Our verdict · 7.9/10 Good
A simple, reputable backup service. More expensive per computer than some rivals and less flexible for technical users.
Key takeaways
- Best for: Small offices wanting simple backup.
- Strongest area: Ease of use (8.4/10). Weakest: Integrations & ecosystem (7.0/10).
- Price: From around $6 / month per computer (billed annually) — free trial available.
- Watch out for: Price per computer adds up.
What is Carbonite?
Carbonite offers automatic cloud backup for computers, with business plans adding servers, external drives and Microsoft 365 backup. It is aimed at small businesses wanting set-and-forget protection.
Carbonite is made by OpenText and is reviewed here as a backup service. It is priced on a subscription basis, and our editorial score is 7.9 out of 10, calculated from six weighted criteria.
Who it’s for — and who should skip it
Choose Carbonite if
- Small offices wanting simple backup
- Non-technical owners
- Server backup needs
Not for you if
- Technical users wanting fine control
- Budget-first multi-device backup
Key features
Continuous file backup.
Images and databases.
Email and file protection.
Restore earlier versions.
- Microsoft 365
- Windows Server
- SQL Server
Pros & cons
What we like
- Automatic and easy
- Server and SaaS options
- Reputable vendor
- Courier recovery on some plans
Watch out for
- Price per computer adds up
- Less control
- Interface varies across products
Pricing & true cost
| Plan | Indicative price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ≈ $6 / device / mo | Billed annually |
| Professional | Custom quote | Quote / bundle |
| Server | Custom quote | Quote |
Pricing watch-out: Business plans priced per bundle.
True cost at 5, 10 and 25 seats
Cheapest paid plan that fits each team size, from indicative list prices checked October 31, 2026. Excludes tax, add-ons, onboarding fees and promotional discounts.
Pricing watch-outs
- Quote-only tier. Professional, Server have no public price. Ask for a written quote that includes onboarding and support fees.
Contract questions to ask before you sign
- Does the plan auto-renew, and how many days’ notice do you need to cancel?
- Is the advertised price for annual billing? What is the month-to-month price?
- Is the first-year price a promotion? What will renewal cost, and is it capped?
- Is there a minimum number of seats, or a charge for inactive users?
- Are onboarding, implementation or premium-support fees extra?
- How do we export all our data if we leave, and in what format?
General questions for any vendor — not findings about this product. Build a full checklist with our requirements builder.
Indicative USD pricing, last checked October 31, 2026. Vendors change prices and promotions often — always confirm on their website. Model your own numbers with our SaaS TCO calculator.
Score breakdown
| Criterion | Weight | Score | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Features & fit | 25% | 7.6 | 1.90 | |
| Ease of use | 15% | 8.4 | 1.30 | |
| Value for money | 15% | 7.4 | 1.10 | |
| Support & reliability | 10% | 7.6 | 0.80 | |
| Security & privacy | 30% | 8.4 | 2.50 | |
| Integrations & ecosystem | 5% | 7.0 | 0.40 | |
| Overall | 100% | Weighted for security products | 7.9 | |
Security & compliance facts
| Item | Status | Question to ask OpenText |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-factor authenticationStops most account takeovers from reused or phished passwords. | Not verified by us | Can admins enforce MFA for every user, on every plan? |
| Single sign-on (SAML/OIDC)Lets you remove a leaver’s access everywhere from one place. | Not verified by us | Is SSO included on the plan we are buying, or only on enterprise tiers? |
| SOC 2 Type II reportIndependent audit of the vendor’s security controls — often required by larger customers. | Not verified by us | Can we see your current SOC 2 Type II report (under NDA if needed)? |
| ISO/IEC 27001 certificationInternational standard for running an information-security programme. | Not verified by us | Which legal entity and services does your ISO 27001 certificate cover? |
| GDPR data processing agreementNeeded if you handle personal data of people in the EU/UK. | Not verified by us | Do you offer a signed DPA and list your sub-processors? |
| HIPAA business associate agreementRequired before US healthcare businesses store protected health information. | Not verified by us | Will you sign a BAA, and on which plans? |
We have not yet verified these items for Carbonite against a primary source, so we don’t claim them either way. Check OpenText’s trust or security page and ask for documents in writing.
Before you buy any backup service
Check Carbonite against the same list we use for every backup service — and confirm each point on the plan you intend to buy, not the top tier.
- Automatic, continuous backup
- Version history and retention
- Immutable or ransomware-protected storage
- Simple restore workflow
- Transparent storage pricing
See every ranked option in Backup & Recovery.
Carbonite alternatives
Pick an alternative by what matters to you
- Cheaper
Backblaze≈ $6/mo vs $60/mo at 10 users (cheapest paid plans, indicative) - Has a free plan
Veeam Data PlatformCarbonite has no free plan; Veeam Data Platform does - Easier to useBackblazeEase-of-use score 9.4 vs 8.4
- Better integrationsVeeam Data PlatformIntegrations score 8.6 vs 7.0
- Stronger on securityVeeam Data PlatformSecurity & privacy score 9.2 vs 8.4
- Higher overall score
Acronis Cyber ProtectOverall 8.5 vs 7.9
Computed from our published scores and indicative pricing for tools in the same category as Carbonite. Scores are editorial; see the methodology.
Editor’s picks
Simple, unlimited computer backup and low-cost cloud storage.
Affordable multi-device cloud backup, plus S3-compatible object storage.
Backup and cyber protection combined in one agent.
Head-to-head comparisons
Review history
- Scored under methodology v2.0 (six weighted criteria, computed overall score).
Carbonite FAQ
Who owns Carbonite?
OpenText, which acquired Carbonite in 2019.
Does Carbonite back up servers?
Yes, on business server plans.
Does Carbonite have a free plan?
No, Carbonite does not offer a permanent free plan, but a free trial is available. Pricing starts at From around $6 / month per computer (billed annually) (indicative).
Who is Carbonite best for?
Carbonite is best for: small offices wanting simple backup; non-technical owners; server backup needs.
How much does Carbonite cost for a team of 10?
On indicative list prices, the cheapest paid plan that fits 10 users (Core) works out at roughly $60 per month, or about $720 per year, before tax, add-ons and discounts.
How is the Carbonite score calculated?
The 7.9/10 overall score is a weighted average of six sub-scores — features & fit, ease of use, value, support & reliability, security & privacy, and integrations — using the published weights for security products. Affiliate relationships have no input. See our methodology page for the full rubric.
What are the best alternatives to Carbonite?
Popular alternatives include Backblaze, IDrive, Acronis Cyber Protect. See our comparisons for side-by-side verdicts.