A backup only matters on the day you need to restore it. A good backup plugin makes copies on a schedule, keeps at least one of them somewhere other than your server and gets the site back quickly when something breaks. Here are five WordPress backup plugins, what each one does and where it falls short.
I checked each plugin against its WordPress.org listing in November 2026. Features and prices change, so check the vendor’s page before you decide.
1. UpdraftPlus
UpdraftPlus is the most widely installed backup plugin on WordPress.org. The free version schedules backups of your files and database and sends them to remote storage such as Dropbox, Google Drive, Amazon S3, FTP or email. Restoring takes a few clicks, and the free version can also move a site to a new host or domain.
Pros:
- Scheduled backups to remote storage in the free version
- Many storage destinations
- Restore and migration built in
Cons:
- Incremental backups, backups before updates and extra destinations such as OneDrive, SFTP and Backblaze need UpdraftPlus Premium
- Backups run on your own server, which can be slow on large sites
If you manage several sites through UpdraftCentral, the same team’s remote dashboard, treat its connection keys like passwords. In October 2026 attackers used stolen UpdraftCentral keys to install backdoor plugins on WordPress sites, as Patchstack reported.
2. Jetpack VaultPress Backup
VaultPress Backup is Automattic’s backup service, built on WordPress.com’s infrastructure. It saves every change in real time to Jetpack’s cloud, keeps an activity log that shows what changed and who changed it, and can restore your site even when your host is down. The plugin is free to install, but it needs a paid Jetpack plan that includes Backup.
Pros:
- Real-time backups, stored off your server
- Activity log to choose the point you restore to
- Restores work even when your host is down
Cons:
- Needs a paid Jetpack plan
- Fewer settings than plugins you configure yourself
3. BlogVault
BlogVault makes automatic, incremental backups of the whole site and stores them on its own servers. Those servers also do the backup and restore work, so your site carries less load. It adds staging, migration, custom schedules and real-time backups for WooCommerce orders. The full service is paid, with a 7-day free trial.
Pros:
- Backup and restore work runs off your server
- Incremental, encrypted, offsite backups
- Staging and migration included
- Real-time backups for WooCommerce orders
Cons:
- Paid after the trial
- More than a small site may need
4. Duplicator
Duplicator started as a migration tool: it packages your whole site, files and database, so you can move or clone it to another host. The free version, Duplicator Lite, also makes full backups with one-click restore. Scheduled backups and multisite support are in Duplicator Pro.
Pros:
- Very good for moving or cloning a site
- Full backups with one-click restore in the free version
- Step-by-step migration wizard
Cons:
- No scheduled backups in the free version
- Built around migration more than routine backups
5. BackWPup
BackWPup schedules backups of your database and files and can send one backup job to several destinations at once. The free version supports your own server, Dropbox, FTP, Microsoft Azure, Amazon S3 and compatible storage, SugarSync and Rackspace Cloud Files. BackWPup Pro adds more destinations, including Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive.
Pros:
- Scheduled backups in the free version
- One job can store copies in several places
- Fine control over schedules and what each job includes
Cons:
- More settings to learn than most
- Google Drive and OneDrive need the Pro version
Choosing a backup plugin
Start with where your backups live and how you will restore them. If you want free and flexible, UpdraftPlus or BackWPup will cover most sites. If you would rather pay for backups that run off your server and restore even when your host is down, look at VaultPress Backup or BlogVault. If you mainly move sites between hosts, Duplicator is built for that.
Whichever you choose, keep at least one copy off your server, and test a restore on a staging site before you need it. A backup you have never restored is a guess.
I used AI to help draft this post from my own idea and notes. I verified the information and edited the text myself.
