Two Backup Philosophies
Backblaze and IDrive dominate the personal cloud backup market, but they take very different approaches. Backblaze is laser-focused on simplicity with unlimited backup per computer. IDrive goes for maximum features with multi-device backup under one plan. Here is how they compare.
Pricing Head to Head
Backblaze charges $7/month ($70/year) per computer for truly unlimited backup. IDrive Personal offers 10TB for $9.95 the first year, renewing at $69.95/year. For a single computer, Backblaze is simpler. For multiple devices sharing a storage pool, IDrive can be cheaper.
Device Support
Backblaze backs up one computer per subscription — Windows or macOS. External drives are included. IDrive backs up unlimited devices including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android under a single plan. This is IDrive's biggest advantage for families with many devices.
Backup Speed
Both services support continuous backup with no throttling. Backblaze's initial backup speed is generally good but depends on your upload bandwidth. IDrive offers Express seeded backup — they ship a physical drive for the initial backup, which is a major advantage for users with several terabytes.
Restore Comparison
Backblaze offers web download, USB flash drive ($99 refundable), or hard drive ($189 refundable). IDrive offers web download and Express Restore with physical drive shipping. Both services make large restores practical with physical media options.
Security
Both offer optional private encryption keys for zero-knowledge backup. Backblaze uses AES-128 by default, while IDrive uses AES-256. If you set a private key on either service, they cannot access your data, but you also cannot recover it if you lose the key.
Ease of Use
Backblaze wins on simplicity. Install it, and it backs up everything automatically. No configuration needed. IDrive has more options and settings, which adds power but also complexity. Non-technical users will appreciate Backblaze's set-and-forget approach.
The Verdict
Choose Backblaze if you want the simplest unlimited backup for one computer at the best price. Choose IDrive if you need to back up multiple devices (computers and phones) under one plan, or if you need the Express seeded backup for large initial uploads.
