Softwr

File Storage · head to head

Carbonite vs CrashPlan

Carbonite logo

Carbonite

File Storage

Simple and reliable cloud backup for businesses

From
$6/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
CrashPlan logo

CrashPlan

File Storage

Endpoint backup designed for work-from-anywhere

From
$8/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Carbonite upload speeds are significantly slower than competitors due to lack of block-level algorithms and multithreading; CrashPlan initial data uploads can be noticeably slow, often taking several full days for complete system backups
  • They diverge on capability: Carbonite covers Remote file access, CrashPlan covers Legal hold.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Carbonite and CrashPlan actually diverge.

Attributes where Carbonite and CrashPlan differ
AttributeCarboniteCrashPlan
Starting price$6/month$8/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWindows, Mac, WebWindows, macOS, Cloud (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace)
Founded20052001

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (File Storage).

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

  • Remote file access
  • Bare metal restore
  • Encryption
  • Compliance support
  • Microsoft 365
  • Windows Server
  • VMware
  • Hyper-V

Only in CrashPlan

  • Legal hold
  • Centralized administration
  • Unlimited storage
  • AES 256-bit encryption
  • Active Directory
  • LDAP
  • Okta
  • Azure AD

Both cover

  • Automatic backup
  • Continuous protection
  • Windows support
  • Mac support
  • 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

CrashPlan

  • 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

CrashPlan

  • Initial data uploads can be noticeably slow, often taking several full days for complete system backups
  • Occasional slow restore speeds for very large files impact recovery time objectives
  • Full system recovery requires requesting hard drive delivery instead of bare-metal restore capability
  • Difficulties reported with backing up or restoring data from external hard drives
  • Pricing is higher than some competitors like Backblaze when compared per user/month
  • Limited SIEM integration and governance reporting for enterprise environments

Pricing, plan by plan

Carbonite

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

CrashPlan

$8/month
  • Professional (Monthly)$8/month
    • Unlimited backup capacity
    • Unlimited file versions
    • 90-day deleted file retention
  • Professional (Annual)$88/year
    • All Monthly features
    • $0.88 savings per month vs monthly billing
  • Professional (2-Year)$158/2 years
    • All features
    • Lower per-month cost vs annual

Which should you pick?

Choose Carbonite if

  • You need remote file access.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, Web.
  • You also want bare metal restore.
Carbonite review

Choose CrashPlan if

  • You need legal hold.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Cloud (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace).
  • You also want centralized administration.
CrashPlan review

Questions people ask

Is Carbonite or CrashPlan better?
Neither clearly leads. Carbonite starts at $6/month and CrashPlan at $8/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Carbonite or CrashPlan?
Carbonite starts at $6/month and CrashPlan at $8/month.
Does Carbonite or CrashPlan run on more platforms?
Carbonite runs on Windows, Mac, Web. CrashPlan runs on Windows, macOS, Cloud (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace).
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 CrashPlan cannot?
Carbonite covers Remote file access, Bare metal restore, Encryption, Compliance support. CrashPlan covers Legal hold, Centralized administration, Unlimited storage, AES 256-bit encryption. Both handle Automatic backup, Continuous protection, Windows support, Mac 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
CrashPlan: What is CrashPlan's pricing for business backup?

CrashPlan Professional Edition costs $8 per user/month (billed monthly), $7.33 per user/month when billed annually ($88/year), or $158 per user for a 2-year commitment. This includes unlimited backup capacity, unlimited file versions, and 90-day deleted file 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
CrashPlan: Does CrashPlan offer a free trial?

Yes, CrashPlan offers a 14-day free trial. Credit card information is required for signup, but there will be no charge if you cancel during the trial period. Your credit card will be automatically charged when the trial ends unless you cancel.

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
CrashPlan: What platforms and services does CrashPlan protect?

CrashPlan protects Windows and Mac endpoints, Microsoft 365 services (Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams), and Google Workspace (Gmail, Google Drive). The platform provides backup for endpoints, servers, and cloud applications.

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
CrashPlan: Does CrashPlan have a free version for consumers?

No, CrashPlan discontinued its consumer personal backup tier and now focuses exclusively on commercial businesses. The platform is strictly for business and organizational use.

Source
CrashPlan: What is CrashPlan's partnership status with Microsoft?

CrashPlan is a trusted Microsoft Partner and is co-sell eligible. The platform is available in the Microsoft Marketplace and counts toward customers' Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitment (MACC). CrashPlan is built on Microsoft Azure infrastructure.

Source
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