Softwr

File Storage & Backup · head to head

CrashPlan vs Box

CrashPlan logo

CrashPlan

File Storage & Backup

Endpoint backup designed for work-from-anywhere

From
$8/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Box logo

Box

File Storage & Backup

Cloud content management for the enterprise

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CrashPlan initial data uploads can be noticeably slow, often taking several full days for complete system backups; Box all Business and Enterprise plans require a minimum of 3 users

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CrashPlan and Box actually diverge.

Attributes where CrashPlan and Box differ
AttributeCrashPlanBox
Starting price$8/monthOn request
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Cloud (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace)Web
Founded2001Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 CrashPlan

  • Automatic backup
  • Continuous protection
  • Legal hold
  • Centralized administration
  • Unlimited storage
  • AES 256-bit encryption
  • Active Directory
  • LDAP

Only in Box

Nothing recorded that CrashPlan does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

CrashPlan

  • Data protectionnot Box
  • Disaster recoverynot Box
  • Business continuitynot Box
  • Ransomware protectionnot Box
  • Compliancenot Box

Box

No use cases recorded yet. See the Box review.

Where each one falls short

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

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

Box

  • All Business and Enterprise plans require a minimum of 3 users
  • Business Starter ($5/user/month) caps at 100 GB of shared storage across the whole account and a 2 GB per file upload limit
  • Enterprise Plus requires annual billing, and Enterprise Advanced's exact price is not published on the pricing page

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Box

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Box review.

Which should you pick?

Choose CrashPlan if

  • You need automatic backup.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Cloud (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace).
  • You also want continuous protection.
CrashPlan review

Choose Box if

Nothing in the data separates Box from CrashPlan on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Box review

Questions people ask

Is CrashPlan or Box better?
Neither clearly leads. CrashPlan starts at $8/month and Box at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CrashPlan or Box?
CrashPlan starts at $8/month and Box at On request.
Does CrashPlan or Box run on more platforms?
CrashPlan runs on Windows, macOS, Cloud (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace). Box runs on Web.
What is CrashPlan best used for?
CrashPlan is most often used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection. Of those, data protection and disaster recovery are not what Box is typically brought in for.
What can CrashPlan do that Box cannot?
CrashPlan covers Automatic backup, Continuous protection, Legal hold, Centralized administration.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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
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
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on CrashPlan

More on Box

Keep looking

Other head to heads