When comparing CrashPlan vs Arq, the Slant community recommends CrashPlan for most people. In the question“What are the best cloud backup services?” CrashPlan is ranked 3rd while Arq is ranked 6th. The most important reason people chose CrashPlan is:
You set it up once and from then it runs in the background whenever you are not using your computers (or at specified times).
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Unintrusive
You set it up once and from then it runs in the background whenever you are not using your computers (or at specified times).
Pro Supports multiple backup destinations
You can set up different files/folders to back up to specific places.
Pro Differential and incremental file backup
CrashPlan updates only that part of the file that has changed, saving bandwidth and time.
Pro Unlimited online storage
The $5/mo individual plan and the $12.50/mo family plan gets you unlimited cloud storage.
Pro Allows custom encryption keys
Custom 448 bit user-provided encryption key can be used to encrypt the backed up data in the cloud.
Pro Users can order a physical copy of their data
They will send you an external hard drive to your house.
Pro Unlimited revision history
CrashPlan saves all previous versions of a file.
Pro Only you know the encryption password
No privacy concerns.
Pro Reliable
Amazon services offer solutions with almost 100% durability and 99.99% availability. Even if the system loses data-centers, you will still be able to access your files.
Pro Can store data directly in a variety of cloud storage providers
Arq is client-side software that runs on your computer and talks directly to generic cloud data storage providers. No third-party service in the middle means lower costs, better reliability, lower risk of a service ceasing to operate, ease of migration to other storage targets.
- Amazon Glacier and/or S3
- GreenQloud
- DreamObjects
- Google Cloud Storage
- S3-Compatible Server
- SFTP Server
Pro Open document format backups
Unlike other backup programs that store data in proprietary formats, Arq stores them in an open document format allowing for easy viewing.
Cons
Con Buggy
Con Home edition discontinued
CrashPlan's home edition will be shut down on October 23, 2018. They are no longer accepting new signups or subscription renewals.
Con Popular features (local backup and trusted offsite backup) no longer available
Con Heavy client
The BackupClient is based on Java and therefore a lot more memory-intensive than most other backup solutions
Con Buggy
Con Complicated setup
When it comes to ease of use most cloud backup service are pretty easy as it is just one signup, with Arc you need to download install and activate it to then register for an Amazon account, this extra step may be troublesome to some people or just annoying.