If, like 52% of the smartphone-owning population, you’re an Android user, you might want to think about setting up Android backups as well as storing the data on your PC. Why? Because today, our phones aren’t just for calling – they’re also where we keep our photos and videos, our messages, notes and other records of day-to-day life. So why risk losing all of this essential information?
There are lots of ways of backing up your phone’s data – manually or by using a dedicated Android backup app being the most common. For more information on other Android backup options, check out our complete guide to How to Backup and Restore your Android or, for a more general overview, head over to our Ultimate Guide to Mobile Backup.
However, while these options are good for doing things like storing your contacts and app data, online backup providers are an excellent way of ensuring that all of your data is stored in the same place – and of accessing your stored data while you’re on the go. So read on for the 5 Best Android Backups, 2016!
5 Best Android Backups Summary
[top5table IDrive GoogleDrive Dropbox MediaFire Box ratings=”5,4.5,4.2,4,3.7″]
Winner
IDrive
[vpnbest value=”5″] 5/5
PROS- Backup from unlimited devices
Backup photos & videos
Backup texts, contacts & more
Low price
End-to-end encryption
CONS- Price increase in second year
Limited customer support
IDrive goes above and beyond when it comes to Android backups – allowing mobile users to store not just photos and videos, but also texts, call logs, calendar information and contacts.
This is great if you don’t want to use a second app to keep that additional data safely stored – and also means that IDrive can be the go-to location for all of your data, keeping things simple should you need to retrieve information at short notice.
In addition to this, IDrive will also automatically backup all of your new photos and videos – so that the days of losing your photos because you waited too long to transfer them to your PC or Facebook are over.
With plans starting at just $3.71 per month for 1TB of space in your first year (increasing to $4.99 per month in your second), IDrive certainly won’t break the bank, and is an excellent choice for anyone looking for an affordable and reliable way to backup both mobile and PC data.
2nd place
Google Drive
[vpnbest value=”4.5″] 4.5/5
- PROS
- Integrated into most android phones
Automatically backup data
Create new documents
15GB free storage
- CONS
- Limited data security
With Google already a major player in the mobile business thanks, of course, to Android, it’s no surprise that it gives you all the tools you need to backup your phone’s data, too. This is achieved not by installing a single backup app, but by using mobile versions of Google’s existing services such as Drive, Photos and Gmail.
In fact, if you’re already running these on your phone, chances are that your photos, videos and any text documents you’ve opened or created are already being kept safe and sound in the Cloud. You can find out exactly how this works by checking out How to Backup and Restore your Android- our guide to everything you need to know about getting started with Android backups.
All mobile data saved using Google applications will automatically count towards your total storage space, which gives you 15GB for free, as well as offering paid plans from 100GB for $2 per month to 30TB for $300 per month.
Interested in making more space for your mobile data? Follow the link below to find out more.
3rd place
Dropbox
[vpnbest value=”4.2″] 4.2/5
- PROS
- Simple to use
Easy file transfers & sharing
Create new files
- CONS
- Limited security
It’s hard to go wrong with Dropbox when it comes to accessing your files remotely – with one of the most accessible interfaces around, you won’t have any problems logging into your account from your phone.
Once set up, you can view both Personal and Company accounts, create folders and new text files, upload photos and videos, and even take photos to backup directly to your Cloud storage space. On top of that, you can also access all of your already backed up data, which can be viewed within the Dropbox app, or downloaded and edited if you’ve got an app capable of opening the file type in question.
Once again, Dropbox’s Android backups are an extension of standard Dropbox accounts, so pricing is exactly the same, newly uploaded files will count towards your storage allowance, and you won’t have to pay any extra to access your account on the go.
Want to find out more? Just click the button below to head over to the Dropbox website.
4th place
MediaFire
[vpnbest value=”4″] 4/5
- PROS
- Easy to use
Well-designed basic processes
Automatic photo & video backups
- CONS
- Can be a little slow
Fairly limited features
With automatic video and image backups and the ability to view, share, and retrieve items from an existing account, MediaFire ticks all the boxes of a basic backup app, and performs these basic features to a very high standard.
The ability to adjust settings for both mobile and general account access is an added bonus, and the interface is simple and easy to use, although it can be a little slow at times.
A very reasonable price of just $5 per month for 1TB of storage space adds to the appeal, and there’s a 10GB free account on offer too if you’d like to try before you buy. Get started by following the link below!
5th place
Box
[vpnbest value=”3.7″] 3.7/5
- PROS
- Upload & download files
Create new notes
Comment on stored documents
Simple to use
- CONS
- Limited security
5MB max file size (PC & mobile)
Although many of Box’s most advanced features are reserved for Business subscriptions, they haven’t skimped on their Android backups for personal users, which in fact is an extremely valuable addition to their main software.
As well as featuring a clean and simple interface that’s easy to navigate, you’ll also be able to upload, download and share files with the Box app, as well as creating new notes and leaving comments on existing documents.
With the ability to backup from an unlimited number of devices, you can share your files between not just your phone and laptop, but other tablets, mobiles and work devices. 100GB is available for around $9 per month, and there’s a 10GB free plan too – so why not click the button below and find out more!
A common problem
One of the most widespread issues found in online backups for Android is that many apps aren’t able to upload and download files in the background – effectively putting your phone out of action as they dominate the screen until the transfer is finished.
This isn’t too much of a problem if you’ve got a decent internet connection and are using a fairly speedy provider, but it can be seriously inconvenient if you’ve got a slower setup and/or are trying to move around large quantities of data.
Some otherwise perfectly functional apps from providers including SpiderOak and Memopal suffer at the hands of this issue as, without it, they might have taken their places on our list.
Dedicated apps for Android backups
There are plenty of apps available for Android users looking to backup their system data, applications and contact and messaging info, with major players including Helium, Titanium, and Easy Backup and Restore.
If you don’t mind taking some risks with your handset, you can also look into applications that work with rooted phones, allowing users to make much deeper-level alterations to their device. For a general overview of these alternative backup methods, check out our comprehensive How to Backup and Restore your Android Guide.
Conclusion
With so many ways to keep your phone’s data safe online, there’s really no excuse for leaving your photos, videos and even contacts and app data unprotected.
If you’re thinking of signing up for an online backup service, then, it’s well worth thinking about Android backups too. Consider how your backup provider will work with your phone, and choose a provider that’s got the best interests of every bit of your data in mind – there are plenty of great options to choose from!
5 Best Android Backups Summary
[top5table IDrive GoogleDrive Dropbox MediaFire Box ratings=”5,4.5,4.2,4,3.7″]
