Ten Best Backup Programs for Mac OS X
13 Sep 2007 |
Archiving and
Backups
In this column I bring together the ten best low-cost
backup programs for the Mac. I'll tell you only what
you need to know to narrow the field and start trying
just those two or three products that might be right
for you. Read on and you'll probably save a lot of
time and money in your search for good backups.
If you are searching the Internet looking for the
right backup program for your Mac, this the place to
start. These are the ten best backup programs you
will find for Mac OS X for under $100 (most are under
$30). Rather than write a full review, I have
summarized the strengths and limitations of each
product in just a few words while providing links to
the free trial for each (where available).
Also this list is limited to only those products that can back up data to your own media (CD-R, DVD-R, USB, Firewire). There are no online backup programs reviewed here. These are listed in ascending price order, not according to my preference. Only you can decide which of these products will do what you need.
Free Products
SilverKeeper
La Cie
Download: http://www.lacie.com/
Strengths: Simple user interface, backup scheduling, and the ability to leave out files using a filter.
Limitations: No synchronization. You must submit your contact information to download this program.
Price: Free
iBackup
Grapefruit.ch
Download: http://www.grapefruit.ch/
Strengths: Knows how to back up system preferences and application settings and do scheduling.
Limitations: Very limited information on web site, no author or company attribution, only a contact e-mail. Price: Free (for personal use)
Under $30 Products
GrabBack
ThingTone Software
Download: http://www.thingtone.net/
Strengths: Simple to use, inexpensive, good for quick thumb drive backups of a day's work. Supports compression, encryption.
Limitations: No file synchronization or scheduling. No bootable backups.
Price: $19.95
Synk
Decimus Software
Download: http://www.decimus.net/
Strengths: Many options for scheduling, including and excluding files, copy or archive, and rules (in Synk Pro)
Limitations: Uses incremental backup technology, too many options for most users, hard to know what was really saved.
Price: $25, $35 (Standard), $45 (Pro)
SuperDuper
Shirt Pocket Software
Download: http://www.shirt-pocket.com/
Strengths: Specializes in creating a bootable backup image, explains each procedure before doing anything.
Limitations: As a cloning tool this product lacks the ability to do targeted, or small batch, backups.
Price: $27.95
Knox
MK&C (Finland)
Download: http://www.knoxformac.com/
Strengths: Emphasizes encryption. (Note: most of these products can back up to a standard encrypted volume.)
Limitations: No file synchronization, awkward multiple "vault" approach for archiving and encrypting.
Price: $29.95
Dobry Backuper
DobrySoft
Download: http://dobrysoft.com/
Strengths: Full, versioned, or incremental backups and scheduling.
Limitations: No synchronization, somewhat complicated user interface.
Price: $29.95
$30-and-up Products
ChronoSync
Econ Technologies
Download: http://www.econtechnologies.com
Strengths: Emphasizes synchronization and does an excellent job making this intuitive.
Limitations: No straight file and folder snapshot backups, uses mirroring instead.
Price: $30.00
Backup Simplicity
Qdea
Download: http://www.qdea.com/
Strengths: Very simple user interface aimed at cloning a hard drive to a bootable backup.
Limitations: Really does back up everything, with no way to target or limit what is backed up.
Price: $50.00
Data Backup 3
Prosoft Engineering
Download: http://www.prosofteng.com/
Strengths: Backup versioning makes it possible to recover older versions of files, also can do bootable backups.
Limitations: Somewhat complicated user interface.
Price: $59.00
Also this list is limited to only those products that can back up data to your own media (CD-R, DVD-R, USB, Firewire). There are no online backup programs reviewed here. These are listed in ascending price order, not according to my preference. Only you can decide which of these products will do what you need.
Free Products
SilverKeeper
La Cie
Download: http://www.lacie.com/
Strengths: Simple user interface, backup scheduling, and the ability to leave out files using a filter.
Limitations: No synchronization. You must submit your contact information to download this program.
Price: Free
iBackup
Grapefruit.ch
Download: http://www.grapefruit.ch/
Strengths: Knows how to back up system preferences and application settings and do scheduling.
Limitations: Very limited information on web site, no author or company attribution, only a contact e-mail. Price: Free (for personal use)
Under $30 Products
GrabBack
ThingTone Software
Download: http://www.thingtone.net/
Strengths: Simple to use, inexpensive, good for quick thumb drive backups of a day's work. Supports compression, encryption.
Limitations: No file synchronization or scheduling. No bootable backups.
Price: $19.95
Synk
Decimus Software
Download: http://www.decimus.net/
Strengths: Many options for scheduling, including and excluding files, copy or archive, and rules (in Synk Pro)
Limitations: Uses incremental backup technology, too many options for most users, hard to know what was really saved.
Price: $25, $35 (Standard), $45 (Pro)
SuperDuper
Shirt Pocket Software
Download: http://www.shirt-pocket.com/
Strengths: Specializes in creating a bootable backup image, explains each procedure before doing anything.
Limitations: As a cloning tool this product lacks the ability to do targeted, or small batch, backups.
Price: $27.95
Knox
MK&C (Finland)
Download: http://www.knoxformac.com/
Strengths: Emphasizes encryption. (Note: most of these products can back up to a standard encrypted volume.)
Limitations: No file synchronization, awkward multiple "vault" approach for archiving and encrypting.
Price: $29.95
Dobry Backuper
DobrySoft
Download: http://dobrysoft.com/
Strengths: Full, versioned, or incremental backups and scheduling.
Limitations: No synchronization, somewhat complicated user interface.
Price: $29.95
$30-and-up Products
ChronoSync
Econ Technologies
Download: http://www.econtechnologies.com
Strengths: Emphasizes synchronization and does an excellent job making this intuitive.
Limitations: No straight file and folder snapshot backups, uses mirroring instead.
Price: $30.00
Backup Simplicity
Qdea
Download: http://www.qdea.com/
Strengths: Very simple user interface aimed at cloning a hard drive to a bootable backup.
Limitations: Really does back up everything, with no way to target or limit what is backed up.
Price: $50.00
Data Backup 3
Prosoft Engineering
Download: http://www.prosofteng.com/
Strengths: Backup versioning makes it possible to recover older versions of files, also can do bootable backups.
Limitations: Somewhat complicated user interface.
Price: $59.00