Manage your backups more effectively

Acronis Cyber Protect — keeping backups safe from more than just hardware failure Acronis Cyber Protect is what you pick when backups aren’t enough — you also want to stop ransomware or other nasties from wrecking them. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, works with both physical and virtual machines, and saves to local disks, NAS boxes, or cloud storage.

The backup side covers full system images, individual files, or app-aware jobs for things like Exchange and SQL Server. Modes include full,

GoodSync — file sync and backup with plenty of connection options GoodSync is built for moving and protecting data across local drives, network shares, and a long list of cloud services. It’s available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, and it can run jobs in either backup mode (one-way) or sync mode (two-way).

The setup is straightforward: pick two locations, choose the mode, and let it scan to show what will change. It works with everything from SMB shares to SFTP servers, WebDAV, and public clou

Syncthing: Real-Time File Synchronization Without the Cloud, the Ads, or the Surveillance What Is It? Syncthing is a peer-to-peer synchronization tool that replaces cloud-based solutions like Dropbox or OneDrive — but without centralized servers, subscriptions, or data leaks. Every device runs its own instance, and files sync directly between them using strong encryption, versioning, and conflict detection. It works cross-platform and can sync in real time over LAN or the internet.

Sysadmins lo

Comodo Backup: A Decent Windows Backup Tool That Still Gets the Job Done What Is It? Comodo Backup isn’t new, and it’s not flashy — but it still works. If you’re managing a couple of Windows machines and just want to back up files, folders, or entire partitions on a schedule, without setting up a server or digging into scripts, it gets the basics right.

It’s GUI-based, runs as a service in the background, and once you set it up, it mostly stays out of the way. You can point it at user data, sys

NovaBACKUP — backups for Windows machines that need to “just work” NovaBACKUP is aimed at small offices and local servers where there’s no dedicated backup team, but the data still needs to be safe. It runs on Windows desktops and server editions, handles both file-level jobs and full system images, and can send them to local drives, NAS boxes, or supported clouds like AWS and Wasabi.

One of its strengths is that it doesn’t force you to choose between local and cloud — you can mix both. It has

Handy Backup — a Windows backup tool that plays well with different jobs Handy Backup is a Windows backup app that’s been around for years and can handle a bit of everything — simple file copies, full disk images, and even database backups if you’ve got the right plugins. The scheduler is its strong point: you can run jobs at fixed times, in intervals, or when certain events happen.

Destinations are flexible — local drives, NAS, FTP/SFTP, or cloud services. It can compress data into ZIP archive

Duplicati: Reliable, Scriptable Backups to the Cloud — with Real Encryption and No Strings Attached What Is It? Duplicati is one of those tools that quietly earns trust. It runs in the background, doesn’t get in the way, and when something goes wrong — it tells you clearly. It’s built for encrypted, deduplicated backups to cloud storage, external drives, WebDAV shares, or wherever else you store your data.

There’s no fat here: it compresses data, encrypts it with AES-256 before upload, breaks i

MiniTool ShadowMaker Free: Straightforward System Imaging for Windows Machines That Still Matter What Is It? MiniTool ShadowMaker Free isn’t trying to be everything — and that’s probably a good thing. It handles one job well: making full system backups on Windows, and restoring them when things go sideways. No command line, no remote agents, no scripting headaches. You install it, click a few buttons, and walk away.

It’s made for workstations and home PCs where a basic image of the system drive

EaseUS Todo Backup Free — quick setup, decent protection for Windows systems EaseUS Todo Backup Free is a Windows backup tool that covers both file-level jobs and full system imaging. It’s often used for home PCs and small office machines that need a simple backup without complex server infrastructure.

It can back up files, partitions, or the entire system to local drives, NAS, or network shares. Jobs can be scheduled for automatic runs or launched manually when needed. While the free edition s

Genie Timeline Free — set it once, let it watch your files Genie Timeline Free is a Windows backup tool that runs quietly in the background, keeping track of file changes and saving new versions without manual intervention. Instead of traditional scheduled jobs, it uses continuous data protection — once it’s configured, it monitors selected folders and updates the backup automatically.

It’s aimed at users who want a “set it and forget it” system, but it still gives control over what gets backed

ZBack: Lightweight File Backup and Sync Utility for Technicians and Power Users What Is It? ZBack is a portable Windows utility designed for simple file backup, replication, and synchronization tasks. It’s not meant to replace enterprise-grade backup systems, but for quick setups, manual jobs, or scripting environments — it fits perfectly. There’s no installer, no services, no daemons. Just a compact executable with a simple interface and strong scripting support.

Ideal for sysadmins who want t

Bacula: The Backup System You Use When the Network Isn’t Small Anymore What Is It? Bacula isn’t a tool you install on one machine and forget about. It’s a full-blown backup framework — the kind that breaks things into parts and gives you the responsibility to connect them. One service schedules the jobs, another writes to disk or tape, clients talk back to a central catalog, and a database keeps track of what’s backed up and where.

It’s not meant for personal laptops or quick sync jobs. Bacula

Macrium Reflect — full images when you need everything back exactly as it was Macrium Reflect is a Windows backup tool that leans heavily into disk imaging and cloning. It’s the one you pull out when you want the whole system — OS, apps, settings, files — frozen in time so it can be put back exactly the same later. The free edition is enough for a lot of cases, though paid tiers add more backup types and automation.

It can image an entire drive, just one partition, or pick specific files and fo

IvyBackup — keeps Windows backups simple IvyBackup is a small Windows backup program that works best when the job doesn’t need a big, complex setup. It’s aimed at workstations, laptops, and smaller office PCs — the kind where you just want files backed up on a schedule and not much else.

It can do full, incremental, or differential backups. Destinations can be a local disk, a network share, or a USB drive you plug in now and then. There’s ZIP compression if you need to save space, and AES encry

Paragon Backup & Recovery Free: Image-Based Backup for Windows Users Who Want Flexibility Without Fuss What Is It? Paragon Backup & Recovery Free is a Windows-focused backup tool that strikes a balance between simplicity and advanced functionality. It’s primarily used for image-based backups — full snapshots of disks or partitions — but also supports file-level backups when needed. Unlike overly technical tools or bloated “all-in-one” suites, Paragon offers a modern interface with sensible defau

Redo Rescue: Bare-Metal Recovery Without the Headaches What Is It? Redo Rescue is a live Linux-based recovery tool focused on full disk imaging, bare-metal restore, and emergency system recovery. Unlike some backup solutions that require setting up agents, servers, or background daemons, Redo runs entirely from bootable media — USB or ISO — and performs point-in-time snapshots of disks or partitions.

It’s built for moments when the system won’t boot, but you need everything back the way it was

Duplicacy — cross-platform backups with deduplication that works everywhere Duplicacy is a backup tool that focuses on making deduplication work across multiple machines and storage locations. It’s available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, and can run either as a command-line tool or with a GUI client.

The main selling point: all backups, no matter which machine they come from, can share the same storage and still deduplicate against each other. That means less space used if you’ve got similar d

Veeam Agent — keeping physical machines backed up without the headaches Veeam Agent is the bit of Veeam’s toolkit that looks after the stuff that isn’t running inside a hypervisor — plain old laptops, desktops, and bare-metal servers. It works on Windows and Linux, can grab anything from a single folder to an entire disk image, and isn’t fussy about where the backups go.

Local drive? Fine. NAS in the comms room? Works. An existing Veeam repository in the main office? Also fine. Once a job is se

Amanda: Network-Wide Backup Management for Admins Who Want Centralized Control Without Vendor Lock-In What Is It? Amanda (Advanced Maryland Automatic Network Disk Archiver) is an open-source backup solution built for managing backups across many systems — from a single Linux server. It’s not a point-and-click desktop app. It’s infrastructure-level software designed to handle multiple hosts, support tape and disk targets, and operate on a strict schedule with predictable results.

Amanda can back

Vorta + Borg — Better Together for Backup Management Vorta — when Borg is great, but you don’t feel like living in the terminal Vorta is essentially a front-end for Borg, built for people who want Borg’s power without memorizing long CLI commands. It runs on Linux and macOS (and yes, it can be coaxed into working on Windows via WSL). Everything — from adding repositories to scheduling backups — is handled through a clean interface. No need to open a shell just to run a daily job.

Zmanda — central backup without locking into one storage type Zmanda is a backup platform built for environments where there’s more than one server to worry about — usually a mix of Linux, Windows, maybe a couple of macOS machines thrown in. It came out of the Amanda open-source project, so the core format is open and doesn’t lock backups into a single vendor’s tools.

The server runs on Linux and pushes backup jobs to agents installed on client systems. Storage can be anything from a disk array

FreeFileSync — a sync tool that shows you what’s really changing FreeFileSync is an open-source program that focuses on keeping folders in step, whether they’re on the same machine, a server across the hall, or a network share in another building. It’s not trying to replace full-blown backup suites — its strength is in comparing two locations, showing you exactly what’s different, and then making them match.

It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. You can set it to sync in both directions, just p

Areca Backup: Transparent File-Level Backup for Power Users Who Like to Know What’s Going On What Is It? Areca Backup is a free, open-source backup tool for Windows (and Linux with Java) that caters to users who prefer control over simplicity. It doesn’t hide anything behind a slick UI or wizard — instead, it gives full visibility into backup jobs, file selection, filters, and storage management.

It’s file-based, not image-based — which means it’s perfect for backing up project folders, user fi

Cobian Backup: Scheduled File Backups That Just Work (and Keep Working) What Is It? Cobian Backup is one of those rare tools that’s been around for years, stayed simple, and still does exactly what it promises: automatic file and folder backups for Windows systems. It doesn’t do imaging. It doesn’t need a server. It just quietly runs in the background, copying data on a schedule — to local disks, network shares, or FTP.

Unlike some newer solutions, Cobian doesn’t chase trends. No cloud sync. No

AOMEI Backupper Standard — free, image-based backups for Windows AOMEI Backupper Standard is a Windows backup and restore tool that covers both file-level and full-disk imaging. It’s the kind of software that works for quick, one-off jobs or as part of a regular backup plan for workstations and small servers.

It can back up entire drives, partitions, or selected files and folders. Destinations include local disks, NAS, network shares, and USB drives. The free edition supports scheduled full and

Iperius Backup Free — straightforward backup for Windows environments Iperius Backup Free is the entry-level edition of Iperius’ backup suite, designed for straightforward file and folder protection on Windows systems. It’s light on system resources, requires no installation of agents, and works well in small networks or standalone workstations where basic backup automation is enough.

Despite being the free version, it supports scheduled jobs, incremental backups, and multiple destinations — fr

FBackup: Simple GUI Backups for Windows Without the Complexity What Is It? FBackup is a free backup utility for Windows that’s clearly built with usability in mind. It’s not trying to compete with enterprise backup suites — instead, it focuses on making basic scheduled backups as painless as possible. It’s often used on personal machines or in small office environments where automation is needed but nobody wants to write scripts or explain rsync options.

Backups can be saved locally, to network

SyncBackFree: Simple File Backups That Don’t Break Things What Is It? SyncBackFree isn’t trying to reinvent backup strategies — it just sticks to what works. It moves files, syncs folders, and makes scheduled copies without getting in your way. No central server, no fancy UI overload, no forced cloud. You pick a folder, pick where it should go, and that’s pretty much it.

It runs quietly in the background, handles versioning if you want it, skips files you tell it to, and plays nicely with netwo

Personal Backup — simple file protection without locking you in Personal Backup is a Windows tool for backing up files and folders, nothing more complicated than that. It doesn’t force you into a proprietary format — backups stay as regular files or ZIP archives, so you can grab them later without special software.

It can save to a local drive, a network share, or an FTP/SFTP server. Backup types include full, incremental, and differential. You can run them on a fixed schedule, manually, or tie

Vorta + Borg — Better Together for Backup Management Vorta — when Borg is great, but you don’t feel like living in the terminal Vorta is essentially a front-end for Borg, built for people who want Borg’s power without memorizing long CLI commands. It runs on Linux and macOS (and yes, it can be coaxed into working on Windows via WSL). Everything — from adding repositories to scheduling backups — is handled through a clean interface. No need to open a shell just to run a daily job.

Restic: Lightweight, Secure, and Script-Friendly Backups That Don’t Get in Your Way What Is It? Restic is a CLI-based backup tool designed for people who know their way around a terminal and don’t want to babysit backups. It’s small, fast, cross-platform, and — most importantly — built around encryption, deduplication, and simplicity. No central server needed. You run it where you need it, back up what matters, and push it wherever: local disk, SFTP, Wasabi, Backblaze, a mounted drive — anything

UrBackup: Centralized Image and File Backups with Minimal Fuss What Is It? UrBackup is a hybrid backup system that supports both full disk imaging and file-level backups, with a focus on central management and speed. It’s designed for networks where multiple clients — Windows or Linux — need to be backed up regularly to a central server, either over LAN or the internet.

Where many solutions force a choice between block-level and file-based workflows, UrBackup allows both, in parallel. It can ru

BorgBackup — efficient, encrypted backups with serious storage savings BorgBackup (often just “Borg”) is an open-source backup tool that runs from the command line. It’s known for its storage efficiency, thanks to block-level deduplication and compression, and for its security, with client-side encryption built in. Borg works on Linux, macOS, and BSD, and can run on Windows through WSL or Cygwin.

It uses a repository model: all backups go into a single structured store, where duplicate blocks a

Kopia — backups without the drama There’s a certain kind of backup tool that tries to be everything at once, and usually ends up being a headache. Kopia isn’t like that. It’s small, open source, runs on Linux, Windows, macOS — and doesn’t care if the storage is a USB drive on your desk or a bucket in S3.

It works with a repository model: snapshots go into a single structured store, no matter where it’s hosted. Files are split into chunks, duplicates removed, compressed with zstd, then encrypted

BackupPC: The Kind of Backup You Set Up Once and Let Run for Years What Is It? BackupPC isn’t new, and it’s not pretty — but it works. You spin up one Linux box, point it at every desktop, laptop, or server in your network, and it starts pulling backups over SMB, rsync, tar… whatever works. No agents. No special software on the client side. If the machine can be reached and its data shared, it’s getting backed up.

It’s built for places where machines come and go, users forget everything, and so

Attic: Deduplicating Backup for Linux Systems That Don’t Need a GUI What Is It? Attic is a command-line backup tool focused on efficient storage through content-aware deduplication. Originally developed for Linux environments where scripted or cron-based backup workflows are preferred, Attic offers robust support for encrypted, incremental, and space-optimized backups — without needing a full database engine or central server.

It’s a solution aimed at administrators who want full control, versi