IDrive has a version for Windows and Mac, as well as Android and iOS apps. You can connect an unlimited number of devices with all backup service plans. You can also secure external drives, NAS devices, virtual machines, and all sorts of servers.
IDrive offers system image backup and allows you to upload pretty much any type of file. With the phone app, you can back up everything from photos to app settings and call logs.
The system offers scheduled, on-demand, and continuous backups. The latter lets you specify when to pause them—handy if you don't want IDrive to bog down your network connections while you're on the computer.
The online backup service saves up to 30 versions of altered or deleted files in your account forever, which can be a lifesaver.
Deleted files and past file versions do count toward backup storage. That said, if you use block-level uploads, only altered parts of documents will be stored when reuploading. This means it takes much less space to store multiple versions of the same file.
Block-level saving also speeds up the reupload of altered files. You can further enable multithreading to spend more CPU power for extra speed.
If this isn't enough, IDrive has a courier service that can deliver a physical drive to your home address. This is fantastic for quick large file transfers. Better yet, it’s free once per year (thrice for business users). This is a massive advantage since most companies charge for this service.
IDrive offers a few relatively uncommon features that go beyond the usual cloud backups. For example, the remote restore option allows you to locate your computer or wipe the data on it remotely—great if you're worried about misplacing devices. It’s a handy feature, which can save you a few minutes.
With IDrive, you can choose to hold on to your encryption key. The service ensures no one can access your files but yourself, which goes a long way in terms of privacy. Just be mindful not to lose it.
To top it off, you'll find handy features for file sharing and syncing, although they are typically offered by online storage services.
All things considered, IDrive is one of the best computer backup services in terms of features.
Ease of Use
IDrive’s design might not be very modern, but it's functional. You can find all the options neatly organized into six distinct tabs. The user interface is clean and easy to use, so you shouldn’t have any trouble backing up or restoring files.
Setting up a backup is also beyond easy. IDrive will take you through your folder structure, and you just need to pick what you want to back up. The wizard even helpfully preselects common locations, like the Pictures folder.
It's reasonably easy to find and use all the common functions. A few features, like remote data restoration, are not located in the desktop client. But it shouldn’t be hard to find them either – you just have to open the backup service web app.
You'll likely get the hang of IDrive within minutes.
Pricing
IDrive has three personal plans:
- Basic – 5GB storage, free
- IDrive Personal 1 – 5TB storage, starts at $51.12/year, renews at $69.50/year
- IDrive Personal 2 – 10TB storage, starts at $74.62/year, renews at $99.50/year
The shortest subscription term is one year. You can extend the initial discount by prepaying for two years.
The free plan is great for testing out the file backup service. The other plans are fairly affordable for the massive amount of storage they offer. If you have many devices and want to save all your data, IDrive is one of the best choices.
The system also offers a range of business plans you can check out. These can handle everything from simple office computer backups to large-scale operations with multiple servers.
Verdict
IDrive is packed with useful features, has great plans for personal and business use, and offers excellent storage capacity rates. It's hands-down the best cloud backup system we found.