Backblaze Review

The default versioning for files is 30 days. You can keep as many versions of a file as you want. After the 30-day mark, the oldest version of any given file will be deleted. You can’t change this option while on a trial plan.

Once you purchase a license, you can change the version history to one year or keep each version of a file forever. Any file version that’s more than a year old costs $0.006 per GB per version. This charge is on a per-month basis and is cost-effective, unless you have an entire repository of old file versions you don’t want to delete.

The “locate my computer” feature is an option in the sidebar in your account. It’s an odd feature, as its primary purpose is to help you locate your computer if it goes missing or is stolen. You can even map your computer’s location with the “map this” option.

Backblaze gives you steps to follow if you become separated from your computer, with the first option being to restore your data. This feature isn’t common for online backup services or cloud storage providers, but Backblaze offers it if you need it.

Backblaze lets you share any file from your backup with registered and unregistered users by creating a shareable link that you can paste into an email or a message. It’s a simplified experience but has a huge catch: You’ll need to enable Backblaze B2 cloud storage. Additionally, there are no settings for links — you either share the link or delete it.

Like Backblaze, you can try B2 cloud storage for free, but you will incur a separate cost to continue using it if you go past 10GB of total storage or 1GB of downloads per day. The “share files” feature isn’t a replacement for what a dedicated cloud storage service can do. 

If you want to use an online service primarily to share files, there are better options than Backblaze. Check out our article on the best Backblaze alternatives for a detailed look at other online backup options.

The “inherit backup” feature is designed to create a seamless backup between an old computer and a new one. You can access it through the desktop app. This feature does not transfer data to the new computer. Instead, it creates a separate backup containing “old-inactive” and the old computer name in the file name.

It also has what looks like a trial period. This is to prevent the old data from being overwritten with the new backup created after you install Backblaze on the new device. Once you inherit the backup state, you can download the data or leave it as is. Additionally, backups can’t be cross-platform, so a Mac backup must be on a Mac computer.

Getting started with Backblaze is quick and easy. You can be up and running with your data backed up in no time.

1. Pick a plan: Decide whether you need a personal or a business account and sign up for a free trial. To avoid confusion, a single user will have a personal plan, while multiple users will need a business plan.
2. Create your account: Your account will consist of your email address and a password. You can also choose where your data will be located.
3. Download the desktop client: This step isn’t optional, as your account won’t work correctly without the desktop app. Follow the steps to download the desktop app and log in.
4. Back up your data: Backblaze will automatically begin scanning and backing up all of your files. You can pause this and determine what you want backed up.

When you sign up, make sure you don’t choose Backblaze B2 — unless that is indeed what you want to use. As long as you hover over “computer backup” and “personal” in the “products” option in the menu bar, you’ll get the right product. 

As mentioned above, you’ll need the accompanying desktop app for either a Mac or a PC to use your Backblaze account. The download is almost forced upon you, so as long as you follow the steps when you first sign up you shouldn’t have any issues downloading the desktop client.

The desktop app has little to offer, but it does have a functional, simple interface. There are three main options: “backup now,” “restore options” and “settings.” These function as you would expect: “Backup now” initiates a backup, “restore” gives you options to restore your data and “settings” opens a menu with a few tabs. 

The options in the “settings” tab let you rename your computer or select which hard drives to back up. Another option allows you to adjust the rate at which Backblaze uploads files. The “security” tab lets you use a private encryption key (PEK), but we will go over this option in the security section.

If you want to change the backup schedule to something other than “continuous,” you can do so in the “schedule” tab. However, scheduling is limited to only once per day or whenever you manually initiate a backup. You can’t create a recurring schedule for a specific day or time. 

You can determine what gets backed up or excluded. To exclude items from the backup, go to the “exclusions” tab and indicate what you don’t want to include.

Backblaze does have mobile applications for iOS and Android. However, they are limited in functionality and are only connected to your computer backup. You can download files from a backup, but you can’t back up anything from your mobile device. The mobile app is only useful if you need to access your computer backup while away from your main device.

Backblaze does not offer a free plan, only a 15-day free trial. If you pay for an annual or biennial plan and decide Backblaze isn’t for you, you can request a refund up to 30 days after purchasing. 

Backblaze has a clear and upfront pricing structure: Each computer costs $9 per month to back up. A year costs $99, representing a $9 savings, and it costs $189 for two years, representing a $27 savings. You’ll get one license for a single device, though you can purchase more licenses for additional computers. 

The pricing structure for the business plan is the same as for the personal plan, with each computer or workstation needing a separate license to back up data. The business plan includes tools to manage multiple computers but is essentially the same as a personal plan. Our Backblaze for Business review has more details. 

Yes, Backblaze really has unlimited storage capacity, so you can back up your data regardless of the total size.

Unlimited Personal

• Unlimited GB

1-month plan, 1-year plan

1-month plan

$9/month

1-year plan

$8.25/month

$99 billed every year

Save 8%

2-year plan

$7.88/month

$189 billed every 2 years

Save 12%

By default, Backblaze conducts a full disk image backup when you first create an account and install the app. After that, it continuously backs up data. You can’t choose between different types of backups, like incremental or differential, or create a hybrid that combines local and cloud backup. Devices like network-attached storage (NAS) and servers are not supported.

If you need to restore your data, the best way is to initiate the process through the desktop app. The latest version of Backblaze — version 9.0 as of this writing — implemented a restoration app within the desktop client. It is a dedicated interface for managing the restoration process. Simply follow the steps provided in the software to restore your data.

In addition to the app, you can download individual files, create a zip or use the mobile app. These options are all free. You can also request a USB drive from Backblaze, though there is a one-time cost of $99 for a flash drive or $189 for a hard drive, which includes shipping within and outside the U.S.

You can access these restoration options from the web interface as well, with the notable exception of the restoration app. However, you can save files as an archive to a B2 account if you have one. 

Upload Speeds

Download Speeds

We conducted our tests from a virtual server located in Ireland and uploaded a mix of data totaling 5GB. Our virtual server’s max speed is 100 Gbps, which we throttle to 100 Mbps for testing consistency.

There aren’t many additional options to secure your account beyond what Backblaze provides on the backend. However, one option is enabling two-factor authentication, which you can do from the web interface. 

You can create a private encryption key (PEK) in the “security” tab in the desktop client. If you do so, you will need it whenever you decrypt your data. Only you will know your PEK — for the most part. Whenever you need to restore your data, you must send your PEK to Backblaze, which goes against the principle of zero-knowledge encryption. 

Zero-knowledge encryption works by encrypting and decrypting data on your device before it is transferred to remote servers so nobody but you can see that data. With Backblaze, the decryption process takes place on its servers during restoration, which is not true zero-knowledge encryption.

Backblaze’s privacy policy explains which data it collects and how it uses that data. The policy states that Backblaze only accesses or shares data with your consent, such as files you upload or personal data like your email address. The data it collects is related to the provision of services. Backblaze does not sell your personal data.

Backblaze has a live chat option that starts with a chatbot before connecting you to a real person. It works fine, the representatives are helpful and you don’t have to wait too long to connect if you do so during the posted chat hours.

If you don’t want to chat and can’t find the answer you need in the documentation section, you can submit a help ticket. Responses are typically sent out within one business day.