Backblaze vs CrashPlan for Remote Work Backup

Choosing the right backup solution for remote work requires balancing cost, reliability, cross-platform support, and ease of restoration. For developers and power users managing multiple machines across locations, the decision between Backblaze and CrashPlan involves several practical considerations that go beyond marketing claims.

Pricing and Value

Backblaze offers a straightforward $7/month per computer for unlimited backup storage. This simplicity appeals to developers with large repositories, VM images, and project files. There is no tiered pricing based on storage amount—your backup grows with your data without additional costs.

CrashPlan for Small Business (the most relevant option for developers) runs approximately $10/month per computer with unlimited storage. The higher price point includes some enterprise features like advanced reporting and priority support.

For a solo developer or small remote team, Backblaze provides better value. However, CrashPlan includes some features that justify the premium for certain use cases.

Platform Support and Linux Compatibility

Developers often run mixed environments—macOS on laptops, Linux on servers, and Windows on specific workstations. Both services support all three major platforms, but Linux support differs in practice.

Backblaze provides a native Linux client that works on Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, and Red Hat distributions. The installation is straightforward:

# Install Backblaze on Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt install ./backblaze-x.x.x.deb
sudo systemctl enable bzserv
sudo systemctl start bzserv

CrashPlan also supports Linux but requires Java installation, adding complexity to headless server setups. For developers managing headless Linux machines, Backblaze’s lighter footprint is advantageous.

Backup Performance and Network Efficiency

Remote work backup solutions must handle inconsistent internet connections common with home networks and co-working spaces.

Backblaze uses incremental backups that only transfer changed files. Their compression is reasonable, though not as aggressive as some alternatives. For developers with large git repositories, the first backup can take days over typical home internet speeds, but subsequent backups are significantly faster since only changes transfer.

CrashPlan employs deduplication at the chunk level, which can dramatically reduce bandwidth usage for teams with similar file structures. If multiple team members back up similar development environments, CrashPlan’s deduplication saves considerable transfer time.

Both services offer throttling options to prevent backup processes from consuming your entire bandwidth during work hours:

# Backblaze bandwidth throttling (via preferences)
# Limit upload to 500 KB/s during working hours

# CrashPlan via config file
# Edit /Library/Application Support/CrashPlan/conf/ui.properties
# backup.compress.enabled=true
# throttling.enabled=true

File Versioning and Restore Options

When you accidentally delete code or a configuration change breaks your environment, file versioning becomes critical.

Backblaze retains all versions of files for 30 days on their default plan, with an optional extended version history add-on for longer retention. This works well for recovering from recent mistakes but may fall short for long-term project archaeology.

CrashPlan offers unlimited version history on most plans, allowing you to restore any version of any file from any point in time. For developers working on long-running projects or maintaining legacy codebases, this unlimited version history proves invaluable.

Both services support:

Security Considerations

Security matters when your intellectual property travels through third-party servers.

Backblaze encrypts all data in transit using AES-256 and at rest on their servers. You can optionally add a private key that Backblaze never stores, ensuring only you can decrypt your backups. This “private encryption” option requires you to keep your key safe—lose it, and your backup becomes irrecoverable.

CrashPlan similarly uses AES-256 encryption with optional private key management. Their business plans include additional security features like audit logs and compliance reporting relevant for enterprise environments.

For most developers, either service provides adequate security. The private encryption option matters if you have strict data residency requirements or work with particularly sensitive client data.

Continuous Backup vs Scheduled

Developers benefit from continuous backup to capture changes immediately, especially when working on active projects.

Backblaze runs continuously by default, watching your filesystem for changes and uploading within about 24 hours. The “Backup Now” button triggers immediate uploads for urgent situations.

CrashPlan also offers continuous backup with more granular control over scan intervals and upload timing. Advanced users can fine-tune these settings for optimal performance on limited connections.

Headless and Server Backup

For developers running headless Linux servers or CI/CD infrastructure, the backup client matters significantly.

Backblaze provides a command-line interface that works well on headless systems:

# Backblaze B2 CLI installation
pip install b2-sdk
b2 authorize_account
b2 upload-file bucketName /path/to/file filename

This allows scripting backup jobs for servers without GUI dependencies.

CrashPlan requires a graphical interface for initial setup but can run headless after configuration. The Java dependency makes it heavier on resource-constrained systems.

The Verdict for Remote Work

For most developers and small remote teams, Backblaze provides the better value proposition. The $7/month price, straightforward unlimited storage, native Linux support, and private encryption options cover 90% of developer backup needs.

Choose CrashPlan if you need:

Both services reliably protect your data. The choice ultimately depends on whether the additional CrashPlan features justify the 43% price premium for your specific workflow.

For remote developers, the real value lies in having any automated backup solution in place. The difference between these services matters less than the difference between backing up and not backing up.

Built by theluckystrike — More at zovo.one