iDrive Review
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- The Good
- Supports iOS, Android and Windows iPhone
- Drag-and-drop file restore
- Pause and restart uploads
- The Bad
- Overuse charge on backup space
- Strict no-refund policy
- Slower performance by comparison
IDrive has carved out a niche for itself in online backup service circles. IDrive has you covered, whether you’re looking to back up PC files, your NAS, your smartphone photos or your Facebook account. It offers one of the more ambitious cloud-based syncing services and online backup programs. From its attractive pricing plans to the multitude of features it offers in desktop, mobile and web applications, iDrive is well worth considering when you’re in the market for cloud storage.
- Price
- Basic
- Free
- Personal 1TB plan
- $69.50/year
- Personal 10TB plan
- $499.50/year
IDrive’s Basic plan gets you 5GB of backup storage. That’s not a lot but could be enough for a casual user. The prices and storage options for business accounts vary, with up to 12,500GB available for $2,999.50 per month. You get the same one-year and two-year prepayment options with business accounts that you get with personal ones. One of the positives going for iDrive is that the personal plans allow for unlimited devices. For a large family, this means a low per-year cost for each device. That’s a nice perk. The lack of unlimited storage is a bit of a disappointment, but the availability of plans offering up to 10TB for personal accounts is not a bad deal.
- Specs
- Automatic sync
- NAS and external drive support
- Multiple platforms
- Encrypted file transfer
IDrive works on a variety of platforms, including Windows, Windows Mobile, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, iPhone and iPad. Link sharing and automatic syncing are available, regardless of the plan you choose. With iDrive, there are no file size restrictions or limitations on file types. You also get the option of full restore or individual file restoration.
- Features
- Open file backup
- Back up mapped network drives
- Proxy settings
Backups will run once per day by default. You can reset the backup schedule to specific times or only on certain days. Your iDrive includes options for desktop and email notifications. You can disable this feature if you find it distracting. The beauty of it is these notifications can be individually applied to each backup set. If you decide to get notifications for your backups to the cloud, for example, you can disable the notifications for backups to a local hard drive if you want.
- Security
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Password-protected
- Can use private encryption key
IDrive protects all file transfers and all stored files under 256-bit AES encryption. When you get ready to do your first backup, iDrive asks which you prefer: use their encryption key or a private encryption key. Using the iDrive encryption key means you’re allowing iDrive to handle the encryption of your backups. If you choose to use a private encryption key, you’ll be responsible for safeguarding it. Your backups will be inaccessible to you if you forget your private key.
Your account remains protected by your password, which you can change at any time. IDrive works with a zero-knowledge security system. This means that the system never saves your password. This makes it impossible for your password to end up in the hands of iDrive employees.
iDrive: User Reviews
iDrive: Comments
If you’re looking for a strong cloud backup service to keep your files safe, then iDrive may be what you’re seeking. The installation of iDrive is easy and straightforward once you get the desktop application downloaded. The included install wizard takes you through the process, step by step. You can start backing up your files immediately after completing the install.
The newer versions of the software are more user-friendly. The software doesn’t automatically back up all types of files or look for files in nonstandard folders. This is something you have to consider when setting up your backup parameters.
How Does iDrive Work?
IDrive has a web portal where you can access and share your files. You can browse your files, share them around with friends and family, and upload them to your account. You can’t download an entire folder, which is a negative, but a minor one.
The restore process is easy. Just click on the “restore” tab on the dashboard, browse through your backup folders, then select the file(s) you want to restore and where you want the restored files to land. Click to start, and that’s it.
When you have the iDrive Android or iOS app on other devices, you can restore your backed-up files from those devices to your desktop. The iDrive mobile app is ridiculously simple, making it super easy to access your files, protect your information and back up your mobile files.
What Makes iDrive Stand Out?
IDrive offers a strong, consistently performing cloud backup service. You can back up your entire disk image, giving you complete system protection. You can use local copy for an additional copy of your backup, such as an external drive.
IDrive lets you work on the go with powerful mobile apps for Android, iOS and Windows Phone. You can obtain a plan to back up just your mobile devices, with unlimited backup, for a measly $4.99 per year. You can back up contacts, calendars, photos and videos stored on your phone.
IDrive offers social data backup to safeguard your Facebook and Instagram photos and videos. This is not a feature common among competitors.
Common Reviews of Product
Reviews paint iDrive as the ultimate backup solution for smartphone users. Those with multiple computers and devices sing the praises of iDrive. The speed of the service is great, especially when restoring files.
Some complain that it allows unlimited machines but does not provide unlimited storage with accounts. There are some complaints about the dashboard being confusing for some novice users. This tends to rectify itself as users gain experience using the service.
Is iDrive for Me?
If all you need is a secure, safe backup space for your personal documents and photos, iDrive is an excellent choice. However, if you’re a professional who has a large cache of high-definition video or large files that need backing up and storage, iDrive could get expensive in a short amount of time.
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