Carbonite Reviews

Carbonite backs up all data in the cloud and doesn’t allow files to be backed up onto a hard drive or other local or external devices. It supports various file types, including documents, text files, archives (such as zip and rar), PDFs, images, music, and videos.

Customers can opt for either automatic or manual backups. That said, they should know that automatic backups for video files require a medium or high-tier subscription.

Since Carbonite's approach to backups is simple, there are few advanced control options for file backup management to make up for this. The main controls include starting and pausing backups and choosing whether they run automatically or manually. Users can back up files individually or remove specific files from backup operations with the manual option.

Unfortunately, Carbonite doesn’t offer file syncing and backup scheduling options. However, it offers unlimited storage, which is a significant advantage over most online backup solutions. This is because most of them impose storage limits and charge users for additional space.

Carbonite includes other relevant features like file versioning for up to 12 days and file sharing, although these are limited to specific devices. In this case, file versioning is only compatible with Windows and file sharing with mobile devices via Carbonite's mobile app.

One of Carbonite's highlights is the courier recovery drive feature, available for Windows and macOS. This option lets U.S.-based users request a physical hard drive containing their backed-up files. This is mostly useful for restoring significant amounts of data that would take a long time to download from the cloud.

The prices for accessing this service vary depending on the user’s subscription. It’s important to mention that when the package is delivered, users must sign for it and return it within 21 days. Failing to do so will incur non-return fees of up to $300.

Since the software backs up all data to the cloud, we liked having the option to have our files removed from Carbonite's cloud. In fact, this is an easy task, only requiring for you to deselect files from the backups, and they will be removed within 72 hours.

Alternatively, if you delete backed-up files or folders from your computer, they will be removed from the cloud after 30 days. To avoid any mishaps, do not delete any important files or disconnect your hard drive for more than 30 days without reconnecting it.

Carbonite's privacy policy is unclear regarding how it handles user data. After clicking on the privacy policy link on the website, you’re redirected to OpenText’s privacy policy. This is easily explained since Carbonite was bought by OpenText in 2019. However, that privacy policy doesn’t mention Carbonite or backups, leaving users clueless.

After some digging, we found a white paper on how Carbonite ensures data privacy and information security for organizations and consumers. This paper mentions 128-bit Blowfish encryption for cloud storage and TLS 1.2 for protecting data as it travels from your device to its servers. Keep in mind, white papers are not legal documents like privacy policies, and the information contained in this paper isn’t included in their official privacy policy.

On the bright side, Carbonite has multiple data centers worldwide, guarded 24/7. All employee access to the data centers is controlled by biometric scanners, electronic keycards with pin codes, and 24/7 CCTV surveillance. Unfortunately, private encryption keys are limited to Windows devices.

Carbonite provides an additional layer of security through private encryption keys for backup protection. However, this feature is available exclusively to Windows users, leaving macOS users reliant on Carbonite to handle encryption.

Carbonite is compatible with Windows, Windows Server, macOS, iOS, and Android. However, backups are limited to computers and laptops, and its mobile app, Carbonite Mobile, serves exclusively as a backup management center.

Carbonite Mobile offers remote access to all saved files and includes a search bar, sharing options, and a favorites section for accessing preferred files or folders. Users can also change how files are displayed between a grid and list view and sort files alphabetically.

In addition, there’s an online portal for managing subscriptions, payment history, downloading apps, and accessing and downloading backed-up files. Depending on the plan, users can either backup a single computer or one computer and an external hard drive. To back up more than two devices, you have to subscribe to one of Carbonite's professional plans.

Getting started with Carbonite is a breeze. After creating an account, you get instant access to your portal, where you can download the apps for Windows and macOS. Everything’s quick to set up, letting you start backing up files in no time.

Carbonite's apps offer a few different features across multiple platforms, such as private encryption keys being exclusive to Windows. Nonetheless, all are easy to use and navigate. The Windows and macOS app includes different icons for different file states like a green light for successfully backed-up documents and a warning sign for those deleted from the device but saved.

Restoring files isn’t complicated at all. Users can choose to download them to a folder of their choice or restore them to their original location. To select which files and folders to back up, they must choose one and click a ‘Don’t back up’ or ‘Back this up’ button. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to select multiple files or folders at once, and we experienced occasional performance hiccups after selecting individual files for backup.

Carbonite has three subscription tiers and three billing cycles for individuals to choose from. The cheapest option is the 1-year basic plan, which costs $6 per month and includes a 25% discount. It includes all the backup essentials for one device, like unlimited storage, automatic backups for documents, photos, music, and a mobile app.

Going the extra mile, Carbonite has a generous 15-day free trial available, allowing you to make up your mind before jumping into an investment.

While the basic plan is the cheapest option, customers can achieve more significant savings with the yearly Plus plan, which costs $6.58 and includes 40% off. This plan has additional features like support for backing up an external hard drive, automatic backups for video files, and Webroot Antivirus protection for one computer.

Those looking for a more comprehensive approach to backups can choose one of s plans that are designed for professional or business use. These plans include cloud backup support for multiple devices and servers, full system snapshots, and instant data recovery.

Carbonite has a 30-day money-back guarantee and accepts payments via popular credit cards like Visa and Mastercard.

Carbonite's support resources include FAQs and knowledge base pages for each product. Unfortunately, to reach them, users must jump through multiple hoops of pages, which can be a bit frustrating. After gaining access, there are tutorials for many topics, such as backups, file restoration, and subscriptions.

Another downside is that clicking on video tutorials leads to an empty Carbonite Customer support page, which warns us to log in to access them. Even after logging in, we couldn’t access them.

The company has a phone number and email submission form for reaching a customer support agent. Unfortunately, we weren’t successful in reaching out via email. Every time we tried, we encountered an error notice saying we should try again via phone or chat (which is nonexistent) between 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. ET. The issue is that we always got the same error no matter the hour we tried.

According to general user feedback, Carbonite has a polarized perception of its customer service quality. While some indicate strengths in terms of professionalism, others mention challenges with support availability and restoration speeds.

On the downside, there are a couple of concerns regarding the lack of backup scheduling options, unclear privacy policy, occasional dips in performance, and absence of private encryption keys for macOS.

That said, its easy-to-use apps, unlimited storage, and discounted plans can make it the best choice for users new to backups or seeking a straightforward option.