IDrive vs Arq Backup
A detailed comparison to help you choose between IDrive and Arq Backup.
Quick Verdict
3.6/5
IDrive
0 reviews
4.0/5
Arq Backup
0 reviews
Arq Backup is rated higher (4.0 vs 3.6). IDrive is one of the longest-running online backup services. Supports PCs, Macs, iOS, Android, and servers. 5TB plans affordable. Snapshot retention and NAS backup support. Arq Backup sends encrypted backups to your own S3, B2, Wasabi, or Google Drive. No subscription to Arq cloud — you own the destination. One-time purchase for macOS and Windows.
IDrive Online backup for computers, servers, and NAS | Arq Backup Mac and Windows backup to your own cloud | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Rating | 3.6 (0 reviews) | 4.0 (0 reviews)✓ |
| Pricing model | freemium | one-time purchase + optional subscription (Arq Premium is subscription) |
| Starting price | Free tier available✓ | From $59.99/mo |
| Best for | Households and small businesses with multi-terabyte data across several devices, servers, or NAS boxes who want one pooled, affordable backup subscription | Mac and Windows users who want a one-time-purchase backup app sending encrypted, versioned backups to their own cloud or NAS storage |
| Features | ||
| IPv6 | ||
| DDoS protection | ||
| Automated backups | ||
| Snapshots | ||
| Managed option | ||
| Bare metal | ||
| GPU available | ||
| S3-compatible | ||
| Hourly billing | ||
| Free tier | ✓ | |
| Tags | ||
| Tags | free tiermobile app | encryptedself hosted |
| Visit IDrive → | Visit Arq Backup → | |
IDrive
Pros
- + Free 10 GB tier, no credit card required
- + NAS, server (SQL/Exchange/Oracle/VMware/Hyper-V), and SaaS backup under one pooled plan
- + Very competitive per-terabyte pricing on Personal and Team plans
- + SOC 2 Type 2 certified with AES-256 encryption and optional private-key encryption
- + Archiving, snapshots, and IDrive Express cover ransomware recovery and slow-link seeding
Cons
- - Interface feels dated and takes learning before it is comfortable
- - Initial upload speeds trail faster rivals; Express is the workaround
- - No published uptime SLA or data-center locations for the core product
- - Promotional annual pricing renews at higher list rates
- - No data-residency region choice for compliance-sensitive storage
Arq Backup
Pros
- + One-time $59.99 per-computer license with an optional, genuinely optional updates subscription
- + Backs up to storage you own — S3, B2, Wasabi, Google Drive, SFTP, NAS and other S3-compatible targets
- + End-to-end encryption with keys that never leave your machine
- + Open, documented backup format — restores do not depend on the vendor existing
Cons
- - macOS and Windows desktops only — no Linux or server agent
- - Destination storage, request and egress costs are separate and ongoing
- - File backup only: no disk imaging or bare-metal recovery
- - Small-company support with no published SLA
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