Every creator has one drive that would ruin their year if it died: the photo archive, the raw footage, the project files for every client. Syncing to iCloud or Google Drive isn't a backup, because a deleted or corrupted file syncs too. A real cloud backup keeps old versions, survives ransomware and lets you get everything back when the drive fails.
Our verdict: Backblaze Computer Backup is the best cloud backup for most creators. It's $99 a year for unlimited storage from one computer, including its attached external drives, with a free year of version history. If your archive lives on a NAS, use Backblaze B2, because Backblaze's personal plan can't back up a NAS, and B2's $6.95 per TB with no minimums is the simplest storage to point your NAS at.
The Short Version
One computer plus external drives: Backblaze Computer Backup, $99 a year, unlimited.
Several computers and phones on one account: IDrive Personal, 5 TB from $6.99 a month in year one.
A NAS: Backblaze B2 at $6.95 per TB, or IDrive e2 at $6 per TB if you have at least 1 TB.
Skip Wasabi unless you store a lot and rarely delete. Its 90-day minimum storage charge punishes backup jobs that prune old versions.
Prices at a glance
Prices checked October 15, 2026, on each company's own pricing page.
| Service | Price | What it backs up | Version history | Restore by drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Backblaze Computer Backup | $99/yr, unlimited | 1 computer + attached USB/Thunderbolt drives | 30 days default, 1 year free, forever for $0.006/GB/mo | Up to 8 TB drive, $279, refunded if returned in 30 days |
| IDrive Personal | 5 TB: $6.99/mo first year, then $11.99/mo | Multiple computers, phones, external drives | Up to 30 versions per file | $99.50 |
| Backblaze B2 | $6.95/TB/mo, first 10 GB free | Anything you point at it: NAS, Arq, servers | Set by your backup app | No |
| IDrive e2 | $6/TB/mo, 1 TB minimum | Anything S3-compatible | Set by your backup app | No |
| Wasabi | $7.99/TB/mo, 1 TB minimum | Anything S3-compatible | Set by your backup app | No |
Backblaze Computer Backup: best for one machine
Backblaze is the backup you install and forget. It costs $9 a month, $99 a year or $189 for two years, for unlimited data from one computer, with no limit on file type or size. That includes external USB, FireWire and Thunderbolt drives plugged into that computer, which matters for photographers and editors who keep archives on a desk full of drives.
Version history is 30 days by default, and you can switch it to a full year at no extra charge. Do that on day one. Keeping versions forever costs $0.006 per GB a month for anything older than a year. You can set a private encryption key so Backblaze itself can't read your files.
Restores are free to download, up to 500 GB per request. For a full drive failure, Backblaze ships you a USB drive with up to 8 TB for $279, and refunds it if you send the drive back within 30 days.
The catch: it won't back up a NAS, network drives or SD cards, and by default it skips some file types like disk images and Lightroom caches. Check the exclusions list in settings and remove anything you need.
IDrive: best for many devices on one bill
IDrive covers one user across multiple computers, phones and external drives, which Backblaze doesn't. Its 5 TB plan is $6.99 a month in the first year and $11.99 a month after that, with 10 TB, 20 TB and larger tiers above it. It keeps up to 30 versions of each file and holds deleted files for 30 days.
It has a private-key option, and it can back up Synology and QNAP NAS boxes as a paid add-on. Its IDrive Express service ships a drive for a full restore for $99.50, cheaper than Backblaze's refundable deposit if you don't plan to send the drive back.
The catch: it's capped. Go over 5 TB and you pay $0.25 per GB a month for the extra, so creators with big archives should size the plan honestly, and note the renewal price after year one.
Backblaze B2: best for a NAS
If you followed our NAS vs cloud storage verdict and run a NAS as your main archive, you need storage your NAS can write to. B2 is the cleanest choice: $6.95 per TB a month, the first 10 GB free, no minimum storage time and no minimum file size fees. Downloads are free up to three times your average monthly storage, which covers almost any restore.
Synology's Hyper Backup writes to B2 through its S3-compatible setting, and Backblaze publishes the steps. QNAP's Hybrid Backup Sync supports B2 directly. Hyper Backup handles versions and encryption on the NAS side.
IDrive e2: the cheapest per terabyte
IDrive e2 is $6 per TB a month, with free downloads up to three times what you store, no minimum storage time and no API fees. The catch is a 1 TB minimum bill, so it only wins if you're storing more than a terabyte. IDrive publishes a Synology Hyper Backup guide for it.
Wasabi: good storage, wrong fit for most backups
Wasabi is $7.99 per TB a month with no download or API fees, which sounds great. But it bills a 1 TB minimum, charges for 90 days on anything you delete sooner, and expects your monthly downloads to stay below what you store. Backup apps that rotate old versions delete files constantly, so you end up paying for data you've already removed. For backups, B2 or e2 is simpler and cheaper.
What about Arq, iCloud and Dropbox?
Arq is backup software, not storage. Arq 7 costs $59.99 per computer and backs up to storage you choose, such as B2, with end-to-end encryption. Arq Premium is $69.99 a year for 5 computers with 1 TB included. It's the pick for people who want Backblaze-style backups with their own storage and full control.
iCloud, Google Drive and Dropbox are sync services. They're great for working across devices, but a deleted or overwritten file disappears everywhere. Keep using them, and add a real backup underneath.
The verdict
Backblaze Computer Backup is the best cloud backup for most creators in 2026. Unlimited storage for $99 a year, attached drives included, a free year of versions and a fast drive restore make it the easiest way to protect one machine and its archives.
For a NAS, use Backblaze B2 with Hyper Backup or Hybrid Backup Sync, or IDrive e2 once you're past a terabyte. Choose IDrive Personal if one account has to cover several computers and phones. Once the files are safe, a media asset manager makes them easy to find.
FAQ
What's the best cloud backup for photographers?
Backblaze Computer Backup is the best for most photographers: $99 a year for unlimited storage from one computer, including attached external drives, with up to a year of version history at no extra cost. If your photo archive is on a NAS, back the NAS up to Backblaze B2 instead.
Is Backblaze or IDrive better?
Backblaze is better for one computer with large external drives, because storage is unlimited for $99 a year. IDrive is better for backing up several computers and phones on one account, but it's capped by plan size, starting at 5 TB, and renews at a higher price after the first year.
Can Backblaze back up a NAS?
Not with the personal Computer Backup plan, which excludes NAS and network drives. To back up a NAS, use Backblaze B2 cloud storage with your NAS's backup app, such as Synology Hyper Backup or QNAP Hybrid Backup Sync.
Is Wasabi or Backblaze B2 cheaper?
B2 is cheaper for most backups. B2 is $6.95 per TB a month with no minimum storage time. Wasabi is $7.99 per TB with a 1 TB minimum charge and a 90-day minimum storage duration, so backup jobs that delete old versions end up paying for deleted data.
Is iCloud or Google Drive a backup?
No. They sync files across devices, so if you delete or overwrite a file, the change syncs everywhere. A backup service keeps older versions and deleted files so you can recover them.