Free backup software can be useful for backing-up devices and keeping data safe without any licencing or ongoing subscription fees. For this reason, amongst many others including learning about how backup software works and how it can help protect important data, free backup software is a great place to start when creating your first backup set.
In this specialist and informative backup guide, I will be assessing some of the best free backup software titles in order to help make the process of choosing a free backup solution as simple as possible. This includes covering the features usually found in such software, functionality which is usually missing in free editions, the types of storage supported, upgrade paths to premium editions plus the differences between free and open-source backup software.
Free backup software can be a great way of protecting important data both quickly and without the need to pay for licences nor cloud subscriptions. Time to get into the pros and cons of such backup software and how it can be of great help to many PC and Mac OS users alike.
- Disk image backups
- Cloud backup support
- Zero-knowledge encryption
- Bootable recovery media
Tips for Selecting Free Backup Software
Before listing my top 10 favourite free backup software titles (which is further down in this guide if you wish to jump straight there), here are a few quick things to look out for when choosing such free backup software for yourself.
Free vs Open-Source
One of the first things to be aware of when researching free backup software is the difference between a free edition of a premium product (often with limitations on functionality) and a fully functional backup software title which is open-source (meaning anyone can download and use it for free).
Generally speaking, when dealing with free-to-use software of any nature, developers will often offer a free version of a premium product in order to help with further testing, development and promotion of their software line as a whole. This approach means customers can gain access to a limited (but still functional) edition of a product with no initial costs due (although it is important to be aware of what functionality might be missing in such free editions).
Top 5 Free Backup Software Choices:
Below is a quick look at the top 5 free backup software solutions mentioned in this guide, scroll down for the full and detailed list of free backup software titles.
| Provider | Solution | Upgrades | Website | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | ToDo Backup Free | Home edition from $39.95 / year | |
| 2 |  | BackUp Maker | Business use licence @ $39.90 | |
| 3 |  | Backupper Standard | Pro edition from $39.95 / year | |
| 4 |  | Backup FREE | Backup Pro 26 from $18 | |
| 5 |  | ShadowMaker Free | ShadowMaker Pro from $3 / month |
Open-source backup solutions, on the other hand, will also provide free to use software on the basis that said software is often community built and supported (although in some cases commercial companies do sponsor such development as well). Whilst open-source software can appear to be very good value initially, it is important to factor in that support could be limited as could any further development or new features (in many cases, support for open-source software will be delivered by the software’s community using a forum).
Included Functionality
As mentioned earlier, free backup software is often a limited edition of a premium backup software solution with some functionality removed (so as to justify the product been free). Whilst the remaining software will almost certainly still be a competent product, it is important to take careful note of what features are still included and which ones are reserved for premium editions only.
Generally speaking, these free editions might be lacking in cloud storage support, disk imaging backups, encryption strength (or might lack encryption completely) and might also have fewer scheduling options amongst many other features which cloud be missing. Being this the case, always check what features any free backup software title has retained and ensure such software will meet your own backup needs before committing to it.
File vs Disk Image Backups
Whilst this might not have been the case a few years ago, many free backup software solutions now feature the ability to make full disk image backups as a core part of their offering.
Put simply, whilst file level backups focus on backing-up individual files and folders, a disk image backup will back up an entire device by making an exact image (or 1:1 copy) of the entire hard disk thus ensures all data on said disk including files, folders, installed applications and the operating system itself are included. By including everything via an image-based backup, we begin to see many benefits come to fruition including no data being missed, the ability to recover (or migrate) to new hardware during recovery plus the ability to protect the operating system and user settings making for less configuration work after a full system recovery takes place.
NB – For more information on disk image backups and how they differ with file-level backups, please see my guide to system image vs file level backups.
Whilst this disk imaging functionality is often considered a premium feature, there are now several free backup software titles providing disk image backups as a core part of their offering. This includes my current favourite free backup software choice EaseUS ToDo Backup Free amongst several others.
NB – Multiple software developers now include the ability to create bootable recovery media from within their free backup software titles. This can help in recovering unbootable systems and can also be useful when migrating to a new or otherwise dissimilar hardware also.
Network, Cloud or Local Storage
Where to store data files is a very important consideration when performing any kind of backup operation, especially so when using free backup software given that these storage options could be limited compared to a premium backup solution.
Most premium backup software titles will allow for the storing of backed-up data either locally on an external drive, on a NAS device (or shared folder) as well as on cloud storage (which cloud be available via the developer’s own cloud service or that of a third party). When making use of free backup software you might find that these storage options are limited. For example, in various cases it might be that free backup software only allows for utilising local storage or NAS devices (with cloud storage only available in premium editions).
With limitations such as this in mind, it is important to think not only about what data will be protected during a backup, but where and how this data will be stored and how accessible it will be should recovery be required in the future. For example, backups kept on storage devices physically near to the device being backed up could be vulnerable to many of the same dangers (including fire and theft) as the device itself – something which would not be the case if cloud storage was being used.
The Software Upgrade Path
Whilst it might be the case that free backup software meets your requirements at the time of choosing such software, this might not always be the case (especially so given that backup requirements tend to change over time). With this in mind, it is always worth thinking about the upgrade path for any free backup software and what might happen should you start to require more from your chosen solution in the future.
Given that many free backup solutions are simply free editions of a premium counterpart, it is always worth checking out the premium edition of the tool and what additional functionality it provides. When doing this, be sure to check that the premium features are plentiful and cover any potential changes in your own backups circumstances which you might anticipate. Also look at the pricing options for these premium editions and how easily the developers have made it to upgrade from the free edition (as this cloud help to save a lot of time if you do decide to upgrade).
NB – Be aware that an increasing number of backup software developers are now offering cloud storage as a core feature of their premium backup software. If you are seeking some of the highest levels of data protection and simplicity, then such a backup solution with everything included might be a good way to go, even if a fee is payable for the service.
Security and Privacy Concerns
Finally, but still very importantly, the security and privacy of any backups should be taken very seriously when making use of free backup software.
Securing backups using strong zero-knowledge encryption (using AES 256-bit encryption or higher) is often accepted as one of the most reliable and effective means for protecting such important data. In fact, even if your backup storage is compromised (e.g., an external hard being stolen or lost) then the use of strong encryption will ensure any backed-up data remains safe given that such encryption is virtually impossible to break.
NB – When applied correctly and with a strong password, AES 256-bit encryption is considered all but impossible to break. For this reason, it is always recommended to encrypt all backups regardless of where the data is eventually stored.
Free Backup Software FAQs
Free backup software is, without doubt, the easiest and most effective method for backing up important data from a PC or MacOS device for free.
Such free backup software has developed a long way in recent years and, whilst once considered little more than a free trial for a premium title, free backup software can often be found with many useful functions including disk imaging, cloud storage support plus AES 256-bit data encryption included by default.
As of my recent testing in November 2025, EaseUS ToDo Backup Free remains my favourite free backup solution with ASCOMP BackUp Maker a great alternative.
Whilst the premium edition of ToDo Backup does provide a comprehensive backup solution which is almost unrivalled in the home and small business backup sector, the Free edition retains much of this advanced functionality. This means EaseUS ToDo Backup is a great “go to” choice for anyone seeking a free yet still highly functional backup solution.
Some key features found in EaseUS ToDo Backup Free include cloud storage support, full disk image backups plus the ability to apply strong zero-knowledge encryption to any backups made (features often reserved for premium editions by many other software developers).
The downsides to free backup software will naturally differ depending upon the person making use of such software and the specifics of what is required from it.
Generally speaking, one of the biggest downsides to using free backup software is that certain features will be missing (or limited) when compared to the premium edition of the same product. This can have the negative effect of making backups harder to configure as well as more time consuming and stressful to use in the process.
By offering less features, free backup software might see users having to compromise on what is backed-up from their device, how it is stored and (crucially) how well their device is protected. If your backup requirements are fairly basic and a free backup solution works for you, then such software can be a great option. Otherwise, it might be worth considering premium backup software and evaluating how the additional functionality can be of help.
Whilst it is commonly acknowledged that free backup software will be limited in its functionality compared to premium titles, the exact nature of these differences can vary.
One common area in which free backup software is limited is in the available storage options for saving backups. Whilst premium solutions often allow multiple backup storage options to be used (including third party cloud storage services and cloud storage provided by the developers themselves), free backup solutions might be limited to using just locally accessible storage (e.g., external hard drives or NAS devices).
Other limitations of free backup software might include a lack of encryption functionality, a lack of advanced scheduling options, the inability to apply compression plus the inability to make use of advanced backup methodologies including making incremental backups amongst other limitations.
As of my latest testing in November 2025, Duplicati stands out as a top-rated and highly featured open-source backup solution.
Whilst being free-to-use is undeniably a big highlight of Duplicati, the software itself also includes many great features such as support for integrating many S3 compatible cloud services, zero-knowledge encryption, historic file version retention, command line tools plus a web-based interface which, whilst a little unconventional at first, is actually fairly easy to use.
NB – For more information on Duplicati and the full set of backup features it offers, be sure to read my full Duplicati review.
Top 10 Free Backup Software Titles
Here I will be listing 11 of my favourite free backup software titles as per my own experience and the testing and reviews found right here on BestBackupReviews.com.
Remember, any ratings and rankings given below reflect my own personal opinions and that the software titles with the highest ratings might not necessarily be the best for your own personal needs. With this in mind, please refer to my detailed reviews of each entry on the list for more information on the software itself and how it might help with your own individual backup requirements.
1) EaseUS ToDo Backup Free
ToDo Backup Free is a highly functional, easy-to-configure and free-to-use backup solution for Windows PCs from highly rated software developers, EaseUS.
Notable as an easy-to-use backup solution, ToDo Backup Free stands out by offering support for making both file-level and disk image-based backup sets. Alongside this is support for utilising full, differential and incremental backup methodologies, flexible automatic scheduling, strong AES 256-bit encryption plus the ability to save backups to locally attached drives, external hard drives, NAS devices plus cloud storage (including Google Drive, OneDrive and Dropbox).
As one of relatively few free backup tools offering full disk imaging backup capabilities, the free edition of ToDo Backup also supports mounting these image-based backups as virtual drives within Windows for advanced recovery purposes. ToDo Backup Free also allows users to create WinPE based bootable media which can be useful for disaster recovery purposes in combination with the disk image backup functionality (i.e. recovering an unbootable PC to an earlier working state).
- Free for personal use
- Disk image backups
- Secure cloud backups
- Automatic scheduling
- AES 256-bit encryption
- Multiple backup sets
- WinPE recovery media
- 30-Day Pro trial
- Pro edition from $39.95
EaseUS ToDo Backup Free is 100% free for personal (non-commercial) use. A premium edition (ToDo Backup Home) with advanced features plus cloud storage from EaseUS is also available from $39.95. More information can be found via the official EaseUS website.
2) ASCOMP BackUp Maker
BackUp Maker is a highly regarded and free-to-use Windows backup solution from software development experts, ASCOMP.
Available in a Standard edition which is 100% free for personal (non-commercial) use, BackUp Maker provides a solid range of Windows backup features without the need to pay for a licence. Some core functionality found in this free edition includes flexible scheduling options for automated backups, support for unlimited historic file versioning, use of multiple backups sets plus the ability to protect backed-up data with strong zero-knowledge (AES 256-bit) encryption.
Various backup methodologies are supported as is a wizard-style guided configuration system which helps to get the correct backup settings in place with relative ease. BackUp Maker also supports saving backup data to various destinations including locally attached hard drives, external hard drives, network locations, FTP/SFTP/WebDAV servers plus third-party cloud storage (working via desktop sync applications).
- Easy to use software
- Free for personal use
- Secure cloud backups
- Automatic scheduling
- Historic versioning
- AES 256-bit encryption
- FTP/SFTP & WebDAV
- Pro from $39.90
BackUp Maker is 100% free for personal (non-commercial) use with a premium edition supporting commercial use priced at $39.90 for use across two PCs. More information on BackUp Maker can be found via the official ASCOMP website.
3) AOMEI Backupper Standard
Developed by leading software developers AOMEI, Backupper Standard stands out as a well-designed and easy to use free backup solution. As one of the few free titles to support making both file-level and disk image-based it is the ideal choice for keeping Windows devices safe.
The free edition of Backupper (this is Backupper Standard) supports utilising full and incremental backup methodologies for providing faster backups when required or, when using full backups, more robust protection at the expense of a slower backup running time. Full disk and partition image backups are also supported and this tool also includes support for sector-by-sector disk imaging which is great to see in a free-to-use solution.
Also available in AOMEI Backupper is support for flexible automatic backup scheduling plus the ability to keep multiple historic versions of any backups made (providing enhanced malware protection amongst other benefits). The software also features a built-in tool for creating bootable recovery media (via CD/DVD or USB) alongside basic File Synchronisation capabilities.
- Free & easy to use
- Automatic scheduling
- Historic versioning
- Disk Image backups
- Sector-by-sector imaging
- Recovery media builder
- Folder synchronisation
- Pro from $39.95
AOMEI Backupper Standard is 100% free for personal, non-commercial use. Premium editions start from $39.95 and offer additional features including differential backups, encryption and disk cloning tools. More information on all editions can be found via the official AOMEI website.
4) Ashampoo Backup FREE
Backup FREE is the free-to-use edition of Ashampoo’s excellent Windows backup software line, Ashampoo Backup Pro. Despite being a free alternative, Ashampoo have still included significant functionality into this tool making Backup FREE a great choice for anyone seeking a reliable free backup solution.
Fully updated and optimised for Windows 11, Backup FREE is well-designed, easy to use and supports making both file-level and disk image backups to local and network attached storage using an efficient incremental backup methodology. Other key features include user-definable historic file versioning (allowing many file versions to be kept), resource-efficient operation, easy backup plan creation, good automatic scheduling plus built-in tools for creating bootable recovery media.
Whilst some select features, including encryption and compression, are reserved for premium editions of the software (Ashampoo Backup Pro) Backup FREE gets the backup basics just right and is ideal for all types of Windows users. Furthermore, all backups made within Ashampoo Backup FREE are 100% compatible with the Pro version thus ensuring a seamless upgrade path between the free and premium editions of the tool should this be required.
- Easy to use software
- 100% Free to use
- Automatic scheduling
- Historic file versioning
- Disk Image backups
- Recovery media tools
- Easy pro upgrades
- Pro from $16 (3x PCs)
Ashampoo Backup FREE is 100% free to use. The fully featured Backup Pro line is also available on a yearly subscription from just $16 per year or as a perpetual license for $60. More information on both editions can be found via the official Ashampoo website.
5) MiniTool ShadowMaker Free
ShadowMaker is a powerful, yet easy-to-use suite of PC backup and hard disk utility tools from PC software experts, MiniTool. Supporting all modern versions of Windows up and including to the latest Windows 11, ShadowMaker Free is a great solution for making backups at no cost.
Key features of ShadowMaker include support for making file, partition, and full disk image-based backups using full, incremental and differential methodologies. ShadowMaker also provides automatic backup scheduling (daily, weekly or monthly), data compression, automatic file/folder synchronisation plus the ability to create and restore image backups via WinPE-based bootable media (which can be created in the ShadowMaker application itself).
Whilst ShadowMaker Free does provide a very capable backup solution supporting multiple different backup methods, ShadowMaker Pro enhances this offering much further. Pro features include strong AES 256-bit encryption, event-triggered scheduling (e.g., backups on USB plug-in), system disk cloning (the free version only supports non-system disk cloning) plus additional advanced functionality within the ShadowMaker WinPE recovery environment.
- 100% Free (personal use)
- Easy-to-use backups
- Disk image backups
- Automatic scheduling
- Incremental backups
- File & folder sync
- WinPE bootable media
- Pro from $79 / lifetime
ShadowMaker Free is 100% free for personal (non-commercial) use. ShadowMaker Pro is available with several licensing options, including a perpetual license priced at $79. More information on all ShadowMaker editions can be found via the official MiniTool website.
6) Hasleo Backup Suite Free
Hasleo Backup Suite Free is a powerful yet free-to-use Windows PC backup solution, one which is ideal for anyone seeking to make file or disk image backups with minimal fuss and zero upfront investment.
The core backup functionality includes support for making highly configurable file-level backups alongside support for disk, partition and full system image-based backups providing enhanced data protection. Furthermore, support for automated backup scheduling, strong AES 256-bit encryption, file filtering, disk partition editing plus specified restore locations help reaffirm that Hasleo have delivered a powerful free backup solution.
Mounting of image-based backups with a virtual Windows drive letter is also possible within Hasleo Backup Suite allowing users of this free tool even more data recovery choices. This includes being able to mount both file-level and disk image backup files and even being able to write data to the drive once mounted (although note that this data will be lost upon dismounting the drive).
Also bundled within this free-to-use backup tool is a highly useful disk cloning module which allows for the direct cloning of disks and partitions (including active system disks). Whilst a powerful addition in its own right, this disk cloning module also supports editing and optimising target disks including editing partition sizing, automatically expanding partitions when using a larger target disk and even converting MBR disks to GPT partition tables as required.
- 100% Free-to-use
- Disk image backups
- Automatic scheduling
- AES 256-bit encryption
- Windows drive mounting
- Disk cloning module
- Partition management
- Additional utility tools
Hasleo Backup Suite Free is a powerful free backup utility providing a good set of core file-level and disk imaging-based backup features. More information on this and other similar tools can be found on the official Hasleo website.
7) Duplicati Backup
Duplicati is a free, open-source, and cross-platform (Windows, MacOS and Linux) backup solution, one renowned for its excellent cloud storage integration support plus the many advanced (premium-like) features included.
Managed via a web interface (plus command-line tools which are also made available), Duplicati excels at making file and folder backups. Its core strength lies in its operating method which utilises block-based data processing which means only altered parts of any files are actually backed up after the initial backup run. Combined with built-in deduplication technology (for removing redundant data blocks) and effective data compression, this dramatically saves any storage space and network bandwidth making backups highly efficient as a result.
Duplicati also offers automatic backup scheduling, robust historic versioning capabilities, strong AES-256 encryption and supports a wide array of storage destinations including AWS S3, Backblaze B2, Google Drive and OneDrive alongside protocols including FTP, SFTP and WebDAV for enhanced flexibility.
Unlike most other backup solutions in this list, Duplicati is open-source software meaning it is built and supported by its own community of users and contributors. Whilst this has many benefits in producing free-to-use software, some aspects of this approach might not be ideal for some users (e.g. support is delivered by a community forum which could at times be slow to respond).
- Free & open-source
- Good cloud support
- Automatic scheduling
- AES 256-bit encryption
- Block-based backups
- Web-based management
- Command-line tools
- AWS S3 cloud support
- FTP, SFTP & WebDAV
- Community supported
Duplicati is open-source software which is 100% free for both personal and business or commercial use. More information on Duplicati and resources to download the software can be found via the official Duplicati website.
8) Iperius Backup
Iperius Backup is a highly versatile Windows backup application capable of covering a wide range of Windows backup scenarios. This is a backup tool which is capable of performing both highly efficient file-level backups alongside more complete disk imaging-based sets whilst providing many useful features including compression, encryption and scheduling.
Iperius Backup stands out thanks to a strong set of features made available in the free edition. This includes support for making incremental backups (saving only changes to files after the initial full backup) plus the provision of effective historic file versioning for enhanced data protection. The free edition also supports strong AES 256-bit encryption, ZIP-based compression, automatic scheduling, support for saving backups to local disks, USB drives, NAS devices and network shares, plus the ability to manage unlimited backup sets.
Iperius also offer premium editions of the tool with enhanced functionality including cloud backup support (including support for AWS S3 and Backblaze B2 cloud storage), the ability to make full disk-image backups, specialist disk cloning and imaging recovery tools plus support for backing-up database services including MySQL and SQL Server directly from within the software.
- Powerful free edition
- Easy-to-use software
- Disk image backups
- Historic versioning
- AES 256-bit encryption
- ZIP-based compression
- Automatic scheduling
- Recovery media builder
- Pro edition from €29
Iperius Backup is available in a highly usable free edition which retains many great backup features alongside several premium editions which enhance this offering further. More information on both editions can be found via the official Iperius website.
9) Paragon Backup & Recovery CE
For a long time regarded as a leading disk imaging-based backup solution for Windows, Paragon Backup & Recovery Community Edition (CE) offers robust backup functionality whilst remaining free-to-use for non-commercial purposes.
The standout capability of this tool is in creating reliable disk imaging-based backups for complete Windows (64-bit) system protection, alongside flexible support for also making more targeted file-level backups. The Community Edition further enhances Windows backup efficiency by utilising Full, Incremental and Differential backup methodologies across both file-level and full disk image-based backups.
Multiple backup sets can be saved and managed with support for flexible backup scheduling, strong password protection, bootable recovery media creation, data compression plus the ability to save backup images in common VHD or VHDX formats. For anyone requiring more advanced disk and partition management, the premium Paragon Hard Disk Manager suite builds upon these core free features adding support for direct disk cloning, secure disk wiping and partition management amongst other capabilities.
- Powerful free edition
- Easy-to-use software
- Disk image backups
- Automatic scheduling
- Password protection
- VHD & VHDX formats
- Recovery media builder
- Pro edition from $19.95
Paragon Backup & Recovery CE is 100% free for personal (non-commercial) use. The premium Hard Disk Manager suite is available as a yearly subscription starting from $24.95 or as a perpetual license for 3 PCs at $79.95. More information on Backup & Recovery CE can be found via the official Paragon Software website.
10) Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows
Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows Free is a robust and easy-to-use free backup software solution from backup software experts, Veeam. Suitable for protecting data on desktop PCs, workstations, servers and laptops used within either a home or business environment, Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows is a versatile and portable tool which can be utilised by all without any upfront payments.
Despite being available within a free-to-use tool, the core backup technology integrated into this backup software is both industry-proven and highly reliable. This free agent supports flexible backup options including disk image-based backups of an entire device, volume or file-level backups providing a more targeted approach. The tool also utilises an efficient incremental backup methodology after the initial full backup has been completed in order to save time and disk space thereafter.
Other notable features of the tool include automated backup scheduling, support for saving data to locally attached storage like USB drives and network attached storage (NAS), secure AES 256-bit data encryption plus a built-in bootable recovery media builder for any bare-metal restore scenarios.
- Powerful free edition
- Easy-to-use software
- Business use supported
- Disk image backups
- Automatic scheduling
- AES 256-bit encryption
- Recovery media builder
Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows is 100% free for personal and business use. Veeam also provide more comprehensive, centrally managed backup solutions for business requirements. More information on Veeam Agent can be found via the official Veeam website.
11) FBackup
FBackup is a functional and free Windows backup solution from Softland, the longstanding developers behind the excellent Backup4all backup software.
FBackup has for a long time been well-known as a free backup solution thanks to the ease of use it provides to those seeking essential file protection with no licencing costs involved. Some of the key features available include support for managing multiple backup sets, automatic scheduling plus the ability to back-up files from local/USB drives or synced cloud drive folders (e.g. Dropbox, Google Drive etc.). Storage destinations for saving backups can include locally attached disk drives, USB/Firewire devices, mapped network shares or locally synchronised cloud drive folders.
FBackup offers two main backup types, these include the “Full Backup” which compresses files into standard ZIP format archives with optional password protection and “Mirror Backup” which creates an exact replica of the source files without compression nor historic versioning. Note that FBackup performs file-level backups only (no disk imaging is available here) and does not offer incremental or differential backup methodologies nor any advanced encryption options such as AES 256-bit.
For users requiring more advanced capabilities, Softland’s premium Backup4all software includes additional functionality such as incremental, differential and block-level backups, direct backup to numerous cloud services (including AWS S3), strong AES 256-bit encryption plus more sophisticated historic file versioning settings.
- Free backup software
- Easy-to-use tools
- Multiple backup sets
- Automatic scheduling
- ZIP based file formats
- Password protection
- Pro edition from $29.99
FBackup is 100% free to use for both personal and business users. The enhanced Backup4all tool is available from just $29.99 with more information on both versions available via the official FBackup website.
Best Free Backup Software Summary
The use of free backup software, including the software titles mentioned in this guide, can often provide some of the best solutions for getting a backup in place without having to first pay for any licencing fees or ongoing subscriptions.
Despite being free-to-use, such free backup software titles can often provide a high degree of backup functionality and, in my own opinion at least, provide much more functionality than was typically available from such free backup titles just a few years ago. However, despite bringing a good degree of backup functionality with them, it is still important to note the limitations of free backup software (be it a free edition of a premium product or a fully open-sourced solution) and fully understand how any chosen title will meet your own backup requirements before being put into place.
Ultimately, whilst free and open-source backup software can be a great choice for some, it is important to be realistic about the value of the data being protected and if more advanced functionality or additional support is required, to then recognise the need to look for a premium backup solution.
