SpiderOak One
An interesting take on cloud backup, with sharing and synchronisation features that set it apart
SCORE ✪✪✪✪✪ PRICE $5/month, unlimited devices, 100GB from spideroak.com
SpiderOak might not be the best known name in backup, but it has some interesting plus points. For one, you get unlimited file versioning, so you can roll back through history as far as you like – at least, within your 100GB allowance.
The client also uses local encryption as standard: everything is encoded on your PC before it’s uploaded, using your account password as the encryption key. By default, this password isn’t relayed to SpiderOak, so as long as you stick to using the desktop client, the company has no way of decrypting your information. If you log in to the web console, the company’s “zero knowledge” position is lost, but from here you can download files to any PC, and set up password-protected sharing to allow friends and family to access selected items.
Interestingly, SpiderOak One uses the same encryption model for hybrid backup as for the cloud; you can keep a copy of your backed-up files on a local drive, but you’ll need to log into the SpiderOak client to unlock and restore them. As for what gets backed up, you can select items using a familiar directory-tree interface or right-click on files and folders in the Windows Explorer.
As well as regular backup, SpiderOak One supports Dropboxstyle cloud syncing: the contents of your “Hive” folder are automatically synced across connected PCs, and count against your 100GB cloud storage allocation.
In our speed tests, SpiderOak ONE took 2hrs 57mins to back up our 5GB test folder: that’s not too discouraging, but it is nearly twice as long as the super-quick Carbonite. The good news is that, when we needed to get our files back, they came rocketing over the internet in just 19 minutes.
Clearly, in terms of raw storage per pound, SpiderOak One can’t compete with the unlimited services. 100GB isn’t too much of a squeeze, though, and if you need more space you can upgrade to 250GB for $9 a month, or a full terabyte for $12. Business plans add centralised management from $9 per user, and, if you step up to the Enterprise tier, you even get Active Directory integration.
Those who just want a no-fuss backup at the lowest possible cost are unlikely to be won over by SpiderOak. But its distinctive feature set deserves a look from anyone wanting a bit more from their backup product.