If you run a WordPress website, having reliable backups is absolutely essential. With WordPress powering over 40% of websites on the internet, it has become a popular target for hackers. Even if your site doesn‘t get hacked, there are many other ways data can be lost including server crashes, failed updates, user errors, and more.
Having a recent backup ensures that even if disaster strikes, you can restore your WordPress site to working order quickly without losing all your hard work. While it‘s possible to perform manual backups, this is tedious and easy to forget. That‘s where WordPress backup plugins come in.
A good WordPress backup plugin will automatically back up your entire site on a schedule you define and securely store the backup files in a separate location. Many also provide easy restore options so you can roll your site back to a previous state in just a few clicks.
Backup plugins save you the time and headache of manually exporting your database and downloading all your WordPress files via FTP. They also reduce the risk of human error and ensure consistent, reliable backups.
While there are many great premium backup plugins available, you don‘t necessarily need to pay for this functionality. In this post, we‘ll compare the best free WordPress backup plugins for 2024.
Here is a quick summary of the top free backup plugins we‘ll be covering:
- UpdraftPlus
- BackWPup
- Duplicator
- All-in-One WP Migration
- WPvivid Backup Plugin
- Jetpack Backup (limited free version)
- XCloner
- BlogVault (limited free version)
- WP Database Backup
- Backup & Staging by WP TIME Capsule
Let‘s take a closer look at each of these plugins and see how they compare.
1. UpdraftPlus
UpdraftPlus is the most popular free WordPress backup plugin with over 3 million active installations. It allows you to create complete backups of your WordPress files and database and store them remotely on a variety of cloud storage services including Dropbox, Google Drive, Amazon S3, and more.
Some key features of UpdraftPlus include:
- Scheduled and on-demand backups
- Incremental backups (paid version)
- Choice of remote storage destinations
- Database encryption (paid version)
- Backup customization options
- Easy restore and migrate features
- Multisite support (paid version)
UpdraftPlus has a user-friendly settings panel where you configure backup frequency, select which files to include, choose remote storage locations, and more. By default, it backs up your entire WordPress directory and database.
One nice feature is the ability to exclude individual files or directories as needed to create custom backups. The paid version adds incremental backups, database encryption, more storage destinations, and other advanced options.
Overall, UpdraftPlus is a reliable, full-featured free backup plugin suitable for most WordPress sites. The premium version is affordable and ideal for those managing multiple client sites.
2. BackWPup
BackWPup is another popular free WordPress backup solution with over 600,000 active installs. Like UpdraftPlus, it can back up your database, files, and even your WordPress XML export file containing your posts and pages.
BackWPup provides several useful features including:
- Manual or automatic scheduled backups
- Database and file backups
- Multiple remote storage options
- Restore feature to import backups
- Database optimization and repair
- Choice of backup file formats
- Detailed log reports
After installing the plugin, you create Jobs that define exactly what you want to back up and where the backup archives will be stored. You can run jobs manually or schedule them to run automatically.
The pro version adds additional features like Dropbox, S3 and Google Drive integration, individual file restore, and more. But the free version covers the basics well for simple backup needs.
3. Duplicator
Duplicator is a popular WordPress plugin used for migrating and cloning sites. But it also works well as a basic backup solution. With over 1 million active installs, it‘s a reliable free option.
Duplicator lets you create a "package" that bundles up your entire WordPress site, including the theme, plugins, uploads, and database, into a single zip archive. You can then download this file to your computer or store it on a cloud service.
To restore your site, you simply upload the archive file to your server and run the included installer script. This will extract the backup and restore your WordPress site, even on a different domain or host.
Because of how it bundles everything into a single archive, Duplicator is super simple to use. But this also means it doesn‘t have some advanced features other backup plugins provide like excluding specific files/folders, scheduled backups, and incremental backups.
It‘s a good choice for quick manual backups or if you want an easy way to migrate your site to a new host or domain name. The pro version does add scheduled backups and cloud storage options.
4. All-in-One WP Migration
All-in-One WP Migration is similar to Duplicator in that it‘s primarily a migration plugin that also provides basic backup functionality. With 2 million active installs, it‘s a popular free option.
When you run All-in-One WP Migration, it exports your entire WordPress site including the database into a single file. You can then download this file to your computer or import it to another site to complete the migration.
For backup purposes, it provides a quick way to create a full site export that you can restore from if needed. However, it doesn‘t have any automatic scheduling or incremental backup features. For more advanced needs, they have premium extensions available.
All-in-One WP Migration stands out for its ease of use and is a good option for simple manual backups. Just be aware of its file size limits on the free version.
5. WPvivid Backup Plugin
WPvivid is a newer WordPress backup plugin that has quickly gained popularity due to its robust free version. It provides both manual and scheduled backups with flexible customization options.
Some notable features include:
- Full or partial backups (files + database)
- Automatic backup scheduling
- Multiple remote storage options
- Backup encryption and compression
- Backup retention and cleanup
- Individual file/folder exclusion
- Staging site creation (paid)
The standout feature of WPvivid is the ability to create partial backups that only include specific files, folders, or database tables. This provides a lot of flexibility in customizing your backup processes.
WPvivid also makes it simple to set up an automatic backup schedule, choose remote storage, retain a set number of backups, and restore your site when needed. The premium version adds more advanced features like incremental backups and staging sites.
For a free backup plugin, WPvivid is impressive and provides a nice balance of features and ease of use. Definitely a contender for one of the best free WordPress backup solutions.
6. Jetpack Backup
Jetpack is a multi-purpose WordPress plugin built by Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com. It‘s known for its wide array of features including site stats, performance, social media, and security tools.
Jetpack Backup (formerly VaultPress) is their automatic real-time backup solution. While it‘s a paid service, they do offer a limited free version.
On the free plan, Jetpack will perform daily backups of your site with a 30-day archive history. Backups are stored on their own servers and can be easily restored via the WordPress admin area.
While Jetpack Backup lacks scheduling options and remote storage destinations, the set-it-and-forget-it nature may appeal to those who want a hands-off solution. And since the backups are managed externally, they won‘t impact your server performance.
The downside is Jetpack Backup is quite limited on the free tier. Real-time backups, priority support, and security scanning requires a paid subscription. But if you‘re already using the other features of Jetpack, the free daily backups can provide some extra peace of mind.
7. XCloner
XCloner is a well-rated free WordPress backup plugin that supports both manual and scheduled backups. It can back up your full WordPress site and store the archives remotely or email them.
Core features include:
- Manual or scheduled backups
- Backup encryption
- Email notifications
- Multiple remote storage options
- Restore backup archives
- Backup size limits
- Logs of backup activity
Using XCloner, you can create a custom backup plan that meets your needs. This includes setting a backup schedule, choosing what files/folders to include, and specifying remote storage locations.
For secure backups, XCloner provides the option to encrypt your archives. It also logs all backup activity so you have a detailed record.
One potential downside is XCloner‘s interface can be a bit technical and overwhelming compared to other backup plugins. But it provides a good set of core features, especially for a free plugin.
8. BlogVault
BlogVault is a premium WordPress backup and security service that offers a limited free plan. Unlike most other backup plugins, BlogVault performs "incremental backups" where only the files that have changed since your last backup are copied.
This allows it to run backups more frequently without straining your server resources. The free plan includes daily backups with 90-day backup archive and a 1-click restore option.
While the free version of BlogVault only backs up your WordPress database, the paid plans add full site backups and additional features like site migration, staging sites, and uptime monitoring.
The offsite storage and incremental approach of BlogVault can make it an attractive option. Just keep in mind that to back up your full WordPress site, you‘ll need to upgrade to a paid plan.
9. WP Database Backup
As the name suggests, WP Database Backup is a free plugin focused on backing up your WordPress database. Since your database contains all your posts, pages, comments, and other important information, having frequent database backups is crucial.
WP Database Backup makes this process simple by providing on-demand and scheduled database backups. You can choose to receive the backup files via email or have them stored on your server.
While this plugin doesn‘t back up your WordPress files, it‘s a handy way to ensure frequent database snapshots. This can be useful to quickly roll back after a bad plugin update or if you want a separate backup schedule for your database.
WP Database Backup is very lightweight and straightforward to use. For more advanced features like full site backups, remote storage, and encryption you‘ll want to look elsewhere. But if you just need a simple database backup tool, this free plugin gets the job done.
10. Backup & Staging by WP Time Capsule
WP Time Capsule is a freemium plugin that provides backup and staging features. The free version allows you to create automated daily and real-time backups of your site with a 30-day backup archive.
Some key features include:
- Incremental backups
- Scheduled daily/hourly backups
- 1-click staging sites
- Easy site restore
- White label option
On the free plan, backups are stored in the WP Time Capsule cloud. They use incremental backup technology to reduce server load when performing frequent backups.
The staging feature allows you to create a test copy of your site to safely try out changes. The premium version increases backup storage limits and adds more advanced options.
WP Time Capsule provides a nice set of backup and staging features in their free plugin. The cloud storage is convenient but may be a turnoff for some. Upgrading lets you use Google Drive, Dropbox, or Amazon S3 instead.
Choosing the Best Backup Plugin
With so many great free WordPress backup plugins available, which one should you choose? Here are some factors to consider:
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Backup frequency – Do you want real-time backups, scheduled daily/weekly backups, or just manual backups? More frequent backups provide better protection but require more storage space.
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Backup scope – Some backup plugins only back up your database, while others can back up your full WordPress site. Ideally, you want a solution that backs up both.
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Automatic scheduling – Automatic backups ensure consistent protection and save you the hassle of remembering to run manual backups. Most backup plugins provide this feature.
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Remote storage – Storing backups on a separate cloud service protects you if your web hosting account gets hacked or damaged. Look for a backup plugin that integrates with a remote storage provider you trust.
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Ease of restore – The main reason to have backups is to be able to quickly restore your site if something goes wrong. Consider how straightforward the restore process is for each plugin.
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Performance – Running backups can strain server resources, especially on cheaper shared hosting plans. Backup plugins that support incremental backups and/or run during low-traffic periods can help minimize the impact.
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Paid upgrades – If you anticipate needing advanced features down the line, consider the pricing of premium plans when selecting a free backup plugin.
Since every WordPress site has unique needs, there‘s no single best backup plugin for all situations. But based on their popularity, reputation, and feature set, UpdraftPlus and WPvivid stand out as top contenders.
For simple manual backups and migrations, Duplicator and All-in-One WP Migration are great choices. And if you want hassle-free offsite backups, services like Jetpack Backup and BlogVault are worth a look.
Whichever backup plugin you choose, the most important thing is to actually use it and periodically test your backups to make sure they‘re working properly. Having reliable backups is a critical aspect of running a WordPress site and can save you a lot of time and frustration when things inevitably go wrong.
