The best cloud backup for Mac in 2023

Best Cloud Backup for Mac
(Image credit: Adobe Stock)

There are plenty of reasons to get the best cloud backup for Mac computers. While iCloud offers a convenient way to store your Mac’s data in the cloud, it’s not a perfect solution. If you own multiple Mac devices, share your iCloud space with others, or use several iCloud services, the program can quickly reach capacity, and it isn't cheap.

And while Apple products are known for being secure, the same level of protection doesn’t apply to iCloud. In 2014, dozens of A-list celebrities had their iCloud accounts hacked. And in 2019, there was a phishing scam where hackers tried to trick users into handing over confidential information. 

Thankfully, there are cloud backup solutions outside of iCloud. Read below to learn about the best cloud storage and backup solutions for Macs. And if it's less Mac-specific recommendations you want, then see our best cloud storage overall guide.

The 3 best cloud backup for Mac deals

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Our full list of the best cloud backup for Mac is further down, but here are the three best current deals that you can get on fantastic cloud storage (and don't worry, they include two of our very favourite cloud backup specifically fort Mac).

01. EXCLUSIVE: One-year 10TB plan:  $79.50

01. EXCLUSIVE: One-year 10TB plan: $79.50 $3.98
Get 95% off:
This IDrive deal saves you big money! Creative Bloq readers can get an exclusive offer of 10TB (previously 5TB) for only $3.48, for a whole year. That's cheaper than buying a Starbucks!

02. Backblaze: Unlimited storage + free ExpressVPN

02. Backblaze: Unlimited storage + free ExpressVPN
Backblaze B2 allows you to store and protect large amounts of data in the cloud. And you can get a full year of Backblaze unlimited storage for free, when you sign up with ExpressVPN. Don't miss this offer!

03. pCloud: Lifetime subscription, or £3.59 a month

03. pCloud: Lifetime subscription, or £3.59 a month
Low cost storage:
Want a guaranteed low price over the long term? With pCloud you'll get a generous 500GB of storage from just £3.59 a month, or you can opt for the very reasonably priced lifetime subscription.

Our list of the best cloud backup for Mac available

Best Cloud Backup for Mac

Backblaze offers cloud backup for those needing unlimited storage (Image credit: Backblaze)
Best for those who prioritise unlimited storage.

Specifications

Storage: Unlimited
Cost: $7/month; $70/year; $130/every two years
Backup Frequency: Continuous
Customer Support: Email and live chat
Two-Factor Authentication: Yes, app or SMS
Versions Kept/Period: 30 versions/30 day

Reasons to buy

+
Easy to use
+
Unlimited backup
+
Users can implement their own encryption key 
+
Ability to find a stolen device

Reasons to avoid

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No free pricing plans
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No automatic upload from mobile devices
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Only keeps deleted items for 30 days
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Doesn’t offer top-notch security

Backblaze comes with an easy-to-use interface, competitive pricing, and an unlimited backup option. It integrates easily into macOs, and you can configure the app directly within System Preferences.

Like iCloud, Backblaze secures data at rest using AES 128-bit encryption, which is robust but not quite as secure as the industry-standard 256-bit AES.

It secures transfers using TLS, an encryption method that is virtually uncrackable, and regularly hires third-party organisations to test and improve upon security features. There is also an anti-theft feature that records your computer’s IP address when it connects and two-factor authentication, which means you need to enter both a password and a code sent to your device or email in order to access your account.

Backblaze offers the standard Mac experience, and it couldn’t be easier to get started. Your backups will be automatically configured, so you don’t have to do it yourself. Flexible data recovery options are also available, as Backblaze offers three different ways for you to restore your data: via USB flash drive, USB hard drive, or downloadable ZIP file. 

With Backblaze, you’ll need to get a license for each computer you want to protect. So if you want to license five devices, your minimum cost will jump to $35 per month. However, you do have the option to change which of your devices is associated with Backblaze by transferring the license or inheriting a backup state on a new device. For more info, see our full Backblaze review.

Best Cloud Backup for Mac

IDrive allows you to back up disk images, servers, photos, and more (Image credit: IDrive)
Best for those searching for continuous, real-time backup.

Specifications

Storage: 5GB–10TB depending on the plan
Pricing: $0/yr Basic plan; $59.62/yr Personal plan; $74.62/yr Team plan
Backup Frequency: Continuous for files under 500 MB
Customer Support: 24/7 live chat, email, and phone
Two-Factor Authentication: Yes, email
Versions Kept/Period: 30 versions/Unlimited

Reasons to buy

+
Offers file sharing capability
+
Allows you to restore files for an indefinite time
+
Unlimited devices per account
+
Offers disk image backup

Reasons to avoid

-
Storage isn't unlimited
-
Only offers basic sharing options
-
No unlimited backup plan

IDrive offers cloud storage in addition to a host of backup features, including server backup, disk image backup, and NAS backup. What’s more, it allows unlimited devices per account, making it perfect for those who need to back up multiple devices. 

The cloud solution allows you to create a private key for encryption, making it a zero-knowledge service. This essentially means that you’ll have a password for your data, which is converted into code. You’ll need the password to decode the data, and since you’re the only person who has the key, even IDrive can’t access your information.  

IDrive comes with a truly continuous, real-time backup option, as long as the files are under 500 MB. A highly-detailed scheduling page makes it easy for users to choose exactly when and how often they want to back up their files. 

If you opt for IDrive Express, you can quickly back up or retrieve large amounts of data. IDrive Express is a physical data transfer service that allows you to back up your Mac to a temporary, pre-paid hard drive. After you complete the backup using the pre-installed hardware, you’ll send the hard drive back to IDrive, where they’ll upload your files to your online account. Read our IDrive review for more information.

Best cloud storage for business

(Image credit: pCloud/Future)

03. pCloud

Best cloud for integration with existing services.

Specifications

Storage: 10GB-2TB
Free storage: 10GB

Reasons to buy

+
Slick sharing options
+
Social media management tools
+
No file size limits

Reasons to avoid

-
Maximum capacity could be bigger

The core of pCloud is an excellent storage service across the board, with plenty of features tailored to business. You've got real-time file syncing, and the ability to upload and manage your files across all your desktop and mobile devices. It also supports unlimited files sizes – which iDrive notably does not. 

pCloud lets you give different members of your team different access levels, and offers commenting tools that make it easier to collaborate. Security is enhanced with dedicated modules, the search function is impressively sophisticated, and the whole thing scales up well even once a lot of users have been added. You can even customise it with your own branding. 

Everything that you upload to pCloud is covered by 256-bit AES encryption, and there's two-factor authorisation. pCloud keeps backups of your deleted and altered files for thirty days, and your files are stored in a minimum of three different physical locations. Redundancies upon redundancies; it's the kind of thing we like to hear when it comes to data storage. 

Handily, pCloud also plays well with other services, and is capable of automatically backing up files from Dropbox, OneDrive and Google Drive. Price-wise, there are annual and monthly subscription options, as well as lifetime payment options on some tiers, so you can just fork out a lump sum and then never have to think about your storage again. Overall it's an impressive package!

Read our full pCloud review to find out more. 

Best Cloud Backup for Mac

Carbonite cloud backup offers a user-friendly interface (Image credit: Carbonite)

04. Carbonite

Best for those who prioritise user-friendliness.

Specifications

Storage: Unlimited
Cost: $6–$50/month depending on the number of computers
Backup Frequency: Automatically up to 4x per day, or every 6 hours
Customer Support : 24/7 online chat support, phone support 7 days per week
Two-Factor Authentication: Yes
Versions Kept/Period : 12 versions/3 months

Reasons to buy

+
Unlimited online storage for Mac users
+
Offers external drive backup
+
Plus and Prime plans include Webroot Secure Anywhere AntiVirus subscription
+
File Explorer integration

Reasons to avoid

-
Slow online interface
-
No collaboration or sharing features
-
Private key encryption option limited to Windows
-
No mobile app

Carbonite offers unlimited backup and storage in an easy-to-use system. Like Backblaze, it provides a per-device plan with the ability to upgrade. While Carbonite defaults to the same continuous backup setting, customisation options are available. You can also restore your backup files automatically, without the need for manual manipulations. 

Carbonite uses 128-bit AES for data at rest, which is less secure than the industry standard 256-bit AES, and TLS encryption for data in transit. However, it comes with the Webroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus system, which is a top-rated, cloud-based antivirus program. 

The solution also offers step-by-step recovery, enabling you to restore files to their original location directly within the app. Carbonite distinguishes itself in the customer support department, offering phone support seven days a week from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM EST. 

Unlike other services, Carbonite does not let you share files from your online storage. Additionally, mobile backup options are limited, and the solution lacks file sharing, folder syncing, and disk imaging capabilities.

Best Cloud Backup for Mac

Acronis’s extensive security features offers peace of mind when backing up files (Image credit: Acronis)

05. Acronis

Best for those looking for extensive security options.

Specifications

Storage: 500GB–1TB depending on the plan
Cost: $49.99/yr Essentials plan; $89.99/yr Advanced plan; $124.99/yr Advanced plan
Backup Frequency: Daily backup Monday–Friday
Customer Support: Live chat, call center, social media support, and forum support
Two-Factor Authentication: Yes
Versions Kept/Period: 999 versions/99 months

Reasons to buy

+
Full disk image backup and restore
+
Ransomware and malicious URL protection
+
Intuitive, user-friendly interface
+
Blockchain-based data verification

Reasons to avoid

-
No password protection for shared files
-
Does not offer unlimited storage
-
Technically advanced features unsuitable for the average user

Acronis offers a cloud backup solution that works particularly well for those who prioritise security. Security features include ransomware protection, malware protection, electronic signature, automatic data replication, and blockchain certification. Your files are protected with end-to-end encryption, and Acronis will have zero knowledge of your backups.  

This prevents unauthorised access to your personal data, meaning it’ll be safer from hackers, and Acronis won’t be able to share your data with third parties without your express consent. 

Its basic plan only gives one Mac access to all security features, but you can upgrade to more devices for an additional price. However, mobile devices do not count against the device limit. 

Acronis also offers a free 30-day trial for all of its plans, and you don’t have to provide any payment information. Available features you can test include file sharing, full-disk backup, folder syncing, and file versioning. For a small fee, you can even schedule a call with an Acronis engineer to install and configure the backup solution for you. 

A unique feature available for Acronis users is called Acronis Universal Restore. This feature allows you to make your old system bootable on new hardware. This may be useful after you replace a failed motherboard or decide to migrate your system from one computer to another.

Best Cloud Backup for Mac

SpiderOak One Backup offers many advanced control options (Image credit: SpiderOak)

06. SpiderOak One Backup

Best for those seeking advanced controls.

Specifications

Storage: 150GB–5TB depending on the plan
Cost: $6 to $29/month or $69 to $329/year
Backup Frequency: Select from every 5 minutes to every 48 hours
Customer Support: Email support only
Two-Factor Authentication: No
Versions Kept/Period: Unlimited versions/unlimited

Reasons to buy

+
Supports an unlimited number of computers per account
+
Includes file-sharing and folder-syncing options
+
Full-featured desktop application

Reasons to avoid

-
No two-factor authentication option for web login 
-
Slow file syncing
-
Doesn’t offer unlimited backup 

SpiderOak One Backup’s strength lies in its security features. It has a no-knowledge policy, meaning the solution has absolutely no way to view or access any of your files. Your files will be encrypted, meaning only the person (you) with the right encryption key (aka, password) has access to them. 

SpiderOak is a zero-knowledge provider and offers end-to-end encryption. This means that files are encrypted before they leave your computer or device and sent to SpiderOak’s servers, and only you have the decryption key required to read them. As a result, SpiderOak is never able to access your files, and should a hacker ever break into its systems, they would not be able to read your data either.

Additionally, traffic to and from its servers is protected by certificate pinning, a method that prevents middle-man attacks. 

The desktop app comes with a straightforward design, and the persistent storage bar at the bottom of the interface indicates how much storage you have left. SpiderOak prices by storage amounts, so keeping track of this number is important.

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