” and “home” folders. You can pick and choose what else to back up from your “library” and “users” folders. The PC version has more requirements and includes items like “PerfLogs” and “program files.”
Restoring Folders and Files
CrashPlan makes it very easy to restore your folders and files when needed. You can use the desktop app or restore from your web account. Both methods work the same way. From the desktop app, click the “restore files” button and select the items you want to restore.
The process is the same from the web. You’ll need to access the “devices” tab from the “administration” dropdown menu. The “restore” option is to the right of your backups. Clicking on it pulls up a menu similar to the one in the desktop app, letting you select which folders or files you want to restore.
You can recover deleted files using the “restore” feature by selecting the option to “include deleted files.” The web app has the option to include deleted files from the restore page. The Professional plans hold deleted files for 90 days, while the Essentials plan offers 30-day deletion retention. The Enterprise plan holds deleted files indefinitely.
CrashPlan Speed
75 % – Good
CrashPlan’s backup speed is pretty quick overall and certainly as fast as many of its competitors. During our recent round of speed testing, we noticed a significant increase in upload speeds compared to our previous results.
CrashPlan Speed Test Results
Upload Speeds
⏫
Test 1
Test 2
Average
Upload Speeds:
0:19:08
0:20:47
0:19:58
Download Speeds
⏬
Test 1
Test 2
Average
Download Speeds
0:07:10
0:07:03
0:07:07
Notes From the Lab: Our Detailed Speed Analysis
We conducted speed tests using a virtual server located in Ireland with speeds capped at 100 Mbps to ensure a consistent test environment. We uploaded and downloaded 5GB of mixed content twice to find the speed average. Uploads were slower at 5 Mbps but didn’t tax the CPU. Downloads were very fast, hitting 90-100% of the speed capacity.
Security: Is CrashPlan Safe?
80 % – Good
Yes, CrashPlan is a safe application that protects your data at rest and in transit. To date, there have been no major data leaks or breaches that have compromised user data.
CrashPlan Security Features
One element that CrashPlan mandates is two-factor authentication; there’s no way to turn this off. In almost all situations, two-factor authentication is recommended to protect against unauthorized access to your account. However, making it obligatory takes away some agency from the account holder.
There are relatively few security settings to choose from. You can toggle the option to require a password to open the CrashPlan app, and if you have an Enterprise plan, you can manage your account encryption key. This is an important point, as your encryption key is what you — or others — use to access your account.
Despite CrashPlan articles and marketing material indicating that you control your encryption key, this is only true with small business services and the Enterprise plan. Otherwise, you do not maintain control over your encryption keys, so CrashPlan could theoretically access your account. This means that CrashPlan is not a true zero-knowledge encrypted service.
CrashPlan uses AES 256-bit encryption and TLS/SSL encryption protocols to protect your data on its servers and when you transfer data. Most of CrashPlan’s servers are located in the United States, with some servers in Ireland.
Privacy: Is CrashPlan Private?
75 % – Good
CrashPlan is private as it takes its users’ privacy seriously. It follows privacy principles and regulations from around the world. Examples include the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). CrashPlan includes a data processing addendum as part of its customer agreement.
Zero-Knowledge Encryption
As we mentioned, CrashPlan does not offer zero-knowledge encryption for every account type. Only the higher-priced plans allow customers to maintain control over their encryption keys. With zero-knowledge encryption, only you can access your account. Without it, CrashPlan could gain access to your account.
Fortunately, it is unlikely that CrashPlan would do so unless they were subpoenaed or faced some other legal requirement. CrashPlan does a good job of maintaining compliance with regulations such as HIPAA and provides plenty of transparency for anyone who cares to take a look at how it handles user data.
CrashPlan Privacy Policy
As with any cloud-based service, CrashPlan collects data on you based on the information you provide and how you use its services. For a company that places such a premium on protecting personal privacy, CrashPlan collects a lot of user data.
CrashPlan collects standard user data like name, address and billing information. It also collects information on your job and role, which seems odd, as well as any time you engage with its customer support elements.
CrashPlan automatically collects data when you interact with its website, such as information about your device and the network you used to access the website. In some situations, CrashPlan may receive data from third parties.
Most importantly, CrashPlan uses your data to provide its services to you, and it only shares data with its affiliates and business partners. Fortunately, none of this data is personal. However, CrashPlan’s privacy policy and actions are the most intrusive we’ve seen, especially from a company that claims to place a high premium on your individual data privacy.
CrashPlan Customer Support
90 % – Excellent
CrashPlan has many excellent customer support tools. It has live chat, email support and a robust, searchable knowledgebase. CrashPlan also has a blog with good general information, as well as other information like announcements and release notes.
Live Chat & Email Support Speed & Quality
The live chat option is one example of great customer service. You can connect with a live person after answering a few chatbot questions. During our testing, the customer service rep was friendly, responsive and helpful.
The same is true for its email assistance, which has a standard response time of one business day. Support services are based on your plan, which you’ll be prompted to indicate on CrashPlan’s “contact support” page.
CrashPlan vs Other Online Backup Services: How Does It Compare?
CrashPlan is one of the best online backup services, but it has several strong competitors vying for your business. We mentioned IDrive in this article, and for good reason. It is more user-friendly than CrashPlan and has a pricing structure accommodating a broader customer base. We pitted these two against each other, which you can read about in our CrashPlan vs IDrive article.
CrashPlan and Backblaze both have excellent backup features, and both offer unlimited storage capacity. However, as you can see in our CrashPlan vs Backblaze article, there are some significant differences in how each service approaches features and useability. You can also check our Backblaze review to learn more about it.
The Verdict: Is CrashPlan Worth It?
Yes, CrashPlan is a solid option and certainly worth considering. It’s a good cloud-based backup option, especially for businesses. It has nice backup features and provides plenty of customization for what you back up. Restoring data is easy. CrashPlan is not the most user-friendly tool, though, especially for personal use.
Do you have any experience using CrashPlan? Do you prefer other online backup providers? Is there a better backup option for businesses? Let us know in the comments section below. Thanks for reading our article.
FAQ: CrashPlan Review
Yes, CrashPlan is worth considering, especially for businesses.
CrashPlan is a secure service that protects your data with AES 256-bit encryption and TLS/SSL encryption protocols.
Yes, CrashPlan is HIPAA compliant.
CrashPlan is used to back up the data on your computer. It is very effective for businesses and multiple users.
A freelance writer for over a decade, Jason joined Cloudwards in 2022. He graduated from Southern New Hampshire University with a masters in IT. Jason enjoys helping people learn about tech products to make informed decisions. When not grappling with words, Jason spends his time reading, watching films, cooking and homebrewing.
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