Is Arq Backup or IDrive better?

Neither clearly leads. Arq Backup starts at $50/year and IDrive at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.

Which is cheaper, Arq Backup or IDrive?

IDrive has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $50/year for Arq Backup and Free for IDrive.

Does Arq Backup or IDrive run on more platforms?

Arq Backup runs on Windows, Mac. IDrive runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Web.

Can I use IDrive for free?

Yes. IDrive has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Arq Backup starts at $50/year.

What is Arq Backup best used for?

Arq Backup is most often used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection. Of those, data protection and disaster recovery are not what IDrive is typically brought in for.

What can Arq Backup do that IDrive cannot?

Arq Backup covers Client-side encryption, Hourly backups, Network backup, Deduplication. IDrive covers Multiple device backup, True archiving, Continuous protection, IDrive Express. Both handle Windows support, Mac support.

File Storage & Backup · head to head

Arq Backup vs IDrive

Arq Backup

File Storage & Backup

Mac and Windows backup to your own cloud storage

From: $50/year
Rated: -

Full review Website

IDrive

File Storage & Backup

Affordable online backup with multiple device support

From: Free
Rated: -

Full review Website

The short version

Only IDrive has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
Each has a real cost: Arq Backup runs on Mac and Windows only; IDrive the advertised annual rates are first year introductory prices, with standard pricing applying from the second year onward
They diverge on capability: Arq Backup covers Client-side encryption, IDrive covers Multiple device backup.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Arq Backup and IDrive actually diverge.

Attributes where Arq Backup and IDrive differ
Attribute	Arq Backup	IDrive
Starting price	$50/year	Free
Free tier	No	Yes
Platforms	Windows, Mac	Windows, Mac, Linux, Web
Founded	2009	1995

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (File Storage & Backup).

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 Arq Backup

Client-side encryption
Hourly backups
Network backup
Deduplication
Immutable backups
Budget controls
AWS S3
Google Cloud

Only in IDrive

Multiple device backup
True archiving
Continuous protection
IDrive Express
Snapshots
File sharing
iOS
Android

Both cover

Windows support
Mac support

What people use each for

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

Arq Backup

Data protectionnot IDrive
Disaster recoverynot IDrive
Business continuitynot IDrive
Ransomware protectionnot IDrive
Compliancenot IDrive

IDrive

Online backup for computers, servers and mobile devicesnot Arq Backup
Backing up multiple machines under one accountnot Arq Backup

Where each one falls short

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

Arq Backup

Runs on Mac and Windows only
Arq 7 is licensed per computer, and continuing to receive updates after the first year costs $25 per year per computer
Arq Premium covers up to 5 computers, so larger households or teams need more than one subscription
Arq Premium includes 1TB of storage and charges $0.0059 per GB per month beyond it

IDrive

The advertised annual rates are first year introductory prices, with standard pricing applying from the second year onward
The two year offer discounts only the first year, so the second year reverts to the full rate
Team plans tie user and computer counts to the storage tier, so 10 TB means exactly 10 computers
Business storage costs far more per terabyte than Personal, at $719.88 a year for 1.25 TB against $143.88 for 5 TB

Pricing, plan by plan

Arq Backup

$50/year

Arq Premium$50/year
- 5 computers
- Arq Cloud storage option
- Email support

IDrive

Free

Personal$4/month
- 5TB storage
- Unlimited devices
- IDrive Express

Which should you pick?

Choose Arq Backup if

You need client-side encryption.
You work on Windows, Mac.
You also want hourly backups.

Arq Backup review

Choose IDrive if

You need multiple device backup.
You want to start without paying.
You work on Windows, Mac, Linux, Web.
You also want true archiving.

IDrive review

Questions people ask

Is Arq Backup or IDrive better?: Neither clearly leads. Arq Backup starts at $50/year and IDrive at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Arq Backup or IDrive?: IDrive has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $50/year for Arq Backup and Free for IDrive.
Does Arq Backup or IDrive run on more platforms?: Arq Backup runs on Windows, Mac. IDrive runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Web.
Can I use IDrive for free?: Yes. IDrive has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Arq Backup starts at $50/year.
What is Arq Backup best used for?: Arq Backup is most often used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection. Of those, data protection and disaster recovery are not what IDrive is typically brought in for.
What can Arq Backup do that IDrive cannot?: Arq Backup covers Client-side encryption, Hourly backups, Network backup, Deduplication. IDrive covers Multiple device backup, True archiving, Continuous protection, IDrive Express. Both handle Windows support, Mac support.

Arq Backup vs IDrive

Arq Backup

IDrive

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in Arq Backup

Only in IDrive

Both cover

What people use each for

Arq Backup

IDrive

Where each one falls short

Arq Backup

IDrive

Pricing, plan by plan

Arq Backup

IDrive

Which should you pick?

Choose Arq Backup if

Choose IDrive if

Questions people ask

Related pages

More on Arq Backup

More on IDrive

Keep looking

Other head to heads