Backblaze Vs IDrive: Detailed Comparison
Backblaze and IDrive are both online backup services, but they price and protect differently. Backblaze Computer Backup is listed at roughly $9 per month, or about $99 per year, for unlimited backup of one computer, per the current listings on the official Backblaze pricing page. IDrive sells capped storage across unlimited devices, with personal plans typically around $70 to $100 per year for 5TB-class storage at standard rates, and steep first-year promos below that, per the plan listings on the official IDrive site. Pick Backblaze for one machine with huge data; pick IDrive to cover many devices under one plan. This page is for any reader weighing backblaze vs idrive; verify current pricing on the official sites, then use the decision framework below.
Quick answer
| Dimension | Backblaze | IDrive |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Per computer, unlimited data | Per storage amount, unlimited devices |
| Typical fee | ~$9/month or ~$99/year per computer | ~$70-$100+/year at standard rates, promos lower |
| Devices covered | One computer per license | Computers, phones, NAS under one plan |
| External drives | Covered in the standard case | Covered within your storage cap |
| Version history | Extended history available for an added fee | Snapshots and versioning included |
| Best for | One data-heavy machine | Households with many devices |
The pricing models explain most of the decision: unlimited-per-machine versus capped-pool-for-everything. Match the model to how your data is spread.
Price and value comparison
Backblaze's flat fee is the simplest in the category: one computer, everything on it, unlimited size. A photographer with 12TB on one desktop pays the same as a student with 200GB. The per-computer model becomes expensive only when you need several machines covered, since each adds its own license fee.
IDrive prices by storage pool. One plan covers your laptop, desktop, phones, and external drives together, as long as the total stays under the cap. The first-year promotional price is often dramatically lower than the renewal rate, so budget on the standard rate in advance, not the promo. Verify current pricing on the official site, since tiers and promos rotate.
A worked example makes the comparison concrete. A household with two laptops and 1.5TB of combined data: Backblaze needs two licenses at roughly $198 a year, while a 5TB IDrive plan covers both machines plus phones for roughly half that at standard rates. Flip the scenario to one desktop holding 10TB of video, and Backblaze's single ~$99 license beats any capped plan of that size on fee alone.
Set a backup budget first, then count devices and total data. That two-number exercise answers the comparison faster than any feature list.
Feature and recovery differences
Backblaze's experience is deliberately minimal: install it, and it backs up nearly everything on the machine by default. Restores come by download or, for a fee that is refundable on return in the standard case, a shipped drive. Extended version history beyond the default window costs a small add-on fee.
IDrive's feature set is broader and more hands-on. It covers scheduled and continuous backup, disk-image backup, NAS support, folder syncing, and snapshot-style versioning. IDrive also offers a physical data-shipment option for large first uploads and restores. The tradeoff is a busier interface; a beginner has more to configure than with Backblaze's install-and-forget approach.
Recovery speed matters more than most buyers expect. Re-downloading terabytes over home internet can take days or longer, so the shipped-drive options on either service are worth understanding before disaster, not after.
Who this is for
- •Backblaze fits anyone with one primary computer and large or unpredictable data growth, and readers who want zero-decision backup.
- •IDrive fits households and freelancers with several devices, NAS owners, and anyone who wants images and snapshots, not just files.
- •Neither fits someone who only needs a few gigabytes; free cloud-drive tiers like Google One's entry plans may cover that case as an alternative.
What to know before deciding
- •Both auto-renew by default. Fees bill the saved payment method each term until cancelled. Calendar the renewal, especially for IDrive promos that jump to standard rates. The lower-effort way to stay ahead of the jump is a subscription manager: Subpilot can help you review recurring charges like these and helps you find the relevant cancellation steps before it rebills. If you prefer the manual route, you can instruct your bank to stop an automatic payment; the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explains how in its guide to stopping automatic payments.
- •What happens after cancellation matters. Backup services delete stored data some time after a subscription lapses, in the standard case within weeks. Never cancel the old service before the new backup completes.
- •Backup is not sync. Neither service replaces file-sync tools; they protect against loss, not enable collaboration. Keep the distinction clear when comparing the fee to cloud-drive alternatives.
- •Commitment favors annual plans on both services, but only after a successful trial. Test upload speed from your own connection first; a slow first backup is the most common complaint on either service.
- •A subscription tracker such as Subpilot keeps backup fees visible year to year, which is the practical fix for a promo renewal that quietly doubled.
Decision framework
- •If one computer holds nearly all your data, choose Backblaze and stop measuring storage.
- •If you need phones, NAS, or multiple machines covered, choose IDrive and size the storage cap with room to grow.
- •If you own 5TB+ on a single machine, Backblaze's unlimited model is the minimum-cost path.
- •If you want disk images and snapshots, IDrive covers that feature set; Backblaze does not aim to.
- •If the renewal fee jumps after a promo, re-price both services before letting the standard rate bill in advance.
| Your intent | Recommended next step |
|---|---|
| Protect one data-heavy computer | Start a Backblaze trial |
| Cover the whole household's devices | Size an IDrive storage plan |
| Back up a NAS | Choose IDrive |
| Simplest possible setup | Choose Backblaze |
| Leaving either service | Complete the new backup before cancelling |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Backblaze or IDrive cheaper?
It depends on your device count and data size. One computer with big data favors Backblaze at roughly $99 a year unlimited. Many devices sharing moderate data favor IDrive's pooled storage, especially at promo rates. Verify current pricing on both official sites.
Does either service have a free plan?
IDrive has offered a small free storage tier in the standard case; Backblaze's computer backup is paid, with a trial period. Free tiers are useful for testing the experience, not for real protection.
What happens to my data if I cancel?
Both services remove stored backups after a lapse, typically within weeks. Your local files are untouched; only the cloud copy disappears. Migrate first, cancel second.
Can I back up an external drive?
Yes on both, with conditions: Backblaze covers attached external drives under the same license in the standard case, and IDrive counts them against your storage cap. Drives that stay disconnected for long periods can age out of Backblaze backups, so reconnect them regularly. The bottom line on backblaze vs idrive: Backblaze wins for one machine with unlimited appetite, IDrive wins for many devices and richer features, the promo-to-renewal jump is the fee to watch, and no cancellation should ever happen before the replacement backup finishes. This page is general product information, not financial advice.
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