If you built your website using WordPress, then you’re likely familiar with the concept of plugins. If not, then now you will be!
The open-source nature of WordPress allows users to create and install a wide variety of software – known as plugins – that will add new functionality, from e-commerce capabilities to security features.
A backup plugin gives users the ability to back up their website regularly so that if disaster strikes and your website (or sections of it) is lost or corrupted, you’ll be able to safely restore the most recently backed-up version by using a simple and effective WordPress backup plugin.
So Why Use A WordPress Backup Plugin?
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Plugins offer the quickest way to back up your WordPress site. However, there are a few more reasons why you should use WordPress backup plugins.
- Compromised security: Your website could get hacked and you might lose all your important data.
- Human error: A small human error while building or maintaining your website could cause it to crash.
- Server Crash: Sometimes, the server that hosts your website could crash for various reasons.
- The hosting company terminates its services: Web hosting companies are very careful about your website’s data. However, things aren’t 100% certain so it’s good to have backups in case.
Avoid data loss due to all these unfortunate events by backing up your files frequently. And what better way than to back up with the help of WordPress backup plugins?
Let’s take a look at what we feel are the best plugins out there, based on their ease of use, stability, and value, to help improve your blogging experience. Although be aware that it is best to limit the number of plugins you install on your website for optimal performance. It is recommended not to exceed 20, and if you can, to limit your use to just 5.
1. BackupBuddy
KEY FEATURES
- Schedule your backups.
- Instant email notifications.
- Downloadable zip files.
- Offers the restoration tool ImportBuddy.
- Store your backup files in multiple remote backup locations.
BackupBuddy is a top-rated service that helps the creators of over half a million WordPress sites enjoy a restful sleep knowing that their site is suitably backed up. It is designed to back up your entire website and also restore it should anything happen.
BackupBuddy‘s functionality allows users to schedule their backups as they like, with automated monthly, weekly, or daily options. Alternatively, you can choose to do it manually.
There’s a choice of locations for your backups – you can use Amazon S3, Rackspace, or Dropbox for example. You also have the option of using FTP if you prefer, and they recommend their offsite service called Backup Buddy Stash which grants you 1GB of storage. You could also email your backup if your site is small enough.
Pricing starts at $80 for a Single Site License.
2. BlogVault
KEY FEATURES
- Excellent customer support.
- Easily create staging sites to test new plugins and themes.
- Clone, duplicate, or migrate your website with just a single click.
- Supports remote backup via FTP/SFTP, Amazon S3, and more
- Site Check monitors your website at regular intervals for possible errors.
BlogVault isn’t used by a lot of people, but that’s probably because it’s a bit expensive.
This service has more limited options as it only stores all backups on its servers. On the other hand, it’s not a plugin per se so won’t take up one of your available WordPress slots.
The makers of BlogVault promise that it will not overload your server when backing up – which is automatically done daily. The backups that are incremental can be used to restore a website that is down, or transfer it to a different host if you wish.
With regard to pricing, there are a vast number of options. There are 3 yearly subscription plans to choose from: the Basic plan for $89, the Plus plan for $149, and the Pro plan for $299. You can pay for a single site or additional sites. You can add additional extras such as malware protection, real-time backups, and increased archived time.
3. BoldGrid Total Upkeep
KEY FEATURES
- Create staging sites to test new plugins and themes with ease.
- Clone, duplicate, or migrate your site in just a single click.
- Remote backup via FTP/SFTP, Amazon S3, and more
- Site Check monitors your site at regular intervals for possible errors.
Like the other WordPress backup plugins, BoldGrid Total Upkeep allows you to back up your site, restore it if the main one crashes, and also transfer it to a new host.
They offer scheduling options, which means you can select which day(s) you’d like Total Upkeep to do its thing. Those backups are then sent to a storage location of your choice: Amazon S3, Google Drive, FTP, or SFTP.
But possibly the best feature is its price: it’s only $2.50/month (billed annually, for $30), and that’s for as many websites as you like.
On top of that, there’s also a free option with a few missing features. For instance, you can only use FTP or SFTP, and you miss out on special features including Single File Restoration, Historical Version, and an Update History.
4. BackWPup PRO
KEY FEATURES
- Supports WordPress XML export.
- Full database backup.
- GDPR compliant.
- Multi-website support through one dashboard.
- Stores backups to storage locations like Dropbox, Google Drive, One Drive, FTP server, and more.
There’s a free version available of BackWPup, but we will focus on the ‘Pro’ version. It boasts better and faster support and additional features that include backing up to Google Drive, OneDrive, HiDrive, and Amazon Glacier.
The free version allows you to use your FTP server, DropBox, Amazon S3, Microsoft Azure, RackSpaceCloud, and SugarSync. There’s also an email option if your website is small enough.
Another useful Pro feature is the ability to encrypt your backups. Like most others on this list, you can set up schedules for your backups, do them manually, or do both. And if you wish, you can use a standalone app instead of a plugin.
Pricewise, while not the most expensive, it’s also not the cheapest. It is based on the number of websites you want to back up.
5. WP Time Capsule
KEY FEATURES
- Single-click staging.
- Real-time backup.
- Beginner-friendly and easy to set up.
- Encrypted database backup and GDPR compatible.
- Easily clone/migrate your site to a new location.
WP Time Capsule is an incremental backup plugin designed to minimize the load on your server when backups occur. Your Website backups can be sent to DropBox, Amazon S3, or Google Drive.
What’s interesting about this service is its incremental restoration. This won’t be of much help if your entire site needs to be restored, but if you only need to fix certain pages or files, that feature could be extremely useful. WP Time Capsule can let you restore your site to the way it was up to a year before, similar to how Apple’s Time Machine works on Macs.
You also have a Staging feature that lets you road-test new parts of your site before uploading them. And the pricing is very competitive, allowing you to either make a one-time payment or purchase a yearly subscription based on the number of WordPress sites to back up.
6. UpdraftPlus
KEY FEATURES
- Dedicated customer support.
- Advanced reporting.
- Encryption of your database.
- Supports multi-website/multi-network.
- Extra storage and multiple storage locations.
UpdraftPlus appears to be one of the most popular backup plugins around, offering all the features you’d expect like scheduling from every 4 hours to every month. It also allows for backups to be made at a specific time.
It even lets you import backups from other plugins, and restore them to your site.
On the other hand, the premium option lets you back up unlimited non-WordPress files and grants you access to Updraft’s Vault (where most plans get 1GB of storage). Alternatively, you can select Amazon S3, DropBox, Google Drive, or Rackspace.
Premium also lets you clone and migrate your website, and offers support for incremental backups to save you a lot of time when backing up a large website.
As usual, there are many tiers to this service, mostly on the number of WordPress installs to back up.
Pricing: Free or $70 for Personal Plan (License for up to 2 sites), although there are other plans available for agencies.
7. Jetpack
KEY FEATURES
- Strong security and performance tools.
- Supports Google Analytics.
- Social media integration.
- Optimized speed and great performance.
- Fully compatible with all plugins.
Jetpack is an all-in-one solution for your WordPress website. We say that because it’s a security, performance, marketing, and design tool all rolled into one!
The plugin provides real-time automatic backup and an easy 1-click restore of your website. In addition, the plugin provides malware scanning and spam protection. Above all, the plugin offers unlimited storage for backups.
Alternatively, you could easily download the free version. However, the premium version offers extra features that you benefit from, with price plans starting from $4.95.
How to choose the best WordPress backup plugin for you
Firstly, select the plugin that best suits your expertise. If you’re unfamiliar with WordPress plugins, we recommend choosing a plugin that is easy to install and has a user-friendly interface. That means no complicated steps or additional coding is required.
Secondly, support options are important as well. If you’re likely to be asking many questions or need help with any tasks they are unsure or unfamiliar with, make sure to choose a backup plugin that offers swift and efficient customer support.
Lastly, consider your budget. While free versions are available, they often offer fewer features, so you’ll have to decide whether it’s worth shelling out a little more for additional features.
