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Backup & Disaster Recovery · head to head

Apple Time Machine vs Backupify

Apple Time Machine logo

Apple Time Machine

Backup & Disaster Recovery

Built-in backup for every Mac

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Backupify logo

Backupify

Backup & Disaster Recovery

Automated cloud-to-cloud backup

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Apple Time Machine has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Apple Time Machine apple states the Time Machine backup disk should be used only for Time Machine backups and not for storing other files, unless you split it into a separate APFS volume; Backupify limited ransomware protection with alerts but no automated remediation capabilities
  • They diverge on capability: Apple Time Machine covers Automatic backup, Backupify covers Three daily backups.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apple Time Machine and Backupify actually diverge.

Attributes where Apple Time Machine and Backupify differ
AttributeApple Time MachineBackupify
Starting priceFree$29/month
Pricing modelfreeUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsMacWeb
Founded19762008

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Backup & Disaster Recovery).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Apple Time Machine

  • Automatic backup
  • Hourly snapshots
  • Visual restore interface
  • Network backup
  • Encryption
  • System restore
  • macOS
  • AirPort Time Capsule

Only in Backupify

  • Three daily backups
  • Point-in-time restore
  • Data export
  • Search
  • Admin controls
  • Audit logs
  • Google Workspace
  • Microsoft 365

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Apple Time Machine

  • Automatic versioned local backups of a Mac to an external drivenot Backupify
  • Restoring a Mac or migrating to a new one from a local backup historynot Backupify

Backupify

  • Data protectionnot Apple Time Machine
  • Disaster recoverynot Apple Time Machine
  • Business continuitynot Apple Time Machine
  • Ransomware protectionnot Apple Time Machine
  • Compliancenot Apple Time Machine

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Apple Time Machine

  • Apple states the Time Machine backup disk should be used only for Time Machine backups and not for storing other files, unless you split it into a separate APFS volume
  • Apple recommends the Time Machine volume be twice the storage capacity of the Mac being backed up
  • It requires an attached external storage device or network disk; there is no built-in cloud destination
  • It backs up Macs only

Backupify

  • Limited ransomware protection with alerts but no automated remediation capabilities
  • Data restoration times can be slow compared to some competitors, with extraction of specific backups sometimes exceeding 24 to 48 hours
  • Does not back up Microsoft Teams chats or Exchange Archive mailboxes, creating data coverage gaps
  • Lacks comprehensive compliance framework support beyond basic SOC 2 and HIPAA

Pricing, plan by plan

Apple Time Machine

Free
  • Built-inFree
    • Automatic backup
    • Visual restore
    • Network backup

Backupify

$29/month
  • SaaS Protection$undefined/mo
    • 3x daily automated backups
    • Granular restore capabilities
    • Point-in-time recovery
  • SaaS Protection Plus$undefined/mo
    • SaaS Defense with threat scanning
    • Dark web credential monitoring
    • Integrated malware scanning

Which should you pick?

Choose Apple Time Machine if

  • You need automatic backup.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mac.
  • You also want hourly snapshots.
Apple Time Machine review

Choose Backupify if

  • You need three daily backups.
  • You also want point-in-time restore.
Backupify review

Questions people ask

Is Apple Time Machine or Backupify better?
Neither clearly leads. Apple Time Machine starts at Free and Backupify at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apple Time Machine or Backupify?
Apple Time Machine has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Apple Time Machine and $29/month for Backupify.
Does Apple Time Machine or Backupify run on more platforms?
Apple Time Machine runs on Mac. Backupify runs on Web.
Can I use Apple Time Machine for free?
Yes. Apple Time Machine has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Backupify starts at $29/month.
What is Apple Time Machine best used for?
Apple Time Machine is most often used for automatic versioned local backups of a mac to an external drive, restoring a mac or migrating to a new one from a local backup history. Of those, automatic versioned local backups of a mac to an external drive and restoring a mac or migrating to a new one from a local backup history are not what Backupify is typically brought in for.
What can Apple Time Machine do that Backupify cannot?
Apple Time Machine covers Automatic backup, Hourly snapshots, Visual restore interface, Network backup. Backupify covers Three daily backups, Point-in-time restore, Data export, Search.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Backupify: What cloud applications does Datto SaaS Protection back up?

Datto SaaS Protection (formerly Backupify) backs up Microsoft 365 (Exchange, OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams), Google Workspace (Gmail, Calendar, Contacts, Drive), and Salesforce data with automated 3x daily backups.

Source
Backupify: How often are backups performed?

Datto SaaS Protection performs automated backups up to 3 times per day for Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, with manual backups available on demand when additional snapshots are needed.

Source
Backupify: How quickly can I restore my data?

Datto SaaS Protection supports granular, item-level restores and point-in-time recovery, allowing administrators to select the specific files or directories to restore at the snapshot, file directory, or individual file level.

Source
Backupify: What happens if data is deleted from my SaaS account?

Backups are immutable - individual items cannot be modified or deleted once backed up - ensuring protection against accidental deletion and ransomware attacks. Data can be recovered from any previous backup snapshot.

Source
Backupify: Is Datto SaaS Protection compliant with regulations like HIPAA and GDPR?

Yes, Datto SaaS Protection is SOC 2 Type II compliant and supports HIPAA and GDPR compliance with Business Associate Agreements available for covered entities.

Source
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Related pages

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