Softwr

File Storage & Backup · head to head

Carbonite vs CloudAlly

Carbonite logo

Carbonite

File Storage & Backup

Simple and reliable cloud backup for businesses

From
$6/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
CloudAlly logo

CloudAlly

Backup & Disaster Recovery

Enterprise SaaS backup made simple

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only CloudAlly has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Carbonite upload speeds are significantly slower than competitors due to lack of block-level algorithms and multithreading; CloudAlly pricing not transparently displayed; requires customer inquiry
  • They diverge on capability: Carbonite covers Automatic backup, CloudAlly covers Automated daily backup.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Carbonite and CloudAlly actually diverge.

Attributes where Carbonite and CloudAlly differ
AttributeCarboniteCloudAlly
Starting price$6/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, Mac, WebWeb, Cloud
CategoryFile Storage & BackupBackup & Disaster Recovery
Founded20052011

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Carbonite

  • Automatic backup
  • Continuous protection
  • Remote file access
  • Bare metal restore
  • Encryption
  • Compliance support
  • Windows Server
  • VMware

Only in CloudAlly

  • Automated daily backup
  • Point-in-time recovery
  • Cross-account restore
  • Archive export
  • Activity logs
  • Multi-admin support
  • Google Workspace
  • Salesforce

Both cover

  • Microsoft 365
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Carbonite

  • Data protection
  • Disaster recovery
  • Business continuity
  • Ransomware protection
  • Compliance

CloudAlly

  • Data protection
  • Disaster recovery
  • Business continuity
  • Ransomware protection
  • Compliance

Both are used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection, compliance, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

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

Carbonite

  • Upload speeds are significantly slower than competitors due to lack of block-level algorithms and multithreading
  • Bandwidth throttling control is limited, preventing users from managing full bandwidth allocation
  • Mobile apps and web access are more limited than sync-first services like Dropbox or Google Drive
  • Uses AES-128 encryption instead of industry-standard AES-256
  • Hybrid backup support is restricted to professional plans, unavailable for personal users

CloudAlly

  • Pricing not transparently displayed; requires customer inquiry
  • Limited visibility into data center locations for compliance-sensitive organizations
  • Transition to OpenText Cybersecurity branding may cause confusion

Pricing, plan by plan

Carbonite

$6/month
  • Basic$6/month
    • Automatic backup
    • Unlimited cloud storage
    • Easy restore

CloudAlly

Free
  • CloudAlly Backup$3/month
    • Daily backup
    • Point-in-time restore
    • Unlimited storage

Which should you pick?

Choose Carbonite if

  • You need automatic backup.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, Web.
  • You also want continuous protection.
Carbonite review

Choose CloudAlly if

  • You need automated daily backup.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want point-in-time recovery.
CloudAlly review

Questions people ask

Is Carbonite or CloudAlly better?
Neither clearly leads. Carbonite starts at $6/month and CloudAlly at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Carbonite or CloudAlly?
CloudAlly has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $6/month for Carbonite and Free for CloudAlly.
Does Carbonite or CloudAlly run on more platforms?
Carbonite runs on Windows, Mac, Web. CloudAlly runs on Web, Cloud.
Can I use CloudAlly for free?
Yes. CloudAlly has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Carbonite starts at $6/month.
What is Carbonite best used for?
Carbonite is most often used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection.
What can Carbonite do that CloudAlly cannot?
Carbonite covers Automatic backup, Continuous protection, Remote file access, Bare metal restore. CloudAlly covers Automated daily backup, Point-in-time recovery, Cross-account restore, Archive export. Both handle Microsoft 365, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Carbonite: Does Carbonite offer unlimited storage?

Yes, Carbonite's personal plans (Safe Basic through Safe Server Ultimate) offer unlimited cloud storage, though business plans have tiered storage starting at 250 GB.

Source
CloudAlly: What cloud applications can CloudAlly backup?

CloudAlly backs up Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, SharePoint/OneDrive, Salesforce, Box, and Dropbox with daily automated backups and unlimited retention.

Source
Carbonite: What is Carbonite's pricing?

Personal plans range from $4.91 to $83.33 per month with annual billing. Business plans start around $50-$75 per endpoint annually, with volume discounts available for multi-year contracts.

Source
CloudAlly: How is CloudAlly data encrypted and stored?

CloudAlly stores backups on AWS servers with 128-bit SSL encryption and AES 256-bit encryption, maintaining compliance certifications including ISO 27001, HIPAA, and GDPR.

Source
Carbonite: How fast are Carbonite's upload speeds?

Carbonite's upload speeds are notably slow and are consistently identified as the platform's main weakness. The lack of block-level algorithms and multithreading contributes to these speed limitations.

Source
CloudAlly: What recovery options does CloudAlly provide?

CloudAlly offers granular point-in-time recovery with unlimited retention, allowing three-click recovery of deleted files, and point-in-time restore capabilities for ransomware protection.

Source
Carbonite: What encryption does Carbonite use?

Carbonite uses AES-128 encryption at rest, which is an unusual choice in 2026 when AES-256 is the industry standard.

Source
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Related pages

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