Best Reviewed
Online Backup Services
- Best online backup service MozyHome *Est. $6
- Full-featured online backup SOS Online Backup *Est. $80
- Local and online backup service CrashPlan+ *Est. $50
- Best file synchronization service Dropbox *Est. $0
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Best file synchronization service
- Great value
- Online backup and file syncing
- Compatible with Windows, Mac OS and Linux
- Easy to use
- No unlimited storage
- More expensive than other backup services
Dropbox is a file synchronization service that is also a good option for online backup. It earns numerous Editors' Choice awards, and reviewers say it is one of the easiest backup services to use. Dropbox allows you to store files online and sync them across multiple computers. If you change a file on your work computer it will be automatically updated on your computer at home. You can access your files from any computer, as well as iPhone and Android smartphones. Reviewers love the robust sharing options, which include the ability to send files to others right from the Dropbox client or create read-only public folders. Dropbox provides 2 GB of online storage for free, but paid subscriptions are available for 50 GB (*Est. $120 per year) or 100 GB (*Est. $240 per year). This is more expensive than online backup services like MozyHome (*Est. $6 per month for 50 GB). However, if you want file syncing and sharing features, experts highly recommend Dropbox.
The best reviews of Dropbox come from the British magazines Web User and MacFormat. Both publications conduct group tests of online backup services and rate each provider they test. Reviews at Laptop Magazine, PCMag.com and the U.K. edition of Macworld also have valuable insights. Dropbox is featured in a number of blog posts, but most are brief and not very detailed.
Our Sources
1. WebUser
Britain's Web User magazine tests six free online backup services in this comparative test. Each service is rated and there is some comparison in the accompanying analysis. Dropbox receives the highest rating and the Gold Award.
Review: Best Sites for Free Online Storage, Scott Colvey, Sept. 23, 2010
2. Mac Format
Ian Betteridge evaluates six online backup services, including Dropbox. He prefers CrashPlan overall, saying it "just beats Dropbox thanks to better price plans and features."
Review: 6 Reliable Online Backup Services for Your Mac, Ian Betteridge, March 20, 2010
3. Laptop MagazineDetails/Subscribe
Dropbox earns an Editors' Choice award from Laptop Magazine. Although Dana Wollman says it can be used for online backup and storage, Dropbox really impresses when it comes to file sharing and syncing.
Review: Dropbox (2010), Dana Wollman, April 26, 2010
Dropbox also receives an Editors' Choice award from the U.K. edition of Macworld. Karl Hodge says it "shines because of its simplicity," and he likes that you can access your data from any Internet browser.
Review: Dropbox Review, Karl Hodge, Oct. 20, 2009
In this older review, PCMag.com gives an Editors' Choice award to Dropbox. "Dropbox is the simplest, most elegant file-synchronization tool I've ever used," Edward Mendelson writes. The design is intuitive, and Dropbox offers plenty of sharing options, he says.
Review: Dropbox, Edward Mendelson, March 25, 2009
Pocket-lint.com, a British site, gives Dropbox a very high rating of 9 out of 10. "Storage and sharing files might be boring, but this makes it incredibly easy," Stuart Miles writes.
Review: Dropbox Review, Stuart Miles, Nov. 16, 2009
7. TechSource
Jun Auza writes for the TechSource blog, which focuses on Linux news and reviews. He discusses the eight best online backup services for Linux and calls Dropbox his "favorite online backup service for its simplicity and ease of use."
Review: 8 of the Best Online Backup Services for Linux, Jun Auza, June 19, 2010
Dropbox is rated second behind SugarSync in this review of 10 online backup service providers. Services are rated on features, security, ease of use and other criteria.
Review: 2011 Online Data Backup Review Comparisons, Editors of TopTenReviews.com
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