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Software · head to head

IDrive vs Unitrends Backup

IDrive logo

IDrive

Software

Affordable online backup with multiple device support

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Unitrends Backup logo

Unitrends Backup

Software

All-in-one backup and recovery appliance

From
$55/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only IDrive has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: IDrive the advertised annual rates are first year introductory prices, with standard pricing applying from the second year onward; Unitrends Backup pricing is not transparent and requires contacting the company directly for a custom quote
  • They diverge on capability: IDrive covers Multiple device backup, Unitrends Backup covers Predictive analytics.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where IDrive and Unitrends Backup differ
AttributeIDriveUnitrends Backup
Starting priceFree$55/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, Mac, Linux, WebOn-premises, Cloud, Hybrid
Founded19951989

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

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 IDrive

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

Only in Unitrends Backup

  • Predictive analytics
  • Automated recovery testing
  • Instant recovery
  • Ransomware detection
  • Adaptive deduplication
  • Cloud integration
  • VMware
  • Hyper-V

Both cover

  • Windows support
  • Linux support
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

IDrive

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

Unitrends Backup

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

Where each one falls short

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

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

Unitrends Backup

  • Pricing is not transparent and requires contacting the company directly for a custom quote
  • Minimum pricing starts at approximately $995, limiting accessibility for very small deployments
  • Unified pricing approach means less flexibility for scaling individual components

Pricing, plan by plan

IDrive

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

Unitrends Backup

$55/month
  • Recovery Series$55/month
    • Predictive analytics
    • Instant recovery
    • Ransomware detection

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Unitrends Backup if

  • You need predictive analytics.
  • You work on On-premises, Cloud, Hybrid.
  • You also want automated recovery testing.
Unitrends Backup review

Questions people ask

Is IDrive or Unitrends Backup better?
Neither clearly leads. IDrive starts at Free and Unitrends Backup at $55/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, IDrive or Unitrends Backup?
IDrive has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for IDrive and $55/month for Unitrends Backup.
Does IDrive or Unitrends Backup run on more platforms?
IDrive runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Web. Unitrends Backup runs on On-premises, Cloud, Hybrid.
Can I use IDrive for free?
Yes. IDrive has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Unitrends Backup starts at $55/month.
What is IDrive best used for?
IDrive is most often used for online backup for computers, servers and mobile devices, backing up multiple machines under one account. Of those, online backup for computers, servers and mobile devices and backing up multiple machines under one account are not what Unitrends Backup is typically brought in for.
What can IDrive do that Unitrends Backup cannot?
IDrive covers Multiple device backup, True archiving, Continuous protection, IDrive Express. Unitrends Backup covers Predictive analytics, Automated recovery testing, Instant recovery, Ransomware detection. Both handle Windows support, Linux support, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Unitrends Backup: What does Unitrends Backup include in its pricing?

Unitrends offers all-in-one backup and disaster recovery with a single flat rate including installation, storage, VIP support, and recoveries, plus two DR tests per year and a 5-year warranty.

Source
Unitrends Backup: What are Unitrends' key disaster recovery features?

Unitrends provides instant recovery, automated recovery assurance, automatic testing capabilities to measure recovery time and points, ransomware protection with behavioral analysis, and bare metal recovery to dissimilar hardware.

Source
Unitrends Backup: How long has Unitrends been in the backup market?

Unitrends was founded in 1989 and has over three decades of experience in backup and disaster recovery solutions, pioneering the first hardware-based backup appliance in 2002.

Source
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Related pages

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