When you’re running a website, technical hiccups are bound to occur. Plenty of these might have little to no impact on your site’s availability. However, there’s also the risk of a critical failure, which threatens to crash your site and take your data down with it. WordPress backup plugins are designed to safeguard your site against such situations.
By utilizing a comprehensive pluginA plugin is a software component that adds specific features and functionality to your WordPress website. Esse... More built to consistently copy and save your site’s data, you can prepare to bounce back from even the worst-case scenarios. Plus, these tools are beginner-friendly alternatives to time-consuming manual backups, enabling anyone to protect their website with ease.
In this article, we’ll give you an overview of why having updated records is important to your website’s security. Then, we’ll cover six of the best WordPress backup plugins available to you today. Let’s dive right in!
The Importance of Regular WordPress Backups
Technology can be unpredictable at times. That’s one of the reasons why conducting frequent backups is essential to your site’s security. A backup is a copy of your WordPress site’s data that can be used to restore your content should anything happen to compromise your website.
Even the most secure sites can be vulnerable to total collapse. For example, a well-meaning member of your team might accidentally corrupt a themeA WordPress theme is a set of files that determine the design and layout of a website. It controls everything ... More they were customizing. There’s also the chance of a malicious actor hacking your site via DDoS attack. Other times, you might just be the victim of a server crash.
Your backups will hopefully only ever be a precaution against these possibilities. However, preparing regular copies of your site can give you peace of mind as you create your content, too. While you can make backups manually, you might find the process to be overly time-consuming and technical.
Fortunately, a manual approach isn’t your only option. Several high-quality WordPress backup plugins can help make creating records of your site quick and easy. Most offer a variety of storage options to help provide the highest level of protection for your data and save disk space on your local computer.
6 of the Best WordPress Backup Plugins
We’ve rounded up six strong competitors for the best WordPress backup plugin below. Each offers unique storage options and additional features that make them suitable to a variety of users and websites.
1. UpdraftPlus
Let’s kick things off with a popular option, UpdraftPlus. This plugin has an impressive reputation among WordPress users, with over 3 million active installations and an average five-star rating. The user-friendly and effective process is also notable.
Some of the important features this plugin offers include:
- Automatic backup scheduling
- Option to choose from a variety of locations to store data, such as Google Drive or your local computer
- Help for restoring your site from a backup in the event of a crash
As far as pricing goes, you can access basic functionality with a free download. Premium options start at $70 per year for up to two sites and scale to $195 per year for unlimited sites. You can also choose a subscription model for a discount.
It’s no wonder why UpdraftPlus is such a well-known option. In terms of effectiveness, this plugin offers a powerful yet simple experience. If you’re in the market for a backup plugin that will let you start for free while providing premium potential, UpdraftPlus might be the best choice for you.
2. WP Time Capsule
We’ll move on to our second tool, WP Time Capsule. It prioritizes your overall site performance by operating efficiently. However, you can rest assured that your backups will still be thorough.
A closer look at this plugin’s features emphasizes its optimized approach:
- The use of incremental backups to only copy files that have changed since the last scan, which can keep your site running fast
- Automatic backups conducted every time WordPress or a third-party tool updates
- Real-time cloning of your site
WP Time Capsule offers a 30-day free trial. Afterward, you pay according to the number of sites you want to run it on. Plans start at $49 per year for two sites.
WP Time Capsule supports your overall site performance with a smart backup strategy. If you’re looking to maximize speed while still being cautious with real-time maintenance, you might want to consider this plugin.
3. BackWPup
Next on our list is BackWPup. This option offers slightly more advanced features. You might encounter a bit of a learning curve if you’re not well-versed in WordPress technology. However, finding your way around this plugin can open up a lot of backup personalization opportunities.
Some functionalities that stood out to us include:
- The ability to create your own backup file paths
- The freedom to choose multiple destinations per copy
- A standalone restore app if you choose the Pro version
The free version of BackWPup offers basic features. Advanced use is available starting at $69 for a single WordPress installation. You can also pay $349 to use it on up to 100 installations. If you opt-in to renewals, you’ll gain access to a lower rate, software updates, and support.
BackWPup enables you to create a backup process and schedule according to your exact needs. However, it’s still accessible to those who’d rather not define the details themselves. Nevertheless, we recommend this plugin if you’re comfortable with technology and are looking for highly customized backup routines.
4. VaultPress
VaultPress has become a part of the Jetpack suite, meaning this tool now offers more functionality than ever. In addition to backups, you can also choose a plan that includes other security measures such as comment protection and site search records.
Focusing on VaultPress itself for a moment, here are a few stand-out backup features that it provides:
- Off-site automatic backups conducted each day
- Seamless one-click restore process
- Unlimited site storage, no matter which plan you choose
Speaking of plans, the Basic Backup Daily plan is the most affordable, starting at $4.77 a month. You can scale up to the Complete plan at $47.97 per month.
Plans differ based on features offered – you’ll need to buy individual subscriptions for each site you want to back up. If you’re interested in combining VaultPress with other Jetpack features, bundled plans are also available.
One of VaultPress’ strengths is its connection to Jetpack. That said, we recommend this plugin if you’re in the market for a full security solution rather than a single backup tool.
5. BlogVault
Up next, let’s take a look at BlogVault. It’s another powerhouse plugin, boasting an impressive 100 percent recovery rate for users’ sites. It also provides a streamlined dashboardIn WordPress, the Dashboard is a central hub for managing a website's content and settings. It is the first sc... More that makes creating and managing backups simple, and grants access to uptime monitoring, security scanning, staging, and more.
BlogVault provides robust quality with functions such as:
- Incremental, time-saving backups
- Automatic daily copies
- Changelogs to help you identify any problems
The most affordable BlogVault plan offers backups for one site at $7.40 per month. The most expensive plan costs $149 per month and provides additional security for up to 20 sites. Custom quotes are also available.
To conclude this section, BlogVault is a flexible yet powerful option for most users. However, it’s particularly well-suited to those who are looking for smooth management and extra security-related features. If you’re monitoring multiple sites and are interested in extended functionality, BlogVault may be the plugin for you.
6. BackupBuddy
Finally, we’ll wrap up this list with a look at BackupBuddy. This is an elegant solution with a user-friendly interface. Nevertheless, the ease of use does not interfere with its quality functioning.
A few features that give BackupBuddy an advantage over other WordPress backup plugins include:
- A quick and easy backup process
- Copying of both databaseA database is an organized collection of data stored and accessed electronically. It is a crucial component of... More and WordPress files
- Optional scheduling of automatic backups to an off-site location
When it comes to cost, this plugin is also impressive. The lower-end Blogger Plan will equip one site with full functionality starting at $52 per year. However, you can also opt for a one-time payment of $357, which will let you install BackupBuddy on an unlimited number of sites.
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly automated backup system, we recommend giving BackupBuddy a look. Since it’s produced by the iThemes team, it may also be a smart choice for users of that plugin.
Conclusion
It can be difficult to plan for a crisis that hasn’t happened yet. Fortunately, you don’t have to predict the future to protect your site’s data. By using a backup plugin that fits your needs, you can secure your content even in the event of a technical emergency.
In this article, we reviewed six of the best WordPress backup plugins:
- UpdraftPlus: A well-loved solution for those interested in eventually scaling up.
- WP Time Capsule: An efficient choice if you’re looking to prioritize your site’s performance.
- BackWPup: A smart solution for users who want full control over their backups.
- VaultPress: A valuable plugin built to work with other security solutions.
- BlogVault: An effective solution for professionals running multiple sites.
- BackupBuddy: A competitive option for budget-friendly automated backups.
Do you have any questions about choosing a WordPress backup plugin? Let us know in the commentsComments are a feature of WordPress that allow users to engage in discussions about the content of a website. ... More section below!
