Software

Gallery: 10 free backup applications to help you prevent disaster

By // March 30, 2018, 7:38 AM PST // bviglia

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  • ​Oops.

    It doesn't matter why a computer dies--all that matters is that the important contents of its hard drive can be duplicated with a minimum of lost work.

    In order for that to go smoothly a backup software needs to be used, but all the good ones cost money, don't they? Not quite.

    Whether you need to back up a single computer or a whole network's worth, here are 10 applications that can do it for free.

    Getty Images/iStockphoto

  • ​1. Duplicati

    Duplicati is free, open source, and works with a whole bunch of protocols to make backing up computers via the web easy. It uses a web-based interface that can be accessed from any location, so managing and restoring backups is dead simple (at least that's the design).

    It also helps that Duplicati is available for Windows, macOS, and a variety of Linux builds.

    If web backups are what you need Duplicati is definitely worth checking out.

    Image: Duplicati

  • ​2. EaseUS Todo

    EaseUS Todo comes in both free and premium versions, but the free version is only for home users. So if you're just backing up a single machine it's a great choice.

    One of the best features of the free version is its cloud backup support, which uses your existing DropBox, One Drive, or Google Drive storage to keep those important files stored safely in the cloud. If you're going that route you may need to pay for extra cloud storage space or only back up certain directories in order to save space.

    Image: EaseUS

  • ​3. Genie9 Timeline Free

    The free version of Genie9 Timeline is, like other free versions of premium products, not designed for large-scale business backups. In this case Genie9 Timeline Free is about backing up an individual machine, but what makes it stand out is its simplicity.

    Genie9 describes Timeline Free as "set and forget" backup software, and the interface reflects that. It has a two-click setup--select the drive to store the backup on, then select the data to backup--and then it just does its thing in the background.

    Bonus: There's an iOS app for keeping an eye on your backup status.

    Genie also has a free cloud backup tool for the enterprise called Zoolz, but don't expect to get much out of it unless you're a very small business. It only offers 10GB of free online backup space, two user profiles, and one server profile--if that's enough for you Zoolz might be worth checking out.

    Image: Genie9​

  • ​4. BackupPC

    Another open source solution, BackupPC calls itself a "high-performance, enterprise-grade system" all while being completely free.

    BackupPC is able to save disk space by not saving duplicates of identical files from multiple PCs, eliminating a lot of redundancy. Don't let its simplistic website fool you--BackupPC is capable of more than it looks to be.

    Image: BackupPC

  • ​5. Iperius Backup

    Iperius is a workhorse of a backup system that's perfect for enterprise rollouts. Unfortunately, you won't be getting access to all of its features with the free version, which is only designed to back up a single workstation.

    That said, there are still plenty of great features in the free version of Iperius, but be wary of its limitations in the enterprise. From Iperius' site:

    "Iperius Backup Free has some limitations that should be evaluated when using the software at the enterprise level. First, the freeware version cannot be installed as a service and cannot make file synchronization (deletion from the destinations of the files that no longer exist in the source folders). Finally, it hasn't all the advanced backup types available in the commercial editions: Tape backup (DAT, LTO, etc..), backup to Cloud (OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive), remote backup FTP, backup of databases and Drive Image backup (disaster recovery)."

    Image: Iperius

  • ​6. Veeam

    Veeam offers backup and recovery software to fit lots of different needs, and luckily quite a few of them are free.

    Virtual machines, Windows computers, Linux machines, and even MS Azure setups can be backed up and restored with free tools from Veeam. If you have a lot of stuff you need to protect Veeam's products are worth checking out.

    Image: Veeam

  • ​7. Uranium Backup Free

    Uranium Backup's free version is designed for the individual user, but it's still a solid free product. It can back up files and drives while maintaining NTFS permissions, schedule backups, and even send email notifications when backup jobs are complete.

    Those features might not sound special, but it is a free product that Uranium says is suitable for commercial use, so check it out.

    Image: Uranium Backup

  • ​8. UrBackup

    Another open source platform that's fully free, UrBackup works with most OSes, monitors folders for changes in real time, eliminates redundant data, and can even back up mobile devices via the internet.

    It's really full featured for being completely free, so if you want to get an enterprise-level platform and are okay with the quirks that come with open source software, UrBackup is worth a try.

    Image: UrBackup​

  • ​9. Bacula

    Bacula is an open source client/server backup suite that's been around for 17 years. Its makers claim over 2 million downloads since 2002, which would make it the most downloaded open source backup platform on the market.

    It supports swappable tape backup and barcode reading, allowing for backups to be moved off site. That makes it a pretty powerful system, all while still being completely free to download and run.

    Image: Bacula

  • 10. Amanda Network Backup

    Amanda is another open source product, and it's just as capable as Bacula and other enterprise-level backup platforms. It uses a native Windows client and native utilities like dump and GNU tar to operate, so compatibility with other platforms shouldn't be a problem.

    Note: Amanda itself doesn't have a GUI. The included screenshot is from the enterprise version of Zmanda, a GUI made to interface with Amanda.

    Also see

    Image: Zmanda

​Oops.

It doesn't matter why a computer dies--all that matters is that the important contents of its hard drive can be duplicated with a minimum of lost work.

In order for that to go smoothly a backup software needs to be used, but all the good ones cost money, don't they? Not quite.

Whether you need to back up a single computer or a whole network's worth, here are 10 applications that can do it for free.

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Related Topics:

Software Security Enterprise Software Developer Open Source Software Mobility

By Brandon Vigliarolo

Brandon writes about apps and software for TechRepublic. He's an award-winning feature writer who previously worked as an IT professional and served as an MP in the US Army.