File Storage & Backup · head to head
pCloud vs CrashPlan
pCloud
File Storage & Backup
Prices are final. No setup fees or other hidden charges
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
CrashPlan
File Storage & Backup
Endpoint backup designed for work-from-anywhere
- From
- $8/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: pCloud headline lifetime prices are discounted promotional prices; the Premium 500GB lifetime plan is listed at $299 struck through down to $199, and Ultra 10TB at $1,890 down to $1,190, so the full non-promotional price is materially higher; CrashPlan initial data uploads can be noticeably slow, often taking several full days for complete system backups
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which pCloud and CrashPlan actually diverge.
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 pCloud
Nothing recorded that CrashPlan does not also cover.
Only in CrashPlan
- Automatic backup
- Continuous protection
- Legal hold
- Centralized administration
- Unlimited storage
- AES 256-bit encryption
- Active Directory
- LDAP
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
pCloud
No use cases recorded yet. See the pCloud review.
CrashPlan
- Data protectionnot pCloud
- Disaster recoverynot pCloud
- Business continuitynot pCloud
- Ransomware protectionnot pCloud
- Compliancenot pCloud
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
pCloud
- Headline lifetime prices are discounted promotional prices; the Premium 500GB lifetime plan is listed at $299 struck through down to $199, and Ultra 10TB at $1,890 down to $1,190, so the full non-promotional price is materially higher
- Ultra 10TB plan's download link traffic is capped at 2TB, the same limit as the much smaller Premium Plus 2TB plan, despite the 5x storage difference
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
pCloud
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the pCloud review.
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 pCloud if
Nothing in the data separates pCloud from CrashPlan on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Choose CrashPlan if
- You need automatic backup.
- You work on Windows, macOS, Cloud (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace).
- You also want continuous protection.
Questions people ask
- Is pCloud or CrashPlan better?
- Neither clearly leads. pCloud starts at On request and CrashPlan at $8/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, pCloud or CrashPlan?
- pCloud starts at On request and CrashPlan at $8/month.
- Does pCloud or CrashPlan run on more platforms?
- pCloud runs on Web. CrashPlan runs on Windows, macOS, Cloud (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace).
- What can pCloud do that CrashPlan 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.
SourceCrashPlan: 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.
SourceCrashPlan: 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.
SourceCrashPlan: 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.
SourceCrashPlan: 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