IDrive vs Carbonite
Backup & Recovery pricing comparison · 2026
IDrive pricing ranges from $0–$19.99/per month, while Carbonite ranges from $4.91–$83.33/month. IDrive is typically 39% more affordable, though your actual cost depends on tier and team size.
Sources & confidence
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Plans at a glance
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Contract terms
The fine print, surfaced. Green = buyer-friendly. Each clause backed by a quoted source.
What users say
Aggregated, with sample sizes. We use whichever review platform has data.
IDrive and Carbonite are both established cloud backup services competing for personal and small business customers. Carbonite offers unlimited backup for a single computer at competitive entry-level pricing, while IDrive provides multi-device backup with defined storage tiers. Both have been in the market for over 15 years, but their pricing strategies and feature sets have diverged significantly.
Plan-by-Plan Pricing
| Plan | IDrive | Carbonite |
|---|---|---|
| Basic (Free) | Free /per month | $4.91 /month |
| IDrive Mini | $0.25 /per month | $6.99 /month |
| Personal | $9.99 /per month | $8.74 /month |
| Team | $9.99 /per month | $24 /month |
| Business | $19.99 /per month | $50 /month |
| Safe Server Ultimate | — | $83.33 /month |
Cost at Scale
Total cost of ownership — licenses, implementation, and hidden costs included.
IDrive
3 scenariosCarbonite
7 scenariosContract Terms
| Term | IDrive | Carbonite |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-renewal | Yes | Yes |
| Cancellation | Cancel before renewal date; refunds difficult to obtain | 30-day refund window from purchase date; cancellation requires contacting support directly with no self-service path |
| Minimum commitment | Monthly, annual, or 2-year billing options | Annual for personal plans (Safe Basic, Safe Plus, Safe Prime); monthly available for business plans |
| Price escalation | First-year promotional pricing reverts to full price on renewal (30-50% increase) | No published price escalation schedule; multiple long-term users report consistent annual price increases over multi-year subscriptions |
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Our Verdict
Choose IDrive if you need to back up multiple devices (computers, phones, NAS) under one account and want features like disk image backup, IDrive Express physical shipping, and cloud storage. Its multi-device support makes it more versatile for families and small offices.
Choose Carbonite if you want the lowest entry price for unlimited single-computer backup and value the Webroot security bundle. Its Safe Basic at $4.91/month is one of the cheapest backup options available. Best for individual users wanting simple, affordable unlimited backup.
Frequently Asked Questions
01 Is Carbonite cheaper than IDrive?
At entry level, yes. Carbonite Safe Basic starts at $4.91/month for unlimited backup of one computer. IDrive's cheapest paid plan is around $6.99/month for 5TB. However, Carbonite's basic plan excludes video files and external drives, which are standard on IDrive.
02 Does Carbonite back up video files?
Not on the Basic plan. Carbonite Safe Basic excludes video files by default. You need Safe Plus at $8.74/month or higher to include video backup and external drives. IDrive includes all file types on all plans.
03 Which backs up more devices?
IDrive backs up unlimited computers plus mobile devices within your storage quota. Carbonite Personal plans back up one computer per license. For multiple computers, Carbonite requires separate licenses, making IDrive more cost-effective for families or small offices.
04 What are the renewal price differences?
Both services increase prices at renewal. IDrive's promotional first-year pricing jumps 30-50%. Carbonite's pricing also increases but more gradually. Both use auto-renewal, so check your renewal rate before the billing cycle to avoid surprises.
05 Which is better for small businesses?
IDrive Business offers server backup, centralized management, and multi-device support tailored for small businesses. Carbonite Safe has business plans but is owned by OpenText, positioning it more toward mid-market. IDrive is generally more cost-effective for businesses under 25 employees.
06 Do both offer physical restore options?
IDrive offers IDrive Express, a physical hard drive shipping service for both initial backup and restore of large datasets. Carbonite offers Courier Recovery Service for business plans. Both charge for the physical media service.