Happy Valley

Carbonite vs Spanning Backup

Carbonite and Spanning Backup are both backup & SaaS data protection tools. Carbonite is aimed at small businesses and freelancers, while Spanning Backup is aimed at enterprise and small businesses.

Carbonite

Set-and-forget cloud backup for home PCs, small offices and servers

Spanning Backup

Backup for Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 and Salesforce

PricingPaid · $6Paid
Starting price$6.40/moNot published
Free planNoNo
Free trial15 days—
Built forSmall businesses, FreelancersEnterprise, Small businesses
Platformsweb, windows, macos, ios, androidweb
CountryUS · 2005US · 2010
Rating——

Choose Carbonite if

Households and small offices that want automatic, unlimited-storage cloud backup for a single PC or up to 25 business computers.

  • Very little setup: install once and backups run in the background
  • Unlimited storage for a single computer on personal plans
  • Business plans cover up to 25 computers on one subscription

Look elsewhere if: Tech-savvy users who want cheap multi-device or developer-grade storage (Backblaze, IDrive, Acronis).

Choose Spanning Backup if

IT teams and MSPs protecting Workspace, 365 or Salesforce.

  • Proven and reliable
  • Self-service restores
  • Covers major suites

Look elsewhere if: Small teams relying on native retention.

Carbonite vs Spanning Backup pricing

Carbonite

  • Basic$76.79/yrFirst-year price (list $95.99); 1 computer, unlimited storage
  • Plus$85.79/yrFirst year (list $131.99); adds 1 external drive, video backup
  • Prime$105.29/yrFirst year (list $161.99); adds courier recovery options
  • Core (business)$230.39/yrUp to 25 computers, external drives and NAS; 250 GB
  • Power (business)$639.99/yr1 server plus 25 computers, 500 GB, bare metal restore

Spanning Backup

  • Google Workspace backupCustomPer-user, quote-based
  • Microsoft 365 backupCustomPer-user, quote-based
  • Salesforce backupCustomQuote-based

Carbonite · Key features

  • Continuous, automatic backup of documents, photos, music and videos
  • Unlimited cloud storage on Basic, Plus and Prime personal plans
  • External hard drive and automatic video backup on Plus and Prime
  • Business Core covers up to 25 computers, external drives and NAS
  • Server backup with bare metal image restore on Power and Ultimate
  • 256-bit encryption at rest and in transit with private key option

Cons

  • Annual billing only, and promotional first-year prices renew higher
  • Personal plans cover just one computer per subscription
  • Business storage starts at 250 GB and extra space costs $99 per 100 GB

Spanning Backup · Key features

  • Daily automated backups
  • Point-in-time restore
  • End-user self-service restore
  • Audit logs and reporting
  • Ransomware recovery
  • Admin console

Cons

  • Interface dated
  • Pricing via resellers
  • Limited beyond three platforms

Carbonite vs Spanning Backup: FAQ

Do Carbonite and Spanning Backup have a free plan?

Carbonite has no free plan, a 15-day free trial. Spanning Backup has no free plan.

Not sure yet?