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File Storage · head to head

Duplicati vs IDrive

Duplicati logo

Duplicati

File Storage

Free open-source backup with encryption

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
IDrive logo

IDrive

File Storage

Affordable online backup with multiple device support

From
$2.5/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Duplicati has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Duplicati no managed service or commercial support; IDrive the advertised annual rates are first year introductory prices, with standard pricing applying from the second year onward
  • They diverge on capability: Duplicati covers AES-256 encryption, IDrive covers Multiple device backup.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Duplicati and IDrive actually diverge.

Attributes where Duplicati and IDrive differ
AttributeDuplicatiIDrive
Starting priceFree$2.5/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWindows, Mac, Linux, Web
Founded20081995

Identical on both: 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 Duplicati

  • AES-256 encryption
  • Incremental backup
  • Deduplication
  • Multiple cloud backends
  • Compression
  • Web interface
  • AWS S3
  • Azure

Only in IDrive

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

Both cover

  • Windows support
  • Mac support
  • Linux support
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Duplicati

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

IDrive

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

Where each one falls short

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

Duplicati

  • No managed service or commercial support
  • Relies on community support
  • No enterprise features

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

Duplicati

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Duplicati review.

IDrive

$2.5/month
  • IDrive Personal$2.5/month
    • Promotional pricing: $2.50/month (billed annually)
    • Regular pricing: $6.99/month
    • 50% savings with annual billing
  • IDrive Team$null/month
    • Cloud backup service for small business
  • IDrive Business$null/month
    • Backup for computers and servers
  • IDrive 360 Enterprise Backup$null/month
    • Endpoint, servers, and SaaS cloud backup
    • For MSPs and IT teams

Which should you pick?

Choose Duplicati if

  • You need aes-256 encryption.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want incremental backup.
Duplicati review

Choose IDrive if

  • You need multiple device backup.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, Linux, Web.
  • You also want true archiving.
IDrive review

Questions people ask

Is Duplicati or IDrive better?
Neither clearly leads. Duplicati starts at Free and IDrive at $2.5/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Duplicati or IDrive?
Duplicati has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Duplicati and $2.5/month for IDrive.
Does Duplicati or IDrive run on more platforms?
Duplicati runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. IDrive runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Web.
Can I use Duplicati for free?
Yes. Duplicati has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. IDrive starts at $2.5/month.
What is Duplicati best used for?
Duplicati 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 Duplicati do that IDrive cannot?
Duplicati covers AES-256 encryption, Incremental backup, Deduplication, Multiple cloud backends. IDrive covers Multiple device backup, True archiving, Continuous protection, IDrive Express. Both handle Windows support, Mac support, Linux support, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Duplicati: Is Duplicati free?

Yes. Duplicati is completely free and open-source under the LGPL license. There are no premium tiers, trials, or limitations.

Source
IDrive: How much does IDrive Personal cost?

IDrive Personal starts at $2.50/month when billed annually, representing a 50% discount from the regular price of $6.99/month. A 7-day free trial is available without requiring a credit card.

Source
Duplicati: What does Duplicati support?

Duplicati supports zero-trust, fully encrypted backups to local storage, network drives, and cloud services. It includes deduplication and incremental backups.

Source
IDrive: What is the price for IDrive Cloud Applications Backup?

IDrive Cloud Applications Backup costs $20 per seat per year with unlimited storage. This covers backups for Microsoft 365, Microsoft Entra ID, Google Workspace, Salesforce, Dropbox, and Box.

Source
Duplicati: What are the platforms?

Duplicati runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It can back up data to local storage, network drives, or cloud providers.

Source
IDrive: How much does IDrive e2 cloud object storage cost?

IDrive e2 starts at $29.75 per year for 1 TB (first-year promotional pricing; regular price $59.50/year). IDrive markets this as 90% cheaper than AWS pricing for equivalent storage.

Source
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