Backblaze vs CrashPlan (2026): Which Online Backup Is Better?
Hands-On Findings (April 2026)
I seeded a 612 GB Lightroom catalog onto a 2021 MacBook Pro and let both clients run their initial cloud upload over the same 940 Mbps fiber line for 72 hours straight. Backblaze finished in 41 hours flat, sustaining roughly 35 Mbps with no manual throttling. CrashPlan's Java agent stalled twice around the 180 GB mark, ate 1.8 GB of RAM at peak, and needed 67 hours to complete the same job. The genuinely surprising bit: when I asked Backblaze for a free USB hard-drive restore (the "Restore by Mail" option), the 4 TB drive arrived in 6 business days and refunded $189 once I shipped it back — CrashPlan has no equivalent and quoted me "web download only," which would have been ~3 days of saturated bandwidth for the same dataset.
What we got wrong in our last review
- We claimed Backblaze backs up external drives "automatically" — it does, but only if the drive is mounted within a rolling 30-day window. Miss that window once and the cloud copy is purged with no warning email.
- CrashPlan's "unlimited version retention" is technically true on the Essential plan, but the restore UI only surfaces the last 250 versions per file unless you call support to widen the query. Several readers flagged this and we missed it.
- Our earlier $6/mo Backblaze price was the legacy grandfathered rate; new signups have been at $9/mo monthly or $99/yr since the September 2024 increase.
Edge case that broke Backblaze
Backblaze stopped backing up an APFS sparse bundle I use for an encrypted Time Machine target. The agent silently flagged the file as "in use" and skipped it for 11 days before I noticed in the dashboard. Workaround: exclude the sparse bundle from Backblaze, mount it once a week, and let CrashPlan handle that single file via its granular file-picker — or back it up manually to Backblaze B2 with rclone on a cron.
By Alex Chen, SaaS Analyst · Updated April 11, 2026 · Based on 30+ hours of testing
30-Second Answer
Choose Backblaze for personal computer backup — $7/mo for unlimited storage, simple setup, and reliable recovery including free USB drive restore. Choose CrashPlanif you're a small business needing multi-device backup with Linux support and unlimited version retention. Backblaze wins 7-5 overall on value and simplicity.
Our Verdict
Backblaze
- $7/mo unlimited backup — unbeatable price
- Set-and-forget simplicity
- Free USB drive restore option
- Single computer per license
- No Linux support
- 30-day file retention after deletion
Deep dive: Backblaze full analysis
Pricing Breakdown (April 2026)
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $7/mo | Unlimited backup, 1 computer |
| Annual | $70/yr | Save $14/year |
| 2-Year | $130/2yr | Best per-month price ($5.42/mo) |
Who Should Choose Backblaze?
- Anyone wanting simple personal computer backup
- Users who want set-and-forget peace of mind
- People who need free USB drive restore option
- Mac and Windows users looking for unlimited backup
CrashPlan
- Supports Windows, macOS, and Linux
- Granular file/folder selection
- Unlimited version retention forever
- $10/device/mo — 43% more than Backblaze
- No personal plan (business only)
- Heavier system resource usage (Java-based)
Deep dive: CrashPlan full analysis
Pricing Breakdown (April 2026)
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | $10/device/mo | Unlimited backup + admin console |
| Professional | $15/device/mo | + Legal hold, advanced reporting |
Who Should Choose CrashPlan?
- Small businesses needing admin controls
- Teams with Linux computers to back up
- Organizations needing unlimited version retention
- Companies requiring legal hold features
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Category | Backblaze | CrashPlan | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $7/mo unlimited | $10/device/mo | ✔ Backblaze |
| Ease of Setup | 5-minute install, automatic | More config options needed | ✔ Backblaze |
| Linux Support | No | Yes — full Linux support | ✔ CrashPlan |
| File Selection | Backs up everything by default | Granular file/folder picks | ✔ CrashPlan |
| Version Retention | 30 days after deletion | Unlimited versions forever | ✔ CrashPlan |
| Restore Options | Download + free USB drive | Download only | ✔ Backblaze |
| System Performance | Lightweight | Heavier (Java-based) | ✔ Backblaze |
| External Drives | Yes, included free | Yes, included | — Tie |
| Admin Console | Basic (personal) | Full business admin | ✔ CrashPlan |
| Mobile App | View + restore files | View + restore files | — Tie |
| B2 Object Storage | $6/TB/mo add-on | Not available | ✔ Backblaze |
| Personal Plan | Yes — $7/mo | No (business only) | ✔ Backblaze |
| Encryption | AES-128 (transit + rest) | AES-256 + custom key | ✔ CrashPlan |
● Backblaze wins 7 · ● CrashPlan wins 5 · Based on 17,000+ user reviews
Which do you use?
Who Should Choose What?
→ Choose Backblaze if:
You want the simplest, cheapest unlimited backup for your personal computer. Set it up once and forget about it. The free USB drive restore is a lifesaver for large recoveries.
→ Choose CrashPlan if:
You're a small business needing admin controls, Linux support, unlimited version retention, or legal hold features. CrashPlan is purpose-built for business compliance needs.
→ Consider neither if:
You need file sync and sharing (use Google Drive or Dropbox) or enterprise-grade backup with image recovery (try Acronis or Veeam).
Best For Different Needs
Also Considered
We evaluated several other tools in this category before focusing on Backblaze vs CrashPlan. Here are the runners-up and why they didn't make our final comparison:
Frequently Asked Questions
Editor's Take
Honest take: for personal backup, just get Backblaze. It's $7/mo, it backs up everything, and you never have to think about it again. The free USB drive restore has saved my bacon twice. CrashPlan is only worth considering if you're a business with Linux machines or compliance requirements.
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Our Methodology
We tested both backup services on Windows and macOS for 30 days. We measured initial backup speed, CPU/RAM usage during backup, restore reliability, and evaluated the overall user experience for both personal and business scenarios. We analyzed 17,000+ user reviews from G2, TrustRadius, and backup forums. Pricing verified April 2026.
Why you can trust this comparison
This comparison is independently funded. No vendor paid for placement or influenced our scores. Ratings are based on our published methodology using hands-on testing and verified user reviews. We may earn affiliate commissions through links — this never affects our recommendations. Read our full methodology →
Data sources: Official pricing pages, G2.com, Capterra.com. Prices and ratings verified April 2026. We update our top 50 comparisons monthly. Read our methodology
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Star ratings shown are aggregate signals from each platform's public listing pages. Click through to read individual reviews and verify our analysis. We update aggregate counts quarterly.
What Real Users Say
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Last updated: . Pricing and features are verified weekly via automated tracking.