My data is very important to me. It’s not only what I’m currently working on. It’s my entire life’s work. I regularly reach back to my old projects, drafts and resources. It would be terrible to lose that stuff. Backblaze solves that problem by providing easy, affordable, unlimited online backups.
For 8 years now I have trusted Backblaze to backup all my drives to the cloud. I’ve been super happy with the service, so I am happy to partner with them to write this review of Backblaze.
Backblaze backup review 2022
Updated: 2022-03-15
Backblaze offers easy, low cost online backups with unlimited space and bandwidth. It gives me peace of mind to know that my data is constantly being backed up securely. Backblaze also has version history for retrieving deleted files or older versions.
How does Backblaze work
Backblaze works silently in the background. Setting it up couldn’t be easier. By default Backblaze backs up everything on your computer, with the exception of some system files.
For me it works perfectly with the default automatic settings. I never needed to touch it beyond selecting what drives to back up.
I love that I never have to think about it. But if you like, you can set up scheduling or only backup when you want, choose what to exclude and how much bandwidth to use for instance.
It’s important to understand that Backblaze is a backup service – not cloud storage. It mirrors your computer. If you delete a file on your computer, it also gets deleted from Backblaze.
If you want permanent storage however, Backblaze do offer a separate service called B2 Cloud Storage. B2 can work in tandem with the Backblaze backup service. At 1/4th the cost of Amazon S3, B2 Cloud Storage is also very affordable.
An alternative is to pay extra to extend the version history of Backblaze from the default 30 days to forever. This turns Backblaze into an unlimited cloud based time machine of all your data. It’s pretty cool and I’m actually considering it myself.
If you require a more advanced backup service, see Backblaze Business. With it you get Veeam, NAS, server and computer backups with centrally managed admin and version history.
Restoring backups
Downloading files via the web application is free. You can download individual files directly or select multiple files or folders to restore in zip format. There is also a iOS/Android app which allows you to grab files using your phone or tablet.
Alternatively you could have your data sent to you anywhere in the world via FedEx on a USB drive. This costs but you can send the drive back within 30 days to get your money back.
Pricing
Everything with Backblaze is simple. This includes plans and pricing.
Backblaze offers just one plan. It includes unlimited backups from a single computer and any external drives attached to it.
The pricing is as follows:
- $7 / monthly
- $70 / yearly
- $130 / bi-yearly
The plan includes 30 days of version history (restoring old versions or deleted files).
Extending version history to 1 year costs additional $2 / month. Extending it to forever costs additional $2 / month plus $0.005 / GB / month.
How I use Backblaze
I have Backblaze set to automatic continuous backup of all my drives. It does its job in the background without interfering at all. In fact, most of the time I forget it exists.
My internet connection is not very fast (10 MBPS). But it never feels like Backblaze clogs up the connection. I have it on the automatic throttle setting which adjusts Backblaze’s bandwidth based on what else is going on. You can also manually set the bandwidth if you wish.
I like how effortless Backblaze is. It just works. I never have to think about it. It never interrupts me unless something is actually wrong (like if one of my drives has been offline and hasn’t been backed up).
I’ve had zero problems with Backblaze in the 8 years that I’ve used it. I am very happy to recommend it to anyone.
Security
All data is encrypted before being transmitted over SSL. Everything is of course stored encrypted, too. Backblaze’s code is native to Mac and PC and doesn’t use Java.
An optional private security key can be set up which ensures only this key can unlock the backup. Two-factor verification via ToTP and SMS is also available and I would recommend to use it.
The data center is located in the U.S. and has SAS 70 Type II and ISO 9001 certifications and is PCI-DSS compliant.
Backblaze review – FAQ
Where is Backblaze located?
Backblaze is a public U.S. company with headquarters in San Mateo, California (Silicon Valley) and additional locations in Arizona and the Netherlands.
Where are Backblaze servers located?
The Backblaze data center is located near Sacramento, California. There is 24-hour staff, biometric security and redundant power. According to Backblaze, it’s one of the most stable geographic locations in California and is outside of earthquake fault zones and flood plains. The data center location also has a low risk for tornadoes.
Is Backblaze worth it?
If your data is important to you – then yes without a doubt Backblaze is worth it. The pricing of $7 / month, $70 / year or $130 / 2 years is very competitive.
It’s great value for money considering you get unlimited space and bandwidth, how easy Backblaze is to use and how well the service works.
How Backblaze works?
After installing the software on your Mac or Windows computer, Backblaze begins backing up. By default, it will back up your entire computer (with the exception of some system files).
After the initial backup, Backblaze will automatically back up any new data or existing data when it’s changed.
By default you get 30 days of version history for retrieving old versions or deleted files.
What is Backblaze B2?
B2 is a cloud storage service for hosting your files online. It is a separate service from Backblaze online backup, but the two can work together.
Can Backblaze backup external drives?
Yes, Backblaze can backup as many drives as you like as long as they’re connected to your computer.
Can I switch Backblaze to a different computer?
Yes. And if you’ve transferred your data from one computer to another, there is a function to have your new computer inherit your existing online backup. This way you avoid re-uploading everything. I recently did this and it worked great.
Is Backblaze safe?
There are always risks involved in anything, but from what I can gather security is a priority to Backblaze. I don’t worry about trusting my data with them. I still do a local backup of my system as well, so that I’m covered if the internet connection goes down.
Backblaze review: conclusion
There’s three key things I like about Backblaze.
- The unlimited space and bandwidth is huge for me. I never have to think about exceeding some limits or having to pay extra. I can back up and retrieve whatever I want with complete peace of mind.
- Simplicity and pricing. Backing up should not be difficult or expensive. Otherwise it doesn’t happen. Backblaze is both effortless and affordable.
- Trust. I am a happy Backblaze customer for 8 years already and I have never had an issue with it. I like the feeling of knowing it’s always working in the background to keep my data safe.
Those three things put together makes for a great combination.
I will continue to trust my online backups with Backblaze. I highly recommend the service.
Click here to check out Backblaze.
This concludes my review of Backblaze. Thanks for reading.
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