7 Mac Backup Solutions That Aren't Time Machine (2023)

Every Mac comes with Time Machine, a backup solution that makes it easyTake a snapshot of your computeron an external drive. However, we recommend seriously considering an extra backup or two.

Today we're going to look at some Time Machine alternatives to create backups that will make sure you don't lose your data.

Why not use the time machine?

Time Machine is a great backup tool that works with just about any external drive or drivedone mac. It can be used in conjunction with other backup solutions (like the ones mentioned below) to make sure you have more than one backup if something bad happens. You can alsoUse a Time Machine drive for storage and backup.

Apple's backup solution is easy to use, but it comes at the cost of customization. You can ignore specific system folders and files, but that's about it. Every time you plug in your drive, the backup will run unless you interrupt it, intelligently indexing and backing up the drive to ensure files aren't duplicated to save space.

Time Machine is a local backup solution. Your Time Machine drive is probably not far from your Mac most of the time. If something goes wrong with your Mac, you can use Time Machine to recover lost data. But what if something happens to your Mac?jYour Time Machine hard drive, e.g. B. a flood, burglary or house fire?

This is where the 3-2-1 backup rule comes into play. You must have three copies of your data, two of which are local (on different devices).an external copy. In the case of your Mac, you already have two local copies at your home or office (one on your Mac and one on your Time Machine drive). A third backup can be added using online storage for true offsite security.

It's also worth considering cloning tools that will get you up and running in record time if you ever need to restore a Mac. While Time Machine only creates archives of your data and applications, cloning software can create a backup copy of the entire hard drive so that, in the worst case, it can be completely copied back.

Alternatives to the time machine

Some backup tools try to do everything, while others have very specific usage scenarios. You need to find something that works for you and use it religiously to ensure data is never lost.

Easy to start backups:Too much!(Buch)

Too much! is a free and easy way to create a full backup of your Mac's hard drive that is fully bootable. You can download SuperDuper! for free and use the main functions forever. This allows you to copy the contents of your Mac to an external drive that you can copy back to your Mac if something goes wrong.

Upgrade to SuperDuper! For just over $30 you get some other useful features like Smart Update, which indexes files and only copies changes (like Time Machine), as well as scheduling and scripting features. If you plan, SuperDuper! To back up your Mac regularly, it's worth upgrading.

Too much! It supports Yosemite all the way to Big Sur, with a built-in Apple Silicon in beta testing (at the time of writing, July 2021). When you quickly suspect something is wrong with your Mac, SuperDuper! it can be a life saver.

Sync files between devices:ChronoSync(US$ 49,99)

ChronoSync does many things including creating offsite file backups and bootable cloning of your hard drive. You can use it like Time Machine with local drives and network locations, and it has powerful scheduling tools that can start backups in the background.

But ChronoSync's main attraction is its ability to keep data in sync between two or more devices. Suppose you have a Mac at home and a laptop for the office. ChronoSync allows you to keep the same set of files in sync between these two devices.

This is ideal if you work on a project from more than one location, as creatives, video editors, and designers often do. Online backups can be made via SFTP to Amazon S3, Backblaze B2 and web servers. If you don't need the offsite backups, consider the cheaper ones.ChronoSync Express($24.99) instead.

Time machine on steroids:punch cloner(US$ 39,99)

Carbon Copy Cloner is a multipurpose backup tool that comes as a more powerful version of Time Machine. Backups are stored as snapshots on a calendar (just like Time Machine) and can be performed on local or networked Mac drives. Indexing ensures backups complete quickly, so files are not unnecessarily copied more than once.

The true strength of Carbon Copy Cloner is its customizability. You can choose exactly what and when to back up, and even employ clever tricks like Watch Folders to ensure important files are always protected.

If you find Time Machine useful but limiting, try Carbon Copy Cloner's 30-day free trial.

Bring your own storage:duplicate yourself(Free, open source)

If you already have online storage that you want to use for offsite backups, Duplicati is a free, open-source solution that lets you do just that. The cross-platform app works on Windows, macOS, and Linux; So you can keep all your backups in one place.

These backups can be performed using a variety of protocols and services including FTP, SSH, WebDAV, Backblaze B2, Amazon S3, Tardigrade, Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive, Mega,and more. The application focuses solely on creating and storing secure online backups with 256-bit AES encryption, with no local backup capabilities.

Duplicati uses a web-based interface to manage your schedule, initiate backups, and access your files. If you get stuck, you can fall back on ituser forumsto get help from the community. Duplicati is a great way to save some money if you know what you're doing.

External premium fuses:seem,I drive,carbonita

If you don't already have online storage or don't want to worry about managing your own backups, there are premium online backup services. Most of them offer the same essential service for a fixed monthly or yearly fee.

seemis one of the most affordable online solutions at $6 per computer per month. No data limits, no file size limits and an option to recover your data faster via a mailed hard drive.

I driveIt works a little differently as you pay around $70 per year for 5TB of storage that you can use on an unlimited number of computers. These include snapshots and file versions (so you can access older versions of files), as well as an option to back up your data and restore with a drive-in post.

carbonitais another option, starting at $4.99 for the most basic plan (billed annually). There is unlimited storage with remote access for any device, even via mobile apps. If you spend a little more, you can also get an external hard drive backup.

These are just three of many such services, and each one offers something different in terms of pricing. Make sure you do your research when looking for an online backup provider, especially if you're concerned about speed. The distance between servers can have a big impact on the speed of your backup.

Never leave home without a backup

It doesn't matter what backup software or online provider you use, as long as your data is backed up. Time Machine is perfect for most people, but solutions like ChronoSync and SuperDuper! adds another layer of security.

Take a look at our in-depth look at theThe best online backup providers.