AirBackup Review
What if we were to tell you that a new online backup software is available for download? Would you be surprised? No, of course you wouldn’t. Online backup companies are a dime a dozen. At first (and sometimes second) glance, they all seem more or less the same. However, we were excited when we were introduced to AirBackup. AirBackup was created to fill a gaping hole in the online backup industry. Many businesses still rely on companies like JustCloud and LiveDrive for their online backup needs. These companies may provide excellent backup solutions to individual customers, but they are substandard when it comes to servicing business accounts. AirBackup was started to help businesses secure their data and to not have to worry about reliability issues. Furthermore, AirBackup is a product of TeamViewer. Yes, the leading solution for desktop sharing and online collaboration over the Internet, with over 200 million users worldwide, is fully behind the AirBackup software. Need we say more?
Features
Even at first sight, you can tell that AirBackup offers features that you generally will not find elsewhere. For example, AirBackup provides their users with a feature called ‘Hybrid Backup.’ This feature enables your business to secure your data centrally in the cloud and offline in one simple solution called Local SpeedKick. This ultimately creates a second layer of redundancy which will allow for much faster recovery times in the event of a total system restore. AirBackup also came out with what they call ‘BackupBoost Technology,’ which cuts backup and restore times significantly. And of course, AirBackup has no limits on the number of workstations and servers your business needs. Other essential features include:
- Bandwidth throttling
- Automated backup
- Proxy settings
- Auto updates
- Web based admin console
- Backup and restore history
- Organize in groups
- Scripts
- Automated deduplication
- Targeted backup and maximum compression
One more thing we’d like to mention is the AirBackup free trial, and let us tell you – this is something special. Just about every online backup service we have come across disables many features on the free trial version because they want you to upgrade to a paid account as quickly as possible (without truly testing out the service in its entirety). AirBackup, on the other hand, lets you play around with their 14 day free trial console, and no features are disabled. This provides you with a fully transparent view of the service.
Ease of Use
Another area that truly surprised and impressed us was the AirBackup client. Generally speaking, services that cater to businesses offer clunky or hard to use software/admin consoles/dashboards. This is not the case at all with AirBackup. In fact, the AirBackup client looks like it was made for individuals and home users. This is the first business service we have reviewed that minimalizes the learning curve for business managers. Everything is laid out in a very clean and straightforward manner. On the left side of the client, you can choose between ‘Backup,’ ‘Restore,’ and ‘Reports.’ Once you click on one of these options, actions like setting up which files to backup come up in the center of the screen. Overall, this is definitely the easiest to use business online backup solution, and certainly competes with home solutions as well.
Pricing
When it comes to pricing, AirBackup is difficult to figure out on the surface. When we initially saw $24 per month as the starting price, we were a bit startled. You can get a Backblaze business account for about $5 per month. However, that only includes one computer. With AirBackup, you pay $24/month for the basic package but you have access to unlimited servers, computers and users. And while the basic plan only comes with 50GB of space, this should be more than enough to get you going. AirBackup also offer two other plans – the Business Pro plan for $39/month and the Premium plan for $89/month. The Business Pro plan comes with 100GB of space, while the Premium plan comes with 250GB. Moreover, you can always add more space should you need it. Additionally, Airbackup offers a full 7 day money back guarantee. You can also cancel your order at any period and get your money back on the unused time.
Security
AirBackup has one of the best security options available today. On top of the client side 256 bit AES encryption they offer (prior to data transfer), they also provide 128 bit SSL encryption on end to end data transfer. So, your data is safe throughout the entire process. There is also an option for a private key encryption code which only you will have access to. In short, no one is breaking through this beast.
Customer Support
If you’ve ever tried the TeamViewer customer support then you know you are in good hands. Like TeamViewer, AirBackup is an all-around incredible company from a service standpoint. Forget the short response times. The service reps themselves can handle any issue, and are extremely professional and courteous. That said, you can reach the AirBackup support team via phone or email via their web form. If you’re not in the mood to talk to anyone, you can browse through their detailed Support Center that will likely answer any question you may have – technical or otherwise.
Summary
With TeamViewer behind them, and evolutionary technology to boot, AirBackup is arguably the best business online backup solution you will find. Moreover, the usability and customer support for a business oriented service is, in our opinion, one of the best you will find. Backed by their 14 day free trial with zero limitations, AirBackup is a fantastic online backup for business solution.
