It's worth noting that backups can fail for a variety of reasons, usually at the worst possible time, so we've given extra marks to companies that offer easily accessible support options. The most important feature we looked for is the ability to create a backup image that can be stored on a local drive (typically USB or network storage). Some programs also offer the ability to back up to the cloud. We've highlighted those programs for the benefit of those who have that combination of manageable data sets and high bandwidth that make an all-cloud option feasible. We didn't include products like Carbonite, which are exclusively focused on cloud-based backup.

Other important features we looked for included easy options for restoring a single file or folder from a backup set, as well as robust scheduling and reporting options.Īs always, this listing doesn't represent a full, hands-on review.

What backup software features should you look for? We didn't stress-test these apps, and we encourage you to do your own testing to ensure that the backup and restore features (especially the latter) meet your standards for ease of use and robustness.

The ability to create a disk image that can restore the entire contents of a PC or Mac, so you can recover quickly after a disk crash or other data disaster.

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