The best backup software of 2026: Expert tested and reviewed

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A ransomware attack hitting your servers at 3 a.m. A server failure wiping out months of work. Data loss always happens when you least expect it.

I've watched businesses rush to recover important files only to find gaps they didn't know about in their backup strategy. It's frustrating to realize your backup software let you down in a crisis. When disaster hits, you want backup software that just works. If you're feeling overwhelmed by choices, I can help you look beyond the marketing claims to find the best vendors out there.

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What is the best backup software right now?

Veeam is my pick for the best backup software provider of 2026. What impressed me was how its product managed complex virtual environments while maintaining fast recovery times. There's an instant VM recovery that can save you hours. And the user-friendly interface means you don't need a Ph.D. to set up reliable backups.

When choosing the providers on this list, I focused on reliability as the top factor. I tested each product's ability to back up data and restore it without corruption. I also measured backup speeds and recovery times across different data sizes and network conditions. Then I looked at ease of use, pricing transparency, and customer support.

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As a B2B tech journalist, I've spent a lot of time reviewing enterprise software. I've played with everything from web hosting to website builders to IT service management -- which taught me to focus on how software performs under pressure. Keep reading for my other top picks.

The best backup software of 2026

Veeam's new VM recovery can boot up a virtual machine from backup files in seconds. Because it works at the virtualization layer, you also don't need agents on each VM. But you have to configure backup repositories and understand the licensing structure, which can be a real pain during setup.

Veeam is a favorite among enterprises using VMware's vSphere or Microsoft's Hyper-V. It only backs up modified data blocks, not entire files. Also, compression and deduplication work well but aren't as aggressive as what you'll find with some competitors. Nevertheless, the platform is complex. Even with my SaaS background, I had to look at the documentation several times to understand how everything works.

Veeam is very reliable. All my backup jobs completed without the kind of corruption issues that I've seen with other platforms. Malware scanning during backup adds a helpful security layer to protect data integrity. Still, the pricing can be a shock for smaller organizations. Also, the company pushes subscriptions over one-time licensing a bit too hard.

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Nakivo, unlike Veeam, has a very quick setup. Completing the installation and initial job setup took me less than 30 minutes. The web-based interface is modern and easy to use, a nice change from complex enterprise solutions. I liked the perpetual licensing model, which offers clear costs without the pressure of subscriptions.

Deduplication is really good, too. Nakivo consistently provided better storage efficiency than many competitors I've reviewed. It handles VMware, Hyper-V, and Nutanix environments well, making it versatile for mixed setups. The instant VM recovery was reliable, though not as fast as Veeam. I was also surprised by how good the Office 365 backup features are for this price.

The only limitation was the transporter components. They sometimes needed restarts during heavy backup times. Though the company says Nakivo is enterprise-ready, it seems best suited for small to medium environments, where simplicity is key. My experience with customer support was generally good, but the knowledge base could be more comprehensive compared with those of larger vendors.

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Acronis True Image is more than just backup software. It's a full cyberprotection suite that combines backup with active security monitoring. During my tests, I found the real-time protection features very handy. They automatically block suspicious activities while keeping system performance steady. And the interface balances simplicity and functionality, so it's easy for nontechnical users.

Backup performance was reliable, especially for full system images and bare-metal recovery. I restored complete systems to different hardware configurations without issues. Other consumer solutions don't always guarantee this. Cloud integration is smooth, but upload speeds depend on your internet connection. I also appreciated how quietly it worked in the background, unlike some security suites that demand constant attention.

That said, I did face issues. Error messages were often cryptic and unhelpful, making troubleshooting hard. I faced several cases where backup chains became corrupted. The software couldn't automatically recover or start fresh chains. Also, the shift to subscription-only pricing has upset many longtime users who preferred perpetual licenses. But the most concerning issue was the poor MacOS support, making it unusable on newer Macs.

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I'll say this now: EaseUS has the best backup speeds in the industry. It's outperformed every competitor I've tested so far. Its interface is easy to use and good for businesses as well as home users who dislike complex setups. I like that the software guides you through each backup option. Plus, the menus are clear and organized.

The performance numbers are remarkable. It created a 700GB backup file in just 13 minutes using rapid compression. Even the free version includes features like system imaging and basic scheduling, which many vendors reserve for paid tiers. But the software sometimes flagged sync issues with folders not included in the backup, which was annoying.

What worried me, though, was the storage overhead. The program creates a recovery partition that can take up to 10GB on your main drive. The restore process was also more complicated than I'd like. It required more than 25 steps for a full system recovery. I also faced occasional crashes that needed restarts, especially when backups went on for a long time.

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Backblaze is a rare backup tool that offers unlimited backup storage. Its claims hold up too. I tested it by uploading several terabytes of sample data without hitting any limits. After it's installed, the software runs quietly in the background, automatically backing up new and changed files without input. This was a nice change from other solutions that require constant adjustments.

But simplicity has its trade-offs. Unlike with other backup solutions, you can't easily select specific folders or create custom backup sets. Instead, you have to use an exclusions system, which feels awkward and slow. And the mobile app only lets you view backed-up files. It doesn't back up your phone or tablet, which seems like a missed chance in 2025.

Performance varied during my tests. Upload speeds started slow but improved over time. Downloads were consistently fast once they started. The initial backup took longer than I expected, especially with multimedia files, but all incremental backups went smoothly. Backblaze also has a courier recovery service, which on request sends a physical drive with your data to your address. But it does cost $99 to $189 per use.

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Backup tool	Starting cost	Maximum storage	Security features	Easy to use?
Veeam Backup and Replication	$3.50/workload/month	Unlimited	Malware detection scans, AES encryption, immutable backups, zero trust architecture	Requires training
Nakivo Backup & Replication	$2.45/workload/month	Unlimited	AES encryption, policy-based protection, secure cloud integration	Yes
Acronis True Image	$60 annually	Unlimited	Real-time malware protection, vulnerability assessment, identity protection, AES encryption	Yes
EaseUS ToDo Backup	$9.90/user/month	Unlimited	Password protection, AES encryption, bootable disk creation	Yes
Backblaze	$60 annually	Unlimited	AES encryption, version history retention, secure web access	Yes

Choose this backup software...	If you want or need...
Veeam Backup and Replication	Enterprise-grade virtualization protection with the fastest VM recovery times. Veeam also has some advanced deduplication capabilities. Best for organizations running VMware or Hyper-V infrastructures.
Nakivo Backup and Replication	Cost-effective backup for small- to medium-size businesses that need reliable protection without complex configuration. Perfect for mixed virtualization environments on a budget.
Acronis True Image	Comprehensive cyberprotection that goes beyond backup to include real-time security monitoring and threat detection. Ideal for individuals and home offices wanting all-in-one protection.
EaseUS ToDo Backup	Lightning-fast backup performance at an affordable price for home users. Best choice if speed is your top priority and you don't mind occasional stability quirks.
Backblaze	Simple yet unlimited cloud backup that works automatically in the background. Perfect for individuals with large data sets who want true "set it and forget it" protection.

It's all about aligning features with your needs and risk levels. You need a backup provider that won't leave you exposed during a disaster.

Recovery Time Objectives (RTO) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPO): How fast do you need to recover the data? How much data can you not accept to lose? Answer these questions first to see how much you should invest in backup tools.
Platform and application coverage: If you use virtual machines, bare-metal servers, or specific cloud applications or databases, you may need specialized solutions. For the best results, look for backup tools that support VMware, Hyper-V, physical servers, and so on.
Security and compliance requirements: Look for end-to-end encryption and immutable backups so you aren't affected by ransomware. Make sure the platform complies with regulations like the GDPR or HIPAA. If your backup tool has malware scanning built in, that counts for extra points.
Scalability and performance: Think about how much data volume your backup provider can handle. How does it affect costs? Also, what data transfer options are available if you exceed limits. Look for features like deduplication, compression, and changed block tracking.
Automation and ease of management: If your backup provider has a self-service option, you can probably auto-recover lost data without a hitch. If database admins have access to reporting tools for monitoring backup health, that's even better.
Testing and validation capabilities: Choose solutions that can test backup integrity and simulate recovery scenarios on autopilot. Untested backups are useless because you need to be sure your data can be restored when needed.
Total cost of ownership: Licensing models, storage costs, bandwidth needs, and support expenses can add up quickly over time. Subscriptions pile on as data volumes increase, but perpetual licenses offer more predictable long-term costs.

For each platform, I tried to mimic scenarios where data loss could occur in real life. I set up test environments ranging from virtualized to physical to hybrid cloud. Then I measured each backup provider's performance during routine backups and emergency recovery situations.

You can never rely on vendor specs alone. So I tracked actual backup speeds, compression ratios, and successful restoration times. I looked at failure scenarios too, which included corrupted files, hardware failures, and worse. I wanted to understand the difficulty levels for setting up initial backups and troubleshooting issues. And when I faced issues, I tried to find out how quickly the customer support would respond.

Backup makes copies of your data so you can restore files if they get corrupted or deleted. Disaster recovery covers your whole plan to get business operations running again after a major incident. Think of backup as the foundation of disaster recovery.

That depends on your data loss tolerance. Most businesses should back up critical systems daily. For less critical data, weekly backups are enough. If you work on important projects or handle customer data, think about continuous or hourly backups. Keep in mind that frequent backups use more storage and bandwidth. So find a balance between protection needs and practical limits.

Your best bet is to follow the 3-2-1 rule: Keep three copies of important data, store them on two types of media, and keep one copy offsite. Cloud backup offers offsite safety and easy access from anywhere. Local backup provides faster recovery and works without the internet. Using both options gives you the best protection against various disasters.

Modern backup solutions offer ransomware protection, with features like immutable backups, malware scanning, and air-gapped storage that attackers can't access. But backups alone aren't enough. You need a full security strategy. This includes endpoint protection, user training, and network monitoring. The goal is to keep your backups clean and accessible, even if ransomware breaches your main systems.

Plan for at least two to three times your current data size. This accounts for multiple backup versions and data growth. Deduplication and compression can cut storage needs significantly. I've seen ratios of 10-to-1 in some cases. Also, think about how long you need to keep backups. Compliance or business reasons affect storage costs, especially with cloud solutions.