Carbonite Pricing 2026: The “Unlimited” Backup Trap?
Carbonite markets itself as the “cheapest unlimited backup” starting at $6/month. But if you read the fine print in 2026, the story changes.
We analyzed the latest pricing structures, throttling policies, and renewal terms to calculate the True Cost of Ownership for personal and business users. Here is what you will actually pay.
The Pricing Table (2026 Update)
First, a reality check: Carbonite does not offer monthly billing for personal plans. You must pay for the full year (or 3 years) upfront. The “monthly” price is just marketing math.
| Plan | Advertised Price | Real Upfront Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safe Basic | $4.99 / mo | $59.99 / year | Single PC (No External Drives) |
| Safe Plus | $7.99 / mo | $95.99 / year | PC + External Hard Drive |
| Safe Prime | $10.83 / mo | $129.99 / year | Includes Courier Recovery |
| Business Core | $24.00 / mo | $288.00 / year | Servers & NAS (250GB Limit) |
⚠️ Crucial Restriction: The “Unlimited” storage applies strictly to Personal plans. Business plans have hard caps (250GB or 500GB). If you exceed them, you pay overage fees.
The “Hidden Costs” & Limits Breakdown
Why is Carbonite cheaper than Dropbox? Because they restrict how you use it. Here are the hidden costs you need to know in 2026:
- The Speed Throttle (The Big One): Carbonite is known to throttle upload speeds after you back up a certain amount of data (often around 200GB). Your initial backup of 1TB could take weeks, not days.
- Courier Recovery Fee: If your computer crashes and you can’t wait weeks to download 1TB over the internet, you need the “Courier Recovery” service (they ship you a hard drive). This is included in the Safe Prime plan, but costs $99.99+ extra on Basic and Plus plans.
- Video File Restrictions: On the Safe Basic plan, video files are typically not backed up automatically unless you manually change settings. They push you to upgrade to Safe Plus for seamless video backup.
- No Monthly Option: You are locked in for 1-3 years. There is no “try for a month” option (outside the limited trial).
💰 The Maths: Is It Worth It?
Let’s calculate the real cost for a freelancer with 1TB of photos/video.
- Plan: Safe Plus (Required for External Drive backup)
- License Cost: $95.99 / year
- Courier Recovery (One-time emergency): +$99.99 (Not included)
- Total Year 1 Risk: $195.98
Compare to Backblaze: Backblaze costs ~$99/year but offers faster unthrottled speeds. Carbonite wins only if you lock in a 3-year deal during a sale.
Verdict: Should You Buy It?
- ✅ YES, if: You want a “set and forget” insurance policy. You don’t need to access files daily, and you just want to know your data is safe in case of a fire or ransomware. The Safe Plus plan is the sweet spot.
- ❌ NO, if: You need to sync files between computers (use Dropbox) or if you have 5TB+ of data to upload quickly (use Backblaze). Carbonite’s upload speeds are too slow for massive creative workflows.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Is Carbonite truly unlimited?
For Personal plans (Basic/Plus/Prime) — yes, there is no storage cap. However, there is a “speed cap.” The more you store, the slower your upload speed may become. Business plans are NOT unlimited.
2. Does it backup my external hard drive?
Only if you buy the Safe Plus plan or higher. The Basic plan ignores external drives completely.
3. Can I use it on a Mac?
Yes, but Carbonite for Mac has fewer features than the Windows version. For example, some specialized file types might require manual selection.
