Backups are easy to put off until the day you need one. Both options work, but they protect you from different problems, so it helps to know the tradeoffs.
External hard drive
- Pros: a one-time cost, fast to back up and restore, no monthly fee, and your files stay in your own hands.
- Cons: it only protects you if it's actually plugged in and running. A drive kept next to the computer can be lost to the same fire, flood, or theft, and if it stays connected, ransomware can reach it too.
Cloud backup
- Pros: copies are stored offsite, backups can run automatically, and you can get your files back from another computer.
- Cons: usually a recurring fee, the first backup can take days on a slow connection, and you depend on an internet connection (and a company) to get your files back.
Syncing is not the same as backing up. Services that sync a folder across your devices copy your changes, including deletions. That's convenient, but it isn't always a backup: if you delete or overwrite a file on one device, the sync can do the same everywhere else.
The best answer for most people is both. Use an external drive for fast restores and a cloud backup for the offsite copy. A common rule of thumb is 3-2-1: three copies of your files, on two kinds of storage, with one kept somewhere else.
Whichever you choose, test it. Every so often, try restoring a file. A backup you've never checked might not be working.
Data backup setup and guidance is part of our remote support: we can talk through what's worth backing up, help set it up, and make sure it's working. We don't copy or keep your files during remote sessions, so the backup stays yours. Book a remote backup setup — $35 for the first 30 minutes →