Best WordPress Backup Plugins 2026

One Bad Update Away From Starting Over

A failed plugin update. A hacked login page. A host that “accidentally” wiped your server. These happen every day to WordPress sites with no backup plan.

We tested the most popular WordPress backup plugins and narrowed it down to 5 that actually matter — each one excelling at something different. Here’s what we found.

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Quick Comparison

Feature	UpdraftPlus	VaultPress	BlogVault	WP Staging	Duplicator
Starting Price	$70/yr (2 sites)	$4.95/mo	$149/yr	$93/yr	$49.50/yr (intro)
Free Tier	✅ Generous	❌ No	❌ Trial only	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Real-Time Backups	❌ Scheduled only	✅ Every change	✅ WooCommerce tier	❌ Scheduled only	❌ Hourly max
Incremental Backups	✅ Pro only	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Pro only	❌ No
Cloud Storage (Free)	✅ 6+ providers	N/A	N/A	❌ Pro only	❌ Pro only
Server Load	On your server	Zero (cloud)	Zero (cloud)	On your server	On your server
Staging Environment	❌ No	❌ No	✅ All plans	✅ Native	❌ No
Site Migration	✅ Pro only	❌ No	✅ All plans	✅ Yes	✅ Best-in-class
WooCommerce-Safe Restore	❌ No	✅ Keeps orders	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No
Managed Hosting Support	✅ Most	✅ All	✅ All	✅ Most	✅ WP Engine, Kinsta
Backup Encryption	✅ Pro only	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No	✅ Pro only
Active Installs	5M+	Part of Jetpack	400k+	Growing	1.5M+
Best For	Budget / free needs	WooCommerce stores	Business-critical sites	Dev workflow	Migrations

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UpdraftPlus — The Free Tier That Actually Works

• Free cloud storage to Google Drive, Dropbox, S3, OneDrive, FTP, and more
• Scheduled backups with one-click restore from the dashboard
• Incremental backups in Pro (saves server resources on large sites)
• Auto-backup before updates (Pro) so failed updates don’t ruin your day
• 5M+ active installs, the most battle-tested backup plugin in WordPress

Here’s what sets UpdraftPlus apart: free cloud storage to Google Drive, Dropbox, S3, OneDrive, and FTP. Most competitors lock cloud storage behind a paywall. UpdraftPlus doesn’t. With 5 million+ installs, it’s the most battle-tested backup plugin in the WordPress ecosystem.

The free version handles scheduled backups and one-click restore — enough for most personal and small business sites. Pro ($70/year, 2 sites) adds incremental backups and auto-backup before updates, which matters for larger sites where full backups eat server resources.

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Jetpack VaultPress Backup — Real-Time Protection for Stores

• Real-time backups on every single change (not scheduled, continuous)
• Zero server load, runs entirely on Jetpack’s cloud infrastructure
• WooCommerce-safe restores that keep recent orders intact during rollback
• Activity log showing every change with one-click restore to any point
• Backed by Automattic (WordPress.com), enterprise-grade reliability

VaultPress doesn’t backup on a schedule — it captures every single change in real time. New order? Backed up. Plugin update? Backed up. Comment? Backed up. And it all happens on Jetpack’s cloud, so zero CPU load on your server.

The killer feature for WooCommerce: you can restore your entire site to a previous state while keeping your latest orders intact. That’s something most backup plugins simply can’t do. At $4.95/month with 10GB cloud storage, it’s purpose-built for stores where every transaction counts.

The catch: No free backup tier. 30-day archive only. Requires a WordPress.com account.

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BlogVault — When Reliability Is Everything

• Off-server backups that run on BlogVault’s servers, zero impact on your hosting
• Unlimited cloud storage included in every plan (no picking between providers)
• One-click staging and migration built into all tiers
• 90-365 day retention depending on plan (most competitors cap at 30 days)
• Emergency connector for restoring even when your dashboard is inaccessible

BlogVault’s edge is simple: backups run entirely on their servers, not yours. Your site doesn’t slow down, your hosting resources stay untouched, and you get unlimited cloud storage included — no picking between Google Drive and Dropbox.

At $149/year it’s the priciest plugin here. But independent testing consistently rates it as the most reliable restore. Every plan includes staging, migration, and 90-day retention. The WooCommerce tier ($349/year) adds real-time backups and 365-day retention.

No free plan. But for a site generating revenue, $149/year is cheap compared to rebuilding from scratch.

Pick BlogVault if: Your site makes money and restore reliability matters more than price. Zero server load and unlimited storage seal it.

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WP Staging — Backup Meets Staging in One Plugin

• Staging + push-to-live in one plugin (no separate staging tool needed)
• One-click cloning of your entire site for safe testing
• 1,000+ automated tests per release for enterprise-grade stability
• Handles 50GB+ sites without issues, multisite network support
• License works forever after expiration (you only lose updates, not functionality)

Most backup plugins do backups. WP Staging does backups, one-click cloning, staging environments, and push-to-live — all in one plugin. That’s its superpower: you clone your site, test changes on staging, and push them live when ready. If something breaks, your backup is already there.

The enterprise-grade code quality stands out — 1,000+ automated tests run on every release. It handles sites over 50GB without breaking a sweat, supports multisite networks, and keeps all data on your server (no third-party cloud dependency).

Free version covers cloning and basic backups. Pro starts at ~$93/year (1 site) with cloud storage (Google Drive, S3, OneDrive, Wasabi), scheduled backups, and the push feature. License works forever even after expiration — you just lose updates.

Pick WP Staging if: You’re a developer who needs staging + backups without installing two separate plugins. The clone-test-push workflow is unmatched.

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Duplicator — Migration-First, Backup-Second

• Drag-and-drop installer for painless cross-host migrations
• Recovery points before risky updates (rollback in one click)
• Managed hosting support including WP Engine, Kinsta, Flywheel
• Archive encryption and cloud storage (S3, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive)
• Hourly scheduling in Plus tier, cPanel API integration for server-level control

Duplicator’s drag-and-drop installer is why agencies swear by it. Package your entire site, drop it on a new server, run the installer — done. No FTP juggling, no database imports, no search-and-replace headaches. It just works.

Pro starts at $49.50/year (intro pricing, 2 sites) with cloud storage, hourly scheduling, and encryption. It works on managed hosting like WP Engine and Kinsta — a real advantage since some backup plugins (looking at you, Solid Backups) don’t. Recovery points let you set checkpoints before risky updates.

Pick Duplicator if: You move sites between hosts regularly or manage multiple client projects. Nobody does migrations better.

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Which One Should You Pick?

• Just need backups for free: UpdraftPlus — nothing beats the free cloud storage
• WooCommerce store: Jetpack VaultPress — real-time + order-safe restores
• Revenue-generating business site: BlogVault — most reliable restore, zero server load
• Developer workflow (staging + backups): WP Staging — clone, test, push, backup in one tool
• Agency migrations: Duplicator — drag-and-drop site moves, managed hosting support

Whatever you pick, test your restore process before you need it. A backup you’ve never tested is just a file that might work.

While you’re at it — site speed affects everything from UX to rankings. Our WordPress speed optimization guide covers the technical side. And check out the best AI plugins for WordPress to round out your stack.