Carbonite vs iDrive: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Carbonite and iDrive side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below, iDrive leads on higher user rating and a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Carbonite
Effortless, continuous backup and recovery for all your devices
Best for you if:
- • You want automatic backup
iDrive
Multi-computer cloud backup and storage solutions for home, business, and enterprises.
Best for you if:
- • You want affordable backup
| At a Glance | ||
|---|---|---|
Starts at | From $8/mo flat, billed yearly Basic plan | Free plan, paid from $11.99/mo flat, billed monthly IDrive® Personal plan |
Category | File Management Cloud Storage | File Management Cloud Storage |
Rating | 3.8/5 Trustpilot 3.4 · G2 4.0 · Capterra 4.3 3,442 reviews | 4.5/5 Capterra 4.6 · G2 4.0 1,202 reviews |
Free plan | No | No |
Watch out for | Business plans have storage limits | First-year yearly/2-year prices are promos. Official note: discounted price applies to the first year; standard pricing applies from year two (idrive.com/pricing). |
Choose Carbonite or iDrive?
Choose Carbonite if
- You want automatic backup
- You want ransomware protection
Choose iDrive if
- You want affordable backup
- You want good storage capacity
In-Depth Analysis
Carbonite
Effortless, continuous backup and recovery for all your devices
Watch out
Business plans have storage limits
Strengths
- Pro: Automatic backup
- Pro: Ransomware protection
- Pro: Business plans
Weaknesses
- Con: Slow uploads
- Con: Per-computer pricing
Key features
iDrive
Multi-computer cloud backup and storage solutions for home, business, and enterprises.
iDrive publishes a real grid.
Watch out
First-year yearly/2-year prices are promos. Official note: discounted price applies to the first year; standard pricing applies from year two (idrive.com/pricing).
Strengths
- Pro: Affordable backup
- Pro: Good storage capacity
- Pro: Multiple devices
- Pro: NAS backup
- Pro: Fair pricing
Weaknesses
- Con: Slow uploads
- Con: UI dated
- Con: Restore can be slow
- Con: Support basic
- Con: Better alternatives exist
Key features
Plans and prices: Carbonite vs iDrive
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Carbonite |
| carbonite.com read Nov 1, 2026 |
| iDrive |
| idrive.com/pricing read Nov 1, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on Carbonite pricing and iDrive pricing.
Key Takeaways
Carbonite
- Choose if you want effortless, continuous backup and recovery for all your devices
iDrive
- Higher user rating: 4.5/5 vs 3.8/5
- Has a free plan
What the data shows
On the data below, iDrive leads on higher user rating and a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
- iDrive has the higher user rating (3.8/5 from 3,442 reviews for Carbonite, 4.5/5 from 1,202 reviews for iDrive).
- Entry prices are not ranked, they are charged on different bases: Carbonite $8/mo flat, billed yearly; iDrive $11.99/mo flat, billed monthly.
- Only iDrive has a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Carbonite and iDrive compare in 2026?
On the data below, iDrive leads on higher user rating and a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. iDrive has the higher user rating (3.8/5 from 3,442 reviews for Carbonite, 4.5/5 from 1,202 reviews for iDrive). Entry prices are not ranked, they are charged on different bases: Carbonite $8/mo flat, billed yearly; iDrive $11.99/mo flat, billed monthly. Only iDrive has a free plan.
What are Carbonite and iDrive used for?
Carbonite: Effortless, continuous backup and recovery for all your devices. iDrive: Multi-computer cloud backup and storage solutions for home, business, and enterprises.
What does Carbonite cost vs iDrive?
Carbonite's cheapest paid plan is Basic at $8/mo flat, billed yearly. iDrive's cheapest paid plan is IDrive® Personal at $11.99/mo flat, billed monthly. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Nov 1, 2026.
What's the main difference between Carbonite and iDrive?
Carbonite's main strength: automatic backup. iDrive's main strength: affordable backup.