In 2025, the need to back up our digital files has never been greater. We’re creating more data than ever before. For some people, we are talking about their special family photos and videos. For others, this means sensitive financial documents and crucial work projects.
Yet, finding the right balance between secure storage and affordability is becoming more challenging. Hard drive prices continue to climb, while the search for a truly secure and reliable cloud solution can feel like navigating a minefield of options.
There are two options when it comes to secured backups. You can back up your files with cloud storage or store them safely in physical hard drives. Like every other technological innovation that has emerged, there are many options for you to choose from.
Finding the right option for your technology requires finding a balance between accessibility, privacy, and budget. That already sounds like a lot of work. But no worries, I love explaining difficult concepts on Free Thinkers Business Network. In this guide will show you the best cloud or hard drive backup storage options for your devices.
Let’s start with Cloud Storage options. Here are the most popular options available:
| Cloud Storage Option | Advantages | Storage Space | Pricing (Estimated) | Security Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google One | Seamless integration with Google Workspace & AI-powered organization | 2TB, 5TB, 10TB, 20TB | $9.99/month (2TB), $24.99/month (5TB), $49.99/month (10TB), $99.99/month (20TB) | End-to-end encryption, two-factor authentication, advanced malware scanning |
| IDrive Pro | Best value for large storage, excellent for backup | 5TB, 10TB, 20TB, 50TB | $49.75/year (5TB), $99.50/year (10TB), $199.50/year (20TB), $499.50/year (50TB) | Private encryption key, continuous data backup, versioning |
| Dropbox Plus | User-friendly interface, excellent file syncing | 2TB, 5TB, 10TB | $11.99/month (2TB), $21.99/month (5TB), $39.99/month (10TB) | 256-bit AES encryption, remote device wipe, link permissions |
Popular Offline Backup Storage Options
| Hard Drive | Advantages | Storage Space | Pricing (Estimated) | Interface |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LaCie 2big RAID | Professional-grade RAID storage, fast transfer speeds | 16TB, 32TB, 64TB | $600 (16TB), $1100 (32TB), $2000 (64TB) | Thunderbolt 3, USB-C | QNAP TS-464-8G (NAS) | Affordable 4-bay NAS for home and small businesses | Up to 80TB (with 4x 20TB drives) | $550 (enclosure only) + drives | 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet | Seagate Portable HDD | Budget-friendly portable storage | 2TB, 4TB, 5TB | $60 (2TB), $90 (4TB), $120 (5TB) | USB 3.0 |
What to Look for in a Backup Storage – 7 Key Points
To save you time, we have summarized all the important factors for choosing the right backup storage for you into 7 non-negotiable points.
- Performance: No two storage options are alike. Your backup storage must satisfy your recovery point objective (RPO) and recovery time objective (RTO). RPO is how much data you can afford to lose in a worst-case scenario. RTO is how quickly you need to have your lost data restored.
- Cost: Backups will become more expensive as your needs grow. Always factor in your budget the necessary software and hardware purchases, maintenance contracts, and even employee training.
- Data Encryption: Encryption means that to prevent unauthorized access, your data becomes coded and unreadable without the right key. Most cloud providers have AES-256, which is one of the strongest data encryption methods. Many physical drives also have a hardware encryption on them.
- Speed Tolerance: How quickly do you need your backups to be? Cloud backup speed depends on the strength of your internet connection, while physical drive speed depends on how good the hardware is. Your tolerance for backup duration should also guide your choice.
- Storage Capacity: While Cloud Storage options offer flexible plans that can be upgraded, physical drives have predefined storage capacities that cannot be increased. Choose the solution that provides enough space for your data and think about your future needs.
- Backup Automation: Do you need to automate your backup process? Luckily, many cloud services and even some backup software for physical drives allow you to automate your backup. If you want a “set it once and forget it” solution, make sure automation is a feature.
- Your Preferred Interface: When you have a list of possible backup options to choose from, consider how user-friendly they are. Typically, cloud backup options have web-based dashboards, and physical drives have software interfaces. Your choice should have an interface that is easy to navigate
3 Best Cloud Backups in 2025
What are the best backup options you should consider if you want a cloud-based solution? We have picked the top 3 to choose from:
- Google One: Google One cloud storage is an all-in-one solution, especially if you use Google products like Gmail, Drive, Sheets, Docs, or Google’s AI features. Their cloud storage option is user-friendly, secure, and has smart organization features.
- IDrive Pro: IDrive Pro is the best value if you have big storage needs. It’s secure and reliable, though the interface isn’t the best – or as good as Google. This should be ‘just right’ for you if you have tons of data to back up on a budget.
- Dropbox Plus: Dropbox Plus has a really good interface, and it allows you to sync and share your files easily. There is a catch, though—it gets more expensive as your storage needs increase, but it is very seamless.
3 Best External Hard Drives in 2025
If you need the best physical hard drive for your data storage or backup needs, you should consider any of these three:
- LaCie 2big RAID: This is a very fast, professional-grade storage solution with RAID data protection. It is perfect for creative professionals and media organizations with large files and a need for speed.
- QNAP TS-464-8G (NAS): This is a mini-server for your home or work computer backup needs. You get centralized storage, and you can access it remotely. It’s a bit technical, but worth the learning curve
- Seagate Portable HDD: This is one of the simplest HDD options. It combines affordability and portability. It’s not the fastest, but it’s a reliable and budget-friendly choice for your everyday needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the safest way to backup in 2025: cloud or external hard drive?
The safest backup setup is a combination of cloud storage and external hard drives. This provides redundancy and protection from threats.
Should I Backup in the Cloud if I have Physical Drives?
Yes, Cloud storage is worth paying for, even if you have an external hard drive already. You will be getting off-site protection against theft, fire, or natural disasters, ensuring your data is safe and secure.
Which is Faster for Backups – HDD or SSD?
An SSD storage is significantly faster than a HDD for backups. SSDs have no revolving disk, giving faster read and write speeds.