WordPress Backup Plugins Comparison

Updated For 2015
This comparison is regularly updated to help you find the best plugins of 2015!
Last update on: 12.3.2015 Contents

  1. Search And Find
  2. Feature Comparison Chart
  3. Instructions And Suggestions
  4. Corrections And Comments

Welcome to the best comparison of the best backup plugins for WordPress! Let me help you find the cheapest WordPress backup plugin that is perfect for your specific requirements and budget!

To get started simply enter which features you will definitely need from your backup plugin in the form below. After pressing “Compare Now” you will instantly get your individual comparison results and can see the top alternatives that offer all the features you require at the best price! Go here for more details on how to use this comparison.

Search And Find A Great WordPress Backup Plugin

Get Individual Results

How many blogs do you own?
What features do you need?

Backup Features:
Restore Features:
Security Features:
Other Features:

Top Backup Plugins, ordered by

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The Big Backup Plugin Feature Comparison Chart

The search form above is meant to give you a personalized comparison and let you compare prices of the different WP backup plugins. The chart below on the other hand is meant to give you a quick overview over which kind of features you can find in all of the backup plugin alternatives. If you find this huge table too confusing you can also use my heads up comparisons between two specific backup plugins instead.

Features marked with free in the chart are available in the free version of the plugin. Features marked with addon are sold as a separate extension. Hover over the text to see the starting price of the extension.

BackWPup blogVault VaultPress Backup Buddy BackUpWordPress UpdraftPlus
Listing Data Verified?
Backup Features
Full Site Backups (free) (free) (free)
Database Backups (free) (free) (free)
Storage Space for Backups
Save to Dropbox (free) (addon) (free)
Save to Amazon S3 (free) (addon) (free)
Save to Google Drive (addon) (free)
Save to FTP (free) (addon) (free)
Save to Rackspace (free) (addon) (free)
Send Email Notifications (free) (free) (free)
Differential Backup (Changes only)
Scheduled / Automatic Backups (free) (free)
Realtime Backups
BackWPup blogVault VaultPress Backup Buddy BackUpWordPress UpdraftPlus
Easy Restore (free)
Migrate Site (addon)
Test Restore
History of Changes
Individual File Restore
BackWPup blogVault VaultPress Backup Buddy BackUpWordPress UpdraftPlus
Security or Malware Scan
BackWPup blogVault VaultPress Backup Buddy BackUpWordPress UpdraftPlus
Database Repair and Optimization (free)
Database Text Replace (addon)
Multisite Support (free) (addon)

Instructions, Recommendations And Ressources

A Short Intro To Choosing A Backup Plugin

Creating regular backups is essential for every WordPress blog. An up to date backup file can be your “get out of jail free” – card in case something goes wrong with your site. Luckily today there is a large number of different backup services for WordPress out there to choose from. This comparison is meant to help you find the best backup plugin for your specific needs and budget.

A note on pricing of the different premium backup services:

  • Subscription-based backup services like VaultPress and blogVault generally save backup files on their own servers or space managed by them. You pay for the service on a monthly basis and do not need to worry about the storage location of your backup images.
  • Other backup plugins which are paid for with a one-time fee will usually save backup files to your own accounts, e.g. to Dropbox, Amazon S3, your email or other destinations. To use these plugins effectively you need an account with one of those storage solutions, which depending on the size of your sites might require additional costs.

Other Factors To Consider In Your Choice

There are of course many other factors you should consider in your choice of a backup plugin which are not part of this comparison because they are either highly subjective or hard to track. For example:

  • Is the plugin easy to use? To answer this question download a demo or free version (if available) to get a closer feel for how the plugin works.
  • How good is the plugin interface? Try watching some Youtube videos of each WordPress backup plugin in action to get an idea what the admin area looks like.
  • Is the support fast and helpful? Consider just getting in touch and asking some questions before your purchase to see what kind of answer you get.
  • Is the plugin updated regularly? Check if they post about new version releases on their website. For products with a free version in the WP plugin directory you can browse the changelog there.

Links

Still unsure which backup service is right for you? See below for some links to more good comparisons created by other WordPress bloggers:

Finally I want to stress that this backup plugin comparison only compares prices and features as reported by the developers. It can not tell you whether those features actually work or in which WordPress backup plugin they work better. I recommend you use my comparison as a starting point in your search for the best WP backup plugin and then try some of the top choices yourself!

How To Use This Backup Plugin Comparison

My big WordPress backups plugin comparison

Using this comparison is very easy, certainly easier than actually choosing one of the WordPress backup plugins! In the form at the top of the page enter which features you will definitely need from the backup plugin of your choice by checking the boxes next to each feature. Because many backup plugins increase in price depending on your number of sites you should also select on how many blogs you intend to use the plugin with the dropdown box.

After clicking the “Compare Now” button the top WordPress backup plugins based on your requirements are shown on the right side. By default the results are ordered by how well they match the features you have searched for. You can change that with the “Order results by” dropdown, e.g. to display the cheapest WP backup plugins in front.

What the results mean: Each compared product is shown in a blue box that contains the following information:

  • Features: This comparison tracks a number of features that are commonly found in the best backup plugins. The number next to each alternative shows you how many out of all those features you can find in this particular product. Features are listed as reported by the developers.
  • Missing Features: This will only show up if a WordPress backup plugin does not offer all the features you need (defined by your selection in the comparison search form). All products are displayed regardless of how many features they are missing with the best matches listed higher.
  • Price: The price as calculated for your number of blogs and required features. The goal is to show you the exact cost you can expect when deciding to purchase one of the alternatives in order to help you find the cheapest backup plugin possible.
    All prices are as listed on the developers websites. Bulk or automatic discounts are factored in if available. There can be minor variations due to rounding errors. If you find a product has changed their prices please report it so I can keep the list updated.
  • Reviews: This section lists the average rating of the plugin given by WPscoop users. If available the average rating from the WordPress.org plugin directory or the CodeCanyon marketplace is also listed.
  • Download / Order Link: Many of the products compared here offer you a way to test their service for free. Some offer a basic plugin for free, others a demo on their website or a refund period. You will find the details next to each plugin. If possible I recommend you try and test any WordPress backup plugin yourself before buying.

Suggestions And Corrections Welcome!

My other comparisons:
membership pluginse-commerce pluginsmanagement pluginsform pluginsgallery pluginsaffiliate pluginsslider pluginsoptin pluginsSEO plugins

All the data about prices and features is coming directly from the developers. I want this comparison to be an objective starting point in your search for a great WP backup plugin. Because of that it only contains hard facts and no subjective verdict by myself.

Since most WordPress products are regularly updated and prices get changed often I need your help to keep this comparison up to date! If you spot an outdated price, find an error or notice that a feature was added to one of the WordPress backup plugins please leave a comment so that I can update the article. Thank you!

Which backup plugin do you like best? Is there another plugin alternative I should add to this comparison? Feel free to leave your suggestions in the comments below. If you wish you can also contact me directly!

About Thomas Höfter

I am a WordPress plugin developer from Germany. Some might know me from my WP Robot plugin or one of my free plugins but most don't know me at all. To change that you can write me a message or find me on Google+.

24 Comments


  1. Your suggestion and comparison list was quire interesting it was great i ran into this plugin Backup&Restore Dropbox that i can assure you it’s effective.


  2. Good comparison list but i thing i know a plugin that gives all the essential details and backage you need to back up all your files database and site and is very reliable you can use Backup and Restore Dropbox by wpadm


  3. Hi Thomas! Thanks for sharing these useful plugins. I have used BackWPup for months now and it does everything I need it to do. A great way to backup my website to Dropbox.


    1. I am presently using Backup and restore Dropbox wordpress plugin by WPAdm . I did my backups without difficulty .It is easy, fast and free to use.


  5. Hi Thomas,

    Would it be possible to tell me what plugin are you using to built this comparisons data? I wanna use it on my website for enterprise software comparisons.

    Thank you a lot


  6. Hi,

    Thank you for including UpdraftPlus in this comparison. Just for updated information purposed, UpdraftPlus now has storage space for backups in the for of UpdraftPlus Vault http://updraftplus.com/support/updraftplus-vault-faqs/. For premium customers you receive a free 1GB of Vault storage with your upgrade. It is also available as an add-on for non premium user http://updraftplus.com/shop/updraftplus-vault-storage-5-gb/ .It is easy to set up, and easy to manage, it is the easiest option for keeping your backups safe.

    Thanks
    Abbie


  7. With BackupBudddy, is there way I can:

    – backup of database every day and
    – backup entire site in certain interval like every 2 weeks


  8. I’ve just installed the WP MyBackup. It rocks!
    Pros: It comes with all imaginable options suited for file/mysql backups and scheduled backups :full backup, mysql maintenance, disk/ftp/ssh/dropbox/google/webdav/email, complex/complete logging system, email notifications,etc.
    Cons: the restore function or other functions (like incremental/differential backup, encryption, cpu/bandwidth throttling, reports) comes only as separate addons available with its commercial version (although each is only 5$).
    I take care of few blogs on daily basis and the FREE version I guess has anything I need: it backups my blogs’ automatically, upload them to FTP/Dropbox/Google/etc, a worry free life. It just works everytime! I love it!
    I used before the UpdraftPlus and BackupWPup but they lack of options in free version, let alone that BackupWPup failed to upload my backups to Dropbox 9/10 times.


  9. Hey Thomas! BackupBuddy 6.0 just got released. And with it comes deployment (as in staging) capabilities and also Google Drive integration! 🙂


    1. Oh yea, differential backups are on as well!


    2. Thanks for the heads up Leo. I will check the new version out and update the comparison as soon as possible.


    1. UpDraft Plus is a freemium product. That means the basic version is free and they charge for addons and upgrades. Simply go to my main backup comparison and you can search for features you need and then see the exact price you would need to pay for updraft.


  11. Hello,

    The chart needs to be updated, one example among others : backupbuddy does “Security or Malware Scan”.
    Backupbuddy also brings lifetime licence


  12. Hey

    I was wondering which plugin are you using for making this comparisons?

    It could definitely help my business too.

    Thanks


  13. Hi Thomas, great comparisons thanks very much for your efforts.
    I wondered if you might like to include Akeeba Backup for WordPress next time you update the comparison. Akeeba also make the leading Joomla Backup Solution Akeeba Backup so they have a good reputation and large user-base. (NB: I am not affiliated with Akeeba)


  14. Your comparisons are always fantastic, very well structured and informative.
    I am using updraft backups (free version) and I wanted to tell you that you can also choose the S3 Amazon, FTP, SFTP and also others like Bitcasa, S3-Compatible (generic) etc with the FREE version. You need to buy an addon, if you want to use more than one service(location) to upload/store your backups.

    Thank you for the great work you are doing!


    1. Hi Maya, thanks for the compliment and the clarification. I will update updraftplus in the comparison accordingly.


  15. Hello Thomas,
    I always appreciate the work that you put in on these interactive product/service comparison reviews. Thank you. I’ve been looking into a backup plugin for a number of my sites, specifically those that offer plugin solution (Buddypress and Updraftplus) vs. off-site. I do have a question concerning the latter…Updraftplus. I entered the following variables ……number of sites = 20, full Site and database backups, scheduled / automatic backups. Sort by price. This came out to $500.00 incl. 1 year of updates for Updraft plus using your calculations on my end. However, their site offers a developers license for unlimited sites with all available add-ons, 1 year of support and 1 year of free updates for $125. Why the apparent discrepancy?

    Thanks


    1. Hi James,

      you are right, it seems I missed the package offering of Updraft plus and as such the comparison calculates the individual module prices only. I will update that as fast as possible so that the right price is reported when comparing updraft plus to the other backup plugins. Thanks for letting me know!

Comments are closed.