The best WordPress backup plugins

Like airbags and seatbelts in a car, WordPress backups are, optimally, nothing more than mere precautionary measures. Only in an emergency are they required. Security – whether it’s your own security or that of your data – should by no means be left to chance. In the following article, you will learn how to create backups for your project and which WordPress backup plugins can support you.

In order to fully secure a web project, you should take two things into consideration. On the one hand, it is very important to make backup copies of the database. Therefore, a backup plugin must create backups of the database(s) in real time. On the other hand, the files of your own WordPress installation should also be backed up at regular intervals. This is the only way to guarantee that both the content and the website itself can be restored in the event of data loss.

In addition to being able to back up both project files and databases, a good WordPress backup plugin should offer the following features:

• Automated backups: A backup should always reflect the status of the backed-up data. You have the best chance of achieving this with plugins that generate complete backups of your WordPress sites automatically.
• Data storage in another location: To provide a high level of security, the WordPress backup plugin should store the backed-up data in another location. It is important to be able to choose a location far away from the server that your WordPress project runs on.
• Ease of use: Simple, intuitive operation is a standard requirement for modern software. With a backup plugin, however, it is essential so that you can easily set your individual backup plan and restore your data with just a few clicks in the event of data loss.
• Incremental backups: As important as a backup is, the backup process should not affect the performance of your web project too much. For this reason, it is recommended to choose WordPress backup plugins that allow an incremental approach and save only new or changed data.

There are a variety of WordPress extensions that you can use to protect your projects against data loss. The various plugins differ not only in their complexity and user-friendliness, but also in terms of the available backup options.

In addition, the plugin you choose also depends on the cost. There are many free WordPress backup plugins that can be upgraded for a fee, which then unlocks additional features. Other extensions are fee-based, but also offer a correspondingly greater range of functions.

We present some of the best WordPress backup plugins to make your search for the right solution for your project as easy as possible.

VaultPress makes real-time backups of all files and databases and stores them in the cloud to reduce the load on your server. If you use WordPress with the shop extension WooCommerce, the plugin also backs up all customer and order data. The restore works with a single click and you can choose which content to include – database(s), themes, plugins, uploads. Other features of the backup plan:

• Restore data from anywhere via the Jetpack app
• Redundant copies on different backup servers
• Choose incremental, differential, or full backups
• Full listing of all changes with each new backup
• Unlimited storage space for backups

Even in the free version, you can use the plugin to set up complete backups of your WordPress installation, themes, plugins, and databases, after which you will receive a log report via email. The compressed backup copies can either be stored in a defined directory on your own web space, sent via email, or stored on an FTP server. In addition, the following cloud storage options are available:

• Microsoft Azure
• S3 Service (Amazon, Google Storage, Hosteurope …)
• Dropbox
• Rackspace Cloud
• SugarSync

Those who purchase a paid license can also save the backups to Google Drive, OneDrive, HiDrive, and Amazon Glacier. In addition, paying users receive automatic updates for the WordPress backup plugin, access to premium support, and the ability to perform differential backups (modified content only).

For both the backup and the restore, you can choose which components should be taken into account – for example, plugins, themes, or content. The WordPress backup plugin is basically free of charge. However, if you want a more extensive feature set, you can purchase the premium version, which is available as a subscription from 33 euros per year (around £30) (as of August 2021). Among other things, you get additional access to the following features:

• Automated backup process before WordPress, themes, or plugins updates are carried out
• Incremental backups
• Storage in OneDrive, Azure, and Google Cloud (in addition to Dropbox, Google Drive, FTP, and many more)
• Database encryption
• Dedicated premium support

You can determine which files you want to back up with BackupBuddy. Whether media library, users, posts and comments or plugins, themes, and widgets – users can create individual backup profiles and run them according to a schedule. Furthermore, the WordPress backup plugin is characterised by the following features:

• Email notification after successful backup process
• Own tool called ImportBuddy for importing backups
• Restore function for single files or database entries
• Ticket support system

WPTC supports Google Drive, Dropbox, Amazon S3, and Backblaze B2 as storage locations for your backups. Thanks to versioning and a clearly arranged calendar, you can restore the desired data status with just a single click in case of data loss. You also have the option to restore individual files if you wish.

Other features of WP Time Capsule:

• Possibility to test restore points first
• Automatic updates
• Encrypted database backups
• Adjustable backup intervals (6, 12, or 24 hours)

As a user of the paid Duplicator version, you also benefit from numerous other advantages that greatly simplify the backup or migration process. You can move servers or restore your site via drag-and-drop or create restore points to easily undo errors with updates. Other features of the WordPress backup plugin are as follows:

• Site backups are packed into individual archives
• Installation helper (Pro version)
• Email notifications in case of problems in the backup process
• Large amounts of data up to 100 gigabytes are no problem