Review
Why we recommend IDrive for cloud backup.
IDrive is the automatic backup service that shows up most often across our calculators and guides. This review explains why, with pricing verified directly on idrive.com and no attempt to hide that the link below is an affiliate link.
What IDrive is
IDrive is an automatic cloud backup service built to protect entire computers, not just a synced folder. It runs in the background, backs up several devices under one account, and keeps previous versions of your files in case you need to recover something from before an error or a ransomware attack.
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Why we recommend it
Three concrete reasons keep bringing us back to IDrive whenever someone asks "what if I want something automatic, not just a drive?":
- Backs up several devices under one plan. The Personal plan (5 TB) doesn't limit how many computers or phones you connect — unlike services that charge per device, here the limit is storage space, not device count.
- Snapshots to restore earlier versions. If ransomware encrypts your files or you delete something by mistake, you can restore a version from before the problem instead of losing the file entirely.
- Optional private-key encryption. On top of standard 256-bit AES encryption, you can set your own encryption key that even IDrive can't read — useful if your priority is making sure no one else has technical access to your files.
IDrive has also picked up Editor's Choice recognition from PCWorld, How-To Geek and ITPro, and has been covered by tech outlets like Wired, Engadget, Lifehacker, TechCrunch, TechRadar and CNET — this isn't a brand without a track record.
IDrive Personal — 5 TB
The plan we recommend for home backup across several devices.
- 5 TB of storage, no limit on how many computers or phones you connect.
- Snapshots to restore earlier versions of your files.
- 256-bit AES encryption with an optional private key.
- Editor's Choice pick from PCWorld, How-To Geek and ITPro.
$6.99 USD/month in the first year (billed annually) — $9.99/month list price
Pricing verified on idrive.com
These are the annual-billing prices published on IDrive's official site at the time this review was written. The discounted price applies only to the first year.
IDrive Personal, billed annually (list price → first-year price).
| Plan | Storage | List price | First year |
|---|---|---|---|
| IDrive Personal | 5 TB | $9.99/month | $6.99/month |
| IDrive Personal | 10 TB | $14.99/month | $10.49/month |
| IDrive Personal | 20 TB | $24.99/month | $17.49/month |
| IDrive Basic | 10 GB | Free | Free |
IDrive also offers a 2-year plan with up to 50% off, plus Team and Business plans for multiple users — check IDrive's plans if you need something bigger than personal use.
Who it's best for
If you want to stop worrying about remembering to back up — something that just runs automatically, in the background, every day — IDrive solves exactly that. It's also the more logical choice if you have more than one device to protect (a work computer, a personal laptop, a phone) and don't want a separate subscription for each one.
It's not the best fit if you only want to sync a folder between devices without a full-system backup, or if you'd rather pay once instead of an annual subscription — for that, check our pCloud review, which does offer a one-time payment plan.
Sources
The prices and plans in this review were verified directly on IDrive's official site (plans and pricing, and security page) on August 2, 2026. Prices can change — confirm the current value before subscribing.