Carbonite cannot import IDrive backups. Check your data fits Carbonite’s allowance, install it on each device and run a fresh backup before closing IDrive.
Quick verdict: Carbonite Core covers up to 25 computers with 250 GB in total, so measure your data first. Buy Core, or Power or Ultimate for servers, install Safe Backup Pro, complete the first backup and test a restore, then close IDrive.
Most buyers only budget for the new subscription. This estimates the hidden labor, data-cleanup, and retraining cost of actually making the switch.
Estimate assumes: 1 hour of data-mapping/cleaning labor per 2,000 records, a blended $75/hr ops rate, tiered migration & cleaning tooling fees, and 4 hours of retraining per seat at a $45/hr fully-loaded rate.
Core is $287.99 a year.
Power and Ultimate include Windows server backup.
Support-assisted restore of clean versions within two weeks of an infection.
Carbonite does not list Linux support or Google Workspace backup; keep other tools for those.
| Step | What you do |
|---|---|
| 1Take stock | List every computer, server and NAS you back up and how much data each holds, so you can pick the right plan and storage. |
| 2Choose a Carbonite plan | Pick Core, or Power or Ultimate if you back up Windows servers, then add users and assign computers in the web dashboard. |
| 3Install Carbonite on each computer | Install Safe Backup Pro on each computer (and server, on Power or Ultimate); set a private key at setup if you want one (Windows only). |
| 4Run the first backup | The first backup of each computer uploads everything again and can take days on a slow connection; schedule it before you cancel the old plan. |
| 5Test a restore | Restore a few files and one full folder from the new service to confirm it works. |
| 6Keep the old service running | Do not cancel until the new service has completed a full first backup of every computer and you have tested a restore. IDrive restores through its desktop app, web or mobile apps, and admins can restore for users; IDrive Express ships a drive for $99.50 per restore. |
What this path doesn’t do for you:
IDrive history, Snapshots and SaaS backups do not move. Carbonite’s storage is far smaller than IDrive’s bundles.
| Plan | IDrive | Carbonite |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing basis | Bundles (Team) or storage tiers (Business) | Flat bundle for up to 25 computers |
| Entry price | Team $9.99/mo for 5 computers (annual) | Core $287.99/year ($24/mo) |
| Storage | 5 TB per 5-computer bundle | 250 GB (Core) to 500 GB |
| Servers | Business; Team add-on | Power and Ultimate |
| Free plan | IDrive Basic, 10 GB | None (30-day trial) |
Standard prices checked on each vendor’s pricing page on September 19, 2026.
| Capability | IDrive | Carbonite |
|---|---|---|
| Import from the other service | None | None |
| Storage | Terabytes per bundle | 250–500 GB shared |
| Linux | Yes | Not listed |
| Monthly billing | Yes | No |
| Support | 24/7 chat, email, phone | Weekday phone and email |
Going the other direction, or want the full comparison first?
Read the IDrive vs Carbonite comparison Switching from Carbonite to IDrive instead?Security, offline and access rules that differ between IDrive and Carbonite. Rows where both tools are the same (3) are left out; the full side-by-side is on each tool’s page: IDrive, Carbonite.
| What changes | IDrive (today) | Carbonite (after) |
|---|---|---|
| ISO/IEC 27001 | Certifiedsource | Not published |
| Other certifications | EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (incl. UK Extension, Swiss-U.S. DPF)source | Not published |
| HIPAA (BAA) | BAA availableTeam (with private key encryption; another paragraph says Business and Enterprise only)source | BAA availableCoresource |
| GDPR data processing agreement | DPA offeredsource | Not published |
| Single sign-on (SAML/OIDC) | YesTeam (pricing table; SSO page says Enterprise)source | Not published |
| Encryption | AES 256-bit in transfer and at rest; optional private key (not stored by IDrive)source | AES-256 at rest; TLS 1.2 in transit; optional private key (Windows only)source |
| Desktop apps | Windows, macOS, Linuxsource | Windows, macOSsource |
| Mobile apps | iOS, Androidsource | Nonesource |
| Device & session controls | YesBusinessCentral dashboard: push and lock backup settings/policies per group, remotely change backup sets and schedules, remote client upgrades, block or delete users, legal hold on a user account.source | YesCoreAdmin-defined backup policies by group, role or device; admins add and remove computers and assign them to users.source |
| Office & room hardware | Backs up NAS devices (Synology, Netgear, Asustor, QNAP), external/mapped drives and Windows servers; IDrive Express ships a temporary storage device for bulk backup or restore.source | Backs up office NAS devices and external drives on all plans; Power/Ultimate add Windows servers (2008+) with cloud and onsite server backup targets.source |
No. Install Carbonite and run a new first backup.
Only for 11 to 25 computers with little data; for up to 10 computers IDrive Team costs less.
Linux is not listed on the pages we read.
No. Backup services do not import each other’s history. Keep the old account until you no longer need its older versions, or restore anything you must keep before cancelling.
Every pricing fact, rating, AI billing model and switching guide we hold on each tool, on one page — with the date each figure was last verified.
Prices on this page were recorded from each vendor’s own pricing page on the date shown at the top of the page. Vendors change pricing often — check the live source before you buy.
Every figure is also in our open dataset (JSON and CSV, CC BY 4.0), with its source page and verification date. See how we research pricing.
Plain-language guides: the steps, what to check before you buy, common mistakes, and every tool it takes with verified prices.
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