Carbonite review (2026): verdict, pros & cons

Set-and-forget unlimited automatic backup for a single computer, a long-standing consumer/SMB backup brand (OpenText).

Here is an independent read on Carbonite: where it shines as a cloud backup option, where it slips, and whether it earns its price.

Verdict: If personal-backup is your priority, Carbonite rarely disappoints. Our editorial rating is 4.0/5 — an editorial assessment from sourced research and feature comparison, not an average of user reviews.

Who Carbonite is for

Carbonite makes the most sense for personal-backup and set-and-forget. When that lines up with your workflow it pays off fast; otherwise it can feel like more tool than you need.

Notable features

In practice, the features that define Carbonite are concrete:

• Automatic continuous backup with unlimited storage for one computer (personal)
• Set-and-forget scheduling with encryption in transit and at rest
• Courier recovery (physical disk) on the Prime tier
• External drive backup on Plus and Prime tiers
• Optional private encryption key for advanced privacy

Veteran set-and-forget unlimited backup for a single computer, now under OpenText.

Pros & cons

Pros

• + Genuinely unlimited storage for one computer at a flat rate
• + Simple, fully automatic set-and-forget operation
• + Long-established brand (now OpenText) with courier recovery option

Cons to weigh

• - Basic plan excludes external drives and some video file types by default
• - More expensive and slower than rivals like Backblaze for similar value
• - Feature investment has stalled under OpenText ownership

Pricing: ~$8.34/mo (~$99.99/yr) Safe Basic unlimited (1 computer); Plus/Prime and business tiers higher · full pricing breakdown →

Bottom line

The short version: Carbonite rewards anyone whose work leans on personal-backup, and paid plans start around $8.34/mo, so run a quick trial on a live project before committing.

Alternatives to consider

Not sure Carbonite is the one? We compare the strongest options side by side in our Carbonite alternatives roundup — useful if pricing or a specific feature is a sticking point.

See Carbonite plans →