A website is more than a collection of pages on the internet. It may contain years of articles, customer information, product data, images, databases, orders, contact forms, configurations and other business-critical information. Losing that information because of hacking, accidental deletion, software failure or a hosting problem can cause significant disruption.
This is why website backup should be an essential part of every website management strategy.
A reliable backup creates a recoverable copy of a website so that it can be restored after an unexpected problem. There are many ways to back up a website, ranging from free plugins and hosting-provider backups to dedicated cloud backup services and enterprise-grade solutions.
What Is a Website Backup?
A website backup is a copy of the files, databases and other information required to restore a website.
For a typical WordPress website, a complete backup should normally include:
- Website files
- WordPress database
- Themes
- Plugins
- Uploaded images and documents
- Configuration files
- Product and customer information
- Ecommerce orders and related data
Depending on the website, email accounts, DNS configurations and other server-related information may also need separate protection.
A backup is only useful if it can actually be restored. Therefore, businesses should consider both backup creation and recovery when choosing a backup solution.
Why Is Website Backup Important?
Protection Against Hacking
Websites can be compromised through vulnerable plugins, themes, outdated software, stolen passwords or server vulnerabilities. A clean backup can provide a way to restore the website after a security incident.
Protection Against Human Error
A website administrator may accidentally delete a page, overwrite a database, remove important files or install a plugin that causes the website to stop working.
Without a backup, recovering from such mistakes can be difficult or impossible.
Protection During Website Updates
Updates to WordPress, WooCommerce, plugins and themes can occasionally cause compatibility problems. Creating a backup before major changes gives administrators a recovery point if something goes wrong.
Protection for Ecommerce Websites
For ecommerce websites, backups are particularly important because databases can contain products, customers, orders and other valuable information. A backup strategy should minimize the amount of recent transaction data that could be lost.
Faster Disaster Recovery
A website that can be restored from a recent backup can potentially return to operation much faster than one that has to be rebuilt from scratch.
What Are the Main Website Backup Options?
There is no single backup method suitable for every website.
1. Hosting-Provider Backups
Many web hosts include automated backups with their hosting plans. This can be convenient because the backup system is integrated into the hosting environment.
However, businesses should check how frequently backups are created, how long they are retained, where they are stored and how restoration works.
For example, SiteGround says its standard service provides up to 30 daily copies on shared hosting and stores backups on separate servers. Additional premium backup features are available for sites that require more copies and downloadable backups.
Hosting backups should ideally not be the only copy of a business-critical website.
2. WordPress Backup Plugins
WordPress users can install backup plugins that automatically copy website files and databases to local or cloud storage.
Examples include Jetpack VaultPress Backup, BlogVault, Duplicator, WPvivid and WP Time Capsule.
These solutions can make website backup and restoration easier without requiring extensive server administration.
3. Cloud Storage
Another option is to store backup files with cloud-storage providers such as Google Drive, Dropbox, Amazon S3, Microsoft OneDrive or Backblaze B2.
Cloud storage can be particularly useful when combined with a backup application that automatically sends website backups to the selected storage service.
4. Manual Backups
Website administrators can manually download website files and database backups. This costs little or nothing apart from storage.
The major disadvantage is that manual backups depend on someone remembering to perform them regularly.
5. Managed Backup Services
Managed backup services automate much of the process and may provide scheduled backups, off-site storage, malware monitoring, one-click restoration, staging and other features.
These services generally cost more than simply storing files in cloud storage, but they can reduce the technical work required to maintain a reliable backup system.
What Should You Look for in a Website Backup Service?
When comparing backup solutions, price should not be the only consideration.
Important features include:
Backup frequency: Daily backups may be sufficient for some websites, while ecommerce and frequently updated websites may need hourly or real-time backups.
Off-site storage: Backups should ideally be stored separately from the production website.
Retention: A service may keep backups for 30 days, 90 days, a year or longer.
Automatic scheduling: Automation reduces the risk of forgetting to create backups.
One-click restoration: The easier it is to restore a website, the more useful the backup becomes during an emergency.
Incremental backups: Instead of copying everything every time, incremental systems can back up only changed data, reducing storage and server usage.
Security: Encryption, secure storage and access controls are important for protecting backup data.
Migration and staging: Some solutions provide website migration and staging features in addition to backups.
18 Website Backup Solutions Compared
The following table compares 18 widely used backup approaches and services. The list is intended as a practical comparison rather than a ranking. Prices are indicative published prices and can change according to promotions, billing periods, location, website count and storage requirements.
| Backup solution | Typical starting cost | Backup / storage features | Restore / recovery | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jetpack VaultPress Backup | $4.95/mo first year; $9.95 regular | Real-time cloud backups, 10GB starting storage, 30-day archive | One-click restores | WordPress sites and WooCommerce |
| BlogVault | $99/year | Daily backups, 30-day retention, secure cloud storage | One-click restore and migration | WordPress businesses |
| CodeGuard | $5/mo billed annually | Daily automated backups, 5GB on entry plan, flexible retention | Website restoration and monitoring | Businesses and agencies |
| WP Time Capsule | $49/year | Real-time backups, 30-day restore window on Business plan | Restore and staging | WordPress users wanting real-time protection |
| WPvivid Pro | $49/year | Scheduled and incremental backups, cloud destinations | One-click restoration | WordPress sites and agencies |
| Duplicator Pro | Normally from $79/year | Scheduled backups, encryption, recovery points and cloud integrations | One-click recovery and migration | WordPress sites and migrations |
| WP STAGING Pro | Plans vary; Developer €239/year | Scheduled remote backups, staging and remote storage | Backup restore and deployment workflows | Developers and agencies |
| ManageWP Backup | Free; Premium from $2/mo | Scheduled backups, incremental processing, 90-day retention | One-click restore | Multiple WordPress sites |
| SiteGround Backup | Included with hosting; premium option available | Daily backups; up to 30 daily copies on shared hosting | Full or partial restoration | Sites hosted on SiteGround |
| Bluehost Backup | Included according to hosting plan | Automated hosting backups; policies vary by plan | Restoration through Bluehost | Bluehost-hosted websites |
| Backblaze B2 | Pay-as-you-go; first 10GB free | Object storage, off-site backup storage | Restore/download through connected backup system | Developers and businesses |
| Amazon S3 | Pay-as-you-go | Multiple storage classes and scalable object storage | Application-dependent | Developers and larger businesses |
| Google One / Drive | From $1.99/mo for 100GB | Cloud storage shared across Drive, Gmail and Photos | Manual or application-assisted recovery | Small websites and personal projects |
| Dropbox Plus | $9.99/mo on published annual pricing | 2TB storage, file recovery | File recovery and download | Manual/cloud backup workflows |
| Microsoft OneDrive | $9.99/mo | 1TB storage with Microsoft 365 Personal | File recovery and versioning | Businesses already using Microsoft |
| Acronis Cyber Protect | From $85 | Backup combined with cybersecurity features; pricing varies by coverage | Recovery and business continuity tools | Businesses with broader IT requirements |
| Hostinger hosting backups | Included on eligible hosting plans | Daily backups and restore features vary by plan | Website restoration | Small businesses using Hostinger |
| Manual local/cloud backup | Free to storage cost | Download files/database and store independently | Manual restoration | Technically capable website owners |
Notes on the Comparison
Jetpack VaultPress Backup currently advertises real-time cloud backups, 10GB of starting backup storage, a 30-day archive and one-click restores. Its published introductory price is $4.95 per month for the first year when billed annually, with the standard price shown as $9.95 per month.
BlogVault lists its Personal plan at $99 per year and includes automatic daily backups, 30-day retention, secure cloud storage, one-click restoration and migration. Higher plans increase backup frequency, retention and website capacity.
CodeGuard starts at $5 per month when billed annually for one website and 5GB of storage. Its plans include daily automated backups, database support and configurable retention options.
WP Time Capsule lists its Business plan at $49 per year for two websites, with real-time backups and a 30-day restore window. Its higher plans support more websites and longer restore windows.
WPvivid offers a free backup option as well as Pro plans starting at $49 per year. Its Pro functionality includes incremental backups, selective backup options and multiple cloud-storage destinations.
Duplicator provides scheduled backups, recovery points, encryption and cloud-storage integrations. Its published pricing page lists the Basic plan at a normal price of $79 per year for up to two sites, with higher plans supporting more sites. Duplicator also offers separate cloud storage beginning at $29 per year for 2GB.
ManageWP provides a free backup service and a Premium Backup option starting at $2 per month per website. Premium features include on-demand backups, more frequent scheduling, downloadable backups, cloning and 90-day retention.
SiteGround includes automated backups with its hosting services. Its documentation says shared hosting plans can have up to 30 daily backup copies, while additional premium backup functionality provides more backup copies and downloadable backups.
Backblaze B2 is different from a WordPress backup plugin. It is cloud object storage that can be used as an off-site destination for backups. Its current pricing model is usage-based, with the first 10GB of storage free and additional charges depending on storage and data transfer.
Amazon S3 similarly operates on a pay-for-what-you-use model. Costs can include storage, requests, retrieval, data transfer and other services, so the final price depends heavily on how the backup system is configured.
Google One provides consumer cloud storage rather than a dedicated website-backup service. Google currently provides 15GB at no charge, while its published U.S. pricing includes 100GB from $1.99 per month. Availability and pricing can vary by country.
Dropbox Plus provides 2TB of storage and file recovery features. Its published pricing varies according to billing method and region, so businesses should verify the price shown in their account before purchasing.
Microsoft OneDrive includes 1TB of storage with Microsoft 365 Personal at $9.99 per month in the U.S. It is primarily a general cloud-storage service rather than a dedicated website backup platform, so a separate backup tool may be required to automate website backups.
Acronis Cyber Protect is aimed more broadly at business backup and cybersecurity. Its published comparison currently shows Cyber Protect Standard starting at $85, with pricing varying by coverage, subscription term and region.
The 3-2-1 Backup Strategy
For important websites, businesses should consider the 3-2-1 backup principle:
- Keep 3 copies of important data.
- Store them on 2 different types of storage or media.
- Keep 1 copy off-site.
For example, a business might have the live website, a backup retained by its hosting provider and another copy stored in independent cloud storage.
This approach reduces dependence on a single provider or server.
How Often Should a Website Be Backed Up?
The appropriate frequency depends on how frequently the website changes.
A simple brochure website that changes once a month may not need the same backup frequency as an ecommerce website receiving orders every few minutes.
A practical approach could be:
Static business website: Daily or weekly backups.
Active WordPress website: Daily backups.
Blog or publishing website: Daily backups, with additional backups before major updates.
Ecommerce website: Frequent or real-time backups, particularly for databases.
High-value business website: Automated backups combined with independent off-site storage and tested restoration procedures.
Backups Should Be Tested
Creating backups is only half of the job.
A backup that appears to exist but cannot be restored is not a dependable disaster-recovery solution. Businesses should periodically test restoration to confirm that the files and database are complete and that the recovery process actually works.
Testing also helps identify problems with corrupted backups, missing database tables, incorrect permissions, expired storage accounts or incomplete configurations.
Website Backup Is an Investment in Business Continuity
The cost of backing up a website is generally small compared with the potential cost of losing the website entirely.
Free solutions can be appropriate for small or low-risk websites, while commercial backup services can provide automation, off-site storage, frequent backup schedules, longer retention, staging and easier restoration.
The right solution depends on the website’s size, update frequency, technical requirements, budget and importance to the business.
For a business website, the most important objective is not simply to have a backup, but to have a recent, secure, independent and tested backup that can be restored when it is needed.