Arq Backup vs Carbonite (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Arq Backup grades higher than Carbonite: 2.4 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Arq Backup grades higher on value for money and the free plan. Carbonite grades higher on ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Arq Backup
Encrypted Mac and Windows backup to storage you choose
Carbonite
Automatic cloud backup for home computers and small businesses
Which one is for you
Pick Arq Backup if
- Fits if you already pay for cloud storage and want a one-time backup program
- Works for backing up to a NAS plus a cloud account at once
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want storage included, as Arq 7 is the app only and your provider bills extra
- Not for you if you use Linux, as the vendor lists Mac and Windows only
- Pricey if you keep updating, at $25 per computer for each year after the first
- Watch out: Arq Premium adds 1 TB for $69.99 a year, then $0.00699 per GB a month above that
Pick Carbonite if
- Fits if you want one home computer backed up to the cloud with unlimited space
- Makes sense if you want a business trial for a small office
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a free plan or a personal trial, as there is only a money-back guarantee
- Watch out: personal plans are per computer, with Plus and Prime adding one external drive
- Watch out: business storage is 250 GB or 500 GB, with extra at $99 per 100 GB
- Tight if you want to back up from a phone: the apps are only for reaching files
- Pricey if you are a business on the Ultimate plan at $1,039.99 a year
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAArq BackupFair | 2.2GPACarboniteFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A$59.99 once is under a year of the category's $7 middle subscription ($84). Storage is on top, and updates after the first year are $25 per computer. | C$71.99 a year for one computer, about $6 a month, in the middle of the category. The price is shown with a discount and no end date. |
| Free plan and trial | C30-day free trial that you download, with no card shown. No free plan after it. | DPersonal plans only have a 30-day money-back guarantee, which isn't a trial. Business plans have a 30-day free trial. |
| Features | CBackup does the job fully, with client-side encryption, versioned history, schedules and bandwidth limits, and it is a narrower job than storage. It does not sync or share files. | CAutomatic encrypted backup, unlimited personal space, malware recovery and a phone companion. The phone app does not back up, and business storage is capped. |
| Ease of use | CYou pick and connect each destination, such as S3, Backblaze B2, SFTP or a NAS. No store rating is on record. | BNo rating on record. You install it and it backs up in the background. |
| Platforms and integrations | CMac and Windows programs only, with no Linux, iOS or Android apps. | BWindows, Mac, web, iPhone and Android, though the phone apps are only companions. No integrations or API are listed. |
| Best for | backing up a Mac or PC to storage you choose | automatic cloud backup for home computers |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Arq Backup and Carbonite. How we grade
Where they differ
- Arq Backup is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Arq Backup can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Arq Backup also covers file sync.
- Carbonite also covers malware protection and dashboards.
At a glance
| Arq Backup | Carbonite | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $59.99 per computer, one-time | $71.99 per year for 1 computer, billed annually |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial | 30-day free trial on business plans; 30-day money-back guarantee on personal plans |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Haystack Software LLC | Open Text Corporation |
| Price read from | arqbackup.com | carbonite.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Arq Backup
- No Linux, iOS or Android apps; the vendor lists Mac and Windows only.
- Arq 7 does not include storage, so cloud fees from your provider are extra.
- Updates are included for one year; after that, further years cost $25 per computer.
- Arq Premium storage above 1 TB is billed at $0.00699 per GB per month.
Carbonite
- Personal plans are priced per computer; Plus and Prime add one external hard drive.
- Business storage is capped at 250 GB or 500 GB, with extra storage at $99 per 100 GB.
- The displayed prices are discounted from crossed-out ones and the pages give no end date.
- Listed system support is Windows 7+ or macOS 10.10+; the mobile apps are companions, not backup clients.
Key features
Arq Backup
- Your own destinations
- Back up to a cloud account you already have, an SFTP server, a NAS or an external drive, or several of these at once.
- Client-side encryption
- The vendor says backups are encrypted so only the owner can read them, and stored in an open, documented format.
- Versioned history
- Keeps multiple versions of files so you can restore an earlier copy after corruption, deletion or ransomware.
- Efficient backups
- Uses compression, de-duplication and block-level incremental backup, with APFS snapshot support on Mac.
- Schedule and limits
- Run hourly or daily, skip certain Wi-Fi networks or battery power, cap bandwidth, and set exclusion rules.
- Open-source restore tool
- A separate open-source tool, arq_restore, lets advanced users read backed-up data directly.
Carbonite
- Automatic encrypted backup
- Files are backed up in the background and encrypted with 256-bit encryption at rest and in transit.
- Unlimited personal storage
- Personal plans list unlimited cloud backup space; the business plans have fixed allowances of 250 GB or 500 GB.
- Recovery after malware
- The vendor says uninfected files can be recovered within 2 weeks of a virus or malware event, for backed-up data.
- Phone and browser access
- Backed-up files can be reached from a web browser or from the companion app for Android and iOS.
- Server and policy management
- Business plans add Windows server backup, bare metal image backup and policies set by group, role or device.
- Compliance support
- The business page says the service supports HIPAA, FERPA and GLBA compliance needs.
Plans
Arq Backup
Arq 7$59.99
per computer, one-time
App only; you supply the storage. Includes one year of updates, then $25 per computer per year if you want more.
Arq Premium$69.99
per year
Arq 7 on up to 5 computers plus 1 TB of vendor-managed storage and web access to backups.
Carbonite
Personal Basic$71.99
per year for 1 computer, billed annually
Unlimited cloud backup for 1 computer; shown as 25% off a crossed-out $95.99, with no end date given.
Personal Plus$78.99
per year, billed annually
Adds an external hard drive to Basic; shown as 40% off a crossed-out $131.99, with no end date given.
Personal Prime$121.49
per year, billed annually
Everything in Plus, with Webroot antivirus and courier delivery of recovered files for an extra fee.
Business Core$230.39
per year, billed annually
250 GB for up to 25 computers, external drives and NAS; shown as 20% off $287.99. Extra storage is $99 per 100 GB.
Business Power$639.99
per year, billed annually
500 GB for 1 server plus up to 25 computers, with bare metal backup; shown as 20% off $799.99.
Business Ultimate$1039.99
per year, billed annually
500 GB for unlimited servers plus 25 computers; shown as 20% off $1299.99.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Arq Backup or Carbonite?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Arq Backup starts at $59.99 per computer, one-time, and Carbonite starts at $71.99 per year for 1 computer, billed annually.
Which has a free plan, Arq Backup or Carbonite?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither Arq Backup nor Carbonite has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
Which platforms do Arq Backup and Carbonite run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Carbonite lists a web app and iOS and Android apps. Both list macOS and Windows apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.