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BUSINESS BACKUP · MIGRATION GUIDE

Switching from IDrive to Backblaze

Backblaze cannot import IDrive backups. Install Backblaze on each computer, let the first backup finish, then close IDrive. Servers and NAS need another plan.

Quick verdict: Create a Backblaze group, deploy the app to each Mac and Windows computer, run the first backup and test a restore before closing IDrive. Backblaze Computer Backup does not cover servers, NAS or Linux, and has no Microsoft 365 backup listed, so plan for those separately.

Estimate · your inputs

Switching Cost & Friction Estimator

Most buyers only budget for the new subscription. This estimates the hidden labor, data-cleanup, and retraining cost of actually making the switch.

25,000
10

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.

Estimated Migration Time
Data Friction Rating
Total Hidden Switching Cost $0

    Why teams move from IDrive to Backblaze

    Unlimited storage

    No bundle limits or overage charges per computer.

    Simple per-computer price

    $99 a computer a year, or $9 a month.

    A year of versions

    One year of version history is included.

    How the migration actually works

    Servers, NAS and Linux machines are not covered by Backblaze Computer Backup; keep another tool for them.

    StepWhat you do
    1Take stockList every computer, server and NAS you back up and how much data each holds, so you can pick the right plan and storage.
    2Create a Backblaze Business Backup groupCreate a Group, choose Managed or Unmanaged, and invite members or deploy with an MSI installer or your MDM tool (Jamf, Intune and others).
    3Install Backblaze on each computerInstall the Backblaze app on each Mac or Windows computer; decide whether to set a private encryption key.
    4Run the first backupThe 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 restoreRestore a few files and one full folder from the new service to confirm it works.
    6Keep the old service runningDo 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 any Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace backups do not transfer. Backblaze has no phone support.

    Pricing side by side

    PlanIDriveBackblaze
    Pricing basisBundles (Team) or storage tiers (Business)Per computer, unlimited data
    Entry priceTeam $9.99/mo for 5 computers (annual)$99/computer/year; $9 monthly
    Storage5 TB per 5-computer bundleUnlimited
    ServersBusiness; Team add-onNot included
    Free planIDrive Basic, 10 GBNone (15-day trial)

    Standard prices checked on each vendor’s pricing page on September 19, 2026.

    Feature parity check

    CapabilityIDriveBackblaze
    Import from the other serviceNoneNone
    Storage limitBy bundle or tierNone
    Server / NAS backupYesNo
    LinuxYesNo
    Phone supportYes, 24/7No

    Going the other direction, or want the full comparison first?

    Read the Backblaze vs IDrive comparison Switching from Backblaze to IDrive instead?
    Verified data

    Security & access: what changes when you switch

    Security, offline and access rules that differ between IDrive and Backblaze. Rows where both tools are the same (4) are left out; the full side-by-side is on each tool’s page: IDrive, Backblaze.

    What changesIDrive (today)Backblaze (after)
    ISO/IEC 27001CertifiedsourceNot published
    Other certificationsEU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (incl. UK Extension, Swiss-U.S. DPF)sourceGovRAMP Progressing Snapshot, TX-RAMP Provisional, TPN Blue Shieldsource
    HIPAA (BAA)BAA availableTeam (with private key encryption; another paragraph says Business and Enterprise only)sourceBAA availablesource
    Single sign-on (SAML/OIDC)YesTeam (pricing table; SSO page says Enterprise)sourceYesEnterprise Control (add-on; OIDC, SAML not mentioned)source
    Data residency choicesUS onlysourceUS, EUsource
    EncryptionAES 256-bit in transfer and at rest; optional private key (not stored by IDrive)sourceAES-128 data keys secured by 2048-bit RSA key pair; HTTPS in transit; optional private encryption key (PEK)source
    Desktop appsWindows, macOS, LinuxsourceWindows, macOSsource
    Device & session controlsYesBusinessCentral 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.sourceYesEnterprise ControlSilent deployment via MSI, Jamf, Munki and MDM tools; Enterprise Control adds enhanced backup lockdown (prevents users changing/removing backups), restricted restore access and Legal Hold.source
    Office & room hardwareBacks 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.sourceBacks up Mac/Windows computers and attached external drives; NAS and network drives are excluded, and large restores can be shipped on a USB drive.source
    Editorial assessment

    Before you cut over

    • Set up single sign-on in Backblaze on Enterprise Control (add-on; OIDC, SAML not mentioned) before you invite the team, so accounts are created through your identity provider rather than by hand.

    Checked September 19, 2026 against each vendor’s own trust center, help docs and app pages. Hover or tap “source” to see the exact wording we relied on. “Not published” means we could not find the vendor saying it on its own site — it doesn’t mean the feature is missing. Plan names are the lowest plan the vendor says includes the feature. Security · Offline · Remote vs office · Download the data

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can Backblaze import my IDrive backups?

    No. Install Backblaze and run a new first backup.

    Will Backblaze cost more?

    Per computer, often: $99 a year each against IDrive Team’s $9.99 a month for 5 computers. Backblaze has no storage limit, which helps data-heavy teams.

    What about my servers?

    Backblaze Computer Backup excludes servers and NAS; Backblaze points to its B2 Cloud Storage product for those.

    Will my version history move with me?

    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.

    Sources

    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.

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    Built for the leader who owns the selection, answers for the spend, drives the rollout, and lives with the results. HelpCompare covers the whole decision, not just the first step.

    Bill Belcamino, founder of HelpCompare
    About the author

    Bill Belcamino

    Founder and author, HelpCompare

    Bill has worked in software and digital marketing for more than 20 years. He spent nine years as an engineer at HP, served as COO scaling a platform past 200,000 users, and ran Google’s $70M/year search syndication partnership at Alot.com. He has bought, trialled, integrated and cancelled more SaaS tools than he can count, and started HelpCompare because the real cost of switching tools is the part nobody covers.

    “I’ve sat on both sides of the table: the agency recommending the tool and the client paying for it.”

    Researched and fact-checked by the HelpCompare team. Pricing on this page was last verified on September 19, 2026. No paid sponsorships, no affiliate commissions.