Online Backup Services: Reviews

Carbonite doesn't have many fancy features, but reviewers say it's a great choice for online backup. It wins a host of awards from experts at Web User, Which? magazine and PC Authority (Australia). Reviewers say Carbonite… is one of the best online backup services when it comes to ease of use and simplicity. The initial backup may be somewhat slow, depending on how many files you have, but subsequent backups go faster and the service runs unobtrusively in the background. Reviewers also like the file markings that clearly illustrate the backup status of each file on your computer. Carbonite online backup supports PC and Mac platforms, but a Macworld review notes that the Mac version has fewer features. While most reviewers praise Carbonite overall, some note that it has fewer customization options than its competitors, so it may not be the best choice for advanced users. Overall, though, Carbonite comes highly recommended from multiple publications.

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MozyHome also gets a number of recommendations, and it offers a free account with up to 2 GB of storage space. Some reviewers recommend starting with the free account and upgrading to the unlimited plan (*Est. $5 a month)… if and when you need more space. The free account has all the features of the unlimited plan, although one reviewer cautions that the upload speeds may be slower. Several experts say MozyHome is not as easy to use as Carbonite, but Mozy does offer more customizable settings. You can manually control backups, create file filters and set specific CPU usage thresholds when Mozy shouldn't back up. The initial backup may be very slow, but this seems to be an issue with most online backup services. One note: a Macworld reviewer encountered bugs that delayed his initial backup for several weeks, but the bugs were fixed in a new version release. MozyHome works for both Macs and PCs.

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File synchronization is becoming increasingly popular, and syncing services are beefing up their online storage capacities to widen their appeal. SugarSync is a service that offers file synchronization across multiple… computers, so you can work on a file at work and it will be updated automatically on your home computer -- or any other computer you choose to sync up with. Once you tell SugarSync what you want to back up, your files are continuously backed up online. With SugarSync, you can also access your data from any computer with Internet access, including smartphones like the iPhone or Blackberry. Reviewers are impressed by these features and SugarSync's robust multimedia functionality, including the ability to stream your music online or share photo albums. However, while most dedicated online backup services offer unlimited storage, SugarSync limits your storage capacity. A variety of pricing and storage plans are available, but even the most expensive plan is limited to 250 GB (*Est. $25 a month).

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