Overview

IDrive brings computer, mobile, server, and NAS backups together in one cloud account, with optional backups for business applications. It is best for people and teams managing a mix of devices who value file history and long-term retention. Its broad coverage is compelling, but storage limits and potential overage charges make plan sizing central to the decision.

Key features

IDrive supports Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android, servers, and NAS devices. Incremental, compressed backups transfer modified portions of files, which can reduce bandwidth use after the initial backup. That range suits mixed environments better than a computer-only service, though the account’s storage quota still governs how much data it can hold.

File history retains up to 30 previous versions, and Snapshots support point-in-time recovery. Users can restore individual files, earlier versions, deleted files, disk images, or use IDrive Express. These options, alongside ransomware protection, provide ways to recover data from before an incident. True Archiving keeps files in the account until the user deletes them or runs Archive Cleanup, making it useful when stored copies need to outlast their original devices.

Files are encrypted with 256-bit AES in transit and at rest. Private encryption keys are optional and are not stored on IDrive’s servers. Cloud application backup add-ons cover Microsoft 365, Microsoft Entra ID, Google Workspace, Salesforce, Dropbox, and Box. The Microsoft Office 365 Backup plan is sold separately per seat.

Team and Business plans include administration of multiple users through a web console or administrative account. Business accounts have no stated restriction on the number of computers backed up to one account. IDrive cites support for HIPAA, SOX, GLBA, and SEC/FINRA requirements, offers a HIPAA Business Associate Agreement, and states it has SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certifications. Support is available 24/7 via live chat, email, and phone.

Pricing

IDrive is freemium. Basic provides 10 GB of storage at no charge and does not require a credit card. A Basic account can also add services such as Cloud Applications Backup; that add-on includes a seven-day free trial. The small free quota makes Basic a way to try the service or cover a limited amount of data, not a substitute for a larger backup plan.

Plan	Price and billing	Included capacity or coverage
Basic	Price not listed	10 GB storage
IDrive Mini	0.25 USD per month, billed monthly	100 GB; one user
IDrive Personal	11.99 USD per month, billed monthly	5 TB; one user; multiple computers
IDrive Team	11.99 USD per month, billed monthly	5 TB; five computers; five users
IDrive Business	59.99 USD per month, billed monthly	1.25 TB; unlimited users and computers, servers, Exchange, SQL, and NAS devices
Microsoft Office 365 Backup	20.00 USD per year, billed $20/Seat/Year	Unlimited storage; seven-day free trial

Mini is the low-cost fit for one user with up to 100 GB to protect. Personal provides substantially more storage and covers multiple computers for one user; Team assigns the same 5 TB quota across five users and five computers, making it the more suitable of those two for a small group. Business expands the listed device and user coverage, but its 1.25 TB quota is lower than Personal and Team, so organizations should weigh broad device eligibility against capacity. The Office 365 plan is a separate per-seat option for Microsoft 365 backup rather than a general replacement for device plans.

Exceeding storage limits may incur $0.25/GB/month on Personal and $0.50/GB/month on Team and Business. IDrive advertises first-year discounts and savings for two-year plans, so renewal and billing term affect the effective cost. Quotas and overage rates matter most for users with large or growing archives.

Platforms

IDrive supports web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, as well as servers and NAS devices. That breadth makes it a practical candidate where one backup account needs to span desktops, mobile devices, and business infrastructure.

Who it's for

IDrive is a strong fit for individuals who want to back up multiple computers under one account, and for small teams that need shared administration and coverage across users. Businesses with servers, NAS devices, and cloud application data can use its broader plan and add-on lineup. It is less suitable when a fixed storage quota would be hard to manage or when likely overage charges are a concern.

Pros and cons

Pros: Broad device coverage, including computers, mobile devices, servers, and NAS, lets mixed environments use one backup account.
Pros: Up to 30 previous versions, Snapshots, and True Archiving provide several routes to recover older or retained data.
Pros: Optional private keys and 256-bit AES encryption in transit and at rest support stronger control over stored data.
Pros: Team and Business administration, plus cloud application add-ons, extend the service beyond individual computer backup.
Cons: Basic’s 10 GB cap is modest, while paid storage limits mean larger collections need careful quota planning.
Cons: Personal, Team, and Business may incur per-GB monthly overage charges, which can make excess usage costly.
Cons: Team and Business have the same stated 5 TB and 1.25 TB quotas respectively despite their broader organizational coverage, so device eligibility does not guarantee ample capacity.

Alternatives

For a broader category view, compare Backup software, Cloud Backup Services, and Endpoint Backup Software. For application-focused choices, see SaaS Backup Software, Google Workspace Backup Software, and Photo Backup Software.

BDRShield Endpoint Backup is a freemium endpoint option with Linux, macOS, self-hosted, web, and Windows platforms; its enterprise edition uses custom pricing, with subscription and perpetual licenses.
EaseUS Todo Backup is a freemium Windows and macOS alternative, with a free plan for file, system, disk, and partition backup and recovery.
UrBackup is a free, open-source option with a self-hosted server for file and image backups.
Backblaze Computer Backup is a paid alternative with unlimited backup data, priced at 9.00 USD per month on its monthly plan.
Datto Endpoint Backup for Windows uses consumption-based pricing for storage used.
Infrascale Workstation Backup offers storage-based cloud backup in 1 TB increments, with unlimited endpoint devices and retention.
CrashPlan Endpoint Backup uses customized per-user pricing and includes 50 GB of pooled managed storage per licensed user.
Ferro Backup System is a paid, self-hosted option offered under perpetual licenses.

Verdict

Choose IDrive if you need one service for varied device types, file history, and retained backups, with room to add team administration or cloud application backup. Its strongest reason to choose it is the combination of broad coverage and flexible restore options; its strongest reason to look elsewhere is the need to keep storage within plan quotas to avoid overage charges.

	IDrive	Permafiles
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Free trial	Yes	No
Paid from	—	£1.99/mo
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Web, Windows	Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Web, Windows
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Paid from	0.25 /mo	—
Free storage	—	5 GB
Shared albums	—	Yes
Family sharing	—	Yes
Desktop app	—	Yes
Video backup	—	Yes

IDrive vs Permafiles

IDrive

Permafiles