WordPress Backup Plugins Compared: Host Backups, UpdraftPlus, BlogVault and More

On this page

1. Three ways to back up WordPress
2. Host backups: convenient, but check the details
3. The main plugins and services compared
4. Off-site storage is non-negotiable
5. Restores are what really matter
6. What to look for in a backup setup
7. Which approach suits your site?

Almost every WordPress site has some kind of backup running. The real question is whether it will get you back online when something goes wrong. Host backups, free plugins and paid backup services all work differently, and the differences only become obvious on the day you need to restore. This guide compares the main approaches so you can choose sensibly. If you are new to backups, start with the basics in WordPress backup and restore.

Three ways to back up WordPress

Approach	Where it runs	Where backups are usually stored	Restore if WordPress won't load?
Host backups	Your hosting company's systems	The host's storage	Usually, from the hosting control panel
Backup plugin	Inside your WordPress site, on your server	Cloud storage you connect, or the server itself	Often harder; you may need to reinstall WordPress and the plugin first
External backup service	Mostly on the provider's servers, connected by a plugin	The provider's cloud storage	Usually, from the provider's dashboard

None of these is perfect on its own, which is why many well-run sites use two: a host backup plus a plugin or service that keeps copies somewhere else.

Host backups: convenient, but check the details

Many hosts take automatic backups, and they cost you nothing to set up. Before relying on them, find out:

• How often backups run and how many days are kept
• Whether you can restore yourself, and whether you can restore only files or only the database
• Whether you can download a copy to keep elsewhere
• Whether backups are included in your plan or a paid add-on
• What the terms say; some hosts treat backups as a convenience rather than a guarantee

The main weakness is that everything sits with one company. If your account is suspended, the host has a serious outage or you lose access to the account, the backups may be out of reach too.

The main plugins and services compared

These are some of the best-known options. Features and plans change, so check each provider's current plans before you decide.

Tool	Type	Generally known for	Worth knowing
UpdraftPlus	Plugin with free and premium versions	Scheduled backups to cloud storage such as Google Drive, Dropbox or Amazon S3, with restores from the dashboard	Runs on your own server; premium versions add features such as incremental backups and migration tools
BlogVault	Paid external service	Incremental backups processed on its own servers, with off-site storage and test restores	Lighter load on your hosting; restores and staging are managed from its dashboard
Jetpack VaultPress Backup	Paid service from Automattic	Cloud backups, with real-time backups on some plans, plus an activity log	Useful for busy WooCommerce stores where orders change constantly
Duplicator	Plugin with free and Pro versions	Packaging a whole site for migration or cloning	Best known as a migration tool; scheduled backups and cloud storage are mainly Pro features

There are other reputable options too. What matters more than the brand is whether the tool fits your site's size, how often it changes and who will handle a restore.

Off-site storage is non-negotiable

A backup stored only on the same server as your website is not much of a backup. If the server fails or the site is hacked, both can be lost together. Whatever tool you use:

• Keep copies in a separate location, such as your own cloud storage or the backup provider's storage
• Keep several versions, not just the latest, in case a problem went unnoticed for days
• Watch storage quotas; backups often stop silently when a cloud folder fills up
• Use your business's own cloud account, not a developer's personal one, so you keep access if you change providers

The last point is easy to miss; see the website ownership checklist.

Restores are what really matter

Most backup tools look similar when they are taking backups. The differences show up during a restore. Ask these questions before you need the answers:

• Can you restore when the dashboard is broken? A plugin-based restore usually needs a working WordPress install, while host and external services can often restore a site that won't load at all.
• Can you restore part of the site? Sometimes you only need the database, or one folder, not everything.
• How long does it take? Large media libraries can take a long time to restore on shared hosting.
• What happens to recent orders or enquiries? On a store, restoring yesterday's backup can wipe today's orders, so backup frequency matters.

Test a restore on a staging site every few months. A backup you have never restored is a hope, not a plan. And if your site was hacked, restoring alone may bring the same weakness back, so the site also needs cleaning and securing.

What to look for in a backup setup

• Automatic schedules for both files and database, with more frequent database backups on busy sites
• Incremental backups for larger sites, so each run copies only what changed
• Off-site storage with a sensible retention period
• Email alerts when a backup fails, not only when it succeeds
• Encryption or secure access to backup files, since they contain customer data
• Low impact on shared hosting, so backups don't slow the site down
• Reliable scheduling; plugin backups depend on WordPress's scheduler, so see WP-Cron explained if they run late
• A licence or subscription you will remember to renew

Which approach suits your site?

Type of site	A sensible setup
Small brochure site	Host backups plus a plugin sending weekly or daily copies to your own cloud storage
Business site with a regular blog	Daily plugin or service backups off-site, with host backups as a second layer
WooCommerce store	Frequent or real-time backups from a service or premium plugin, plus host backups
Agency managing many sites	A service with a central dashboard, alerts and test restores

Backups, update checks and restore testing are part of every WordPress maintenance plan I run. If your site has already been hacked, see WordPress malware removal.