There is no horror for a blogger like waking up for a rude shock that he or she has lost all the data and had no way to recover them. There are many reasons why this can happen:
- When updating a theme, plugin or even WordPress.
- Your server might fail.
- Personal accidents.
- Or you can even get hacked.
There are many more reasons why you might lose your data, but those four give you a glimpse of them.
You can never rely on your host that they will back-up your blog 100% because they have limited backup services. It is upon you to ensure that your site is fully backed up. There are many free and paid plugins available for you to choose from, and they are easy to use. Selecting which plugin to use can prove to be a real struggle. That’s where I jump into the rescue.
I have rounded up top 6 WordPress backup plugins for your blog. You just have to select one that works for you best.
What about Manual backup?
There are those who prefer to do everything themselves, and therefore they like to manually backup of their blog. It is a good habit to emulate so that you can be sure that your blog is fully and always backed up. It comes in handy when the automated plugin skips the scheduled backup. Who knows what can happen between that time and the next scheduled backup.
If you one of them, WordPress Codex have a solution for you. Learn how to manually backup your site.
And now the Plugins
1. BackWPUp
A plugin that offers you full control on where you wish to backup your blog like on your hard drive, email, FTP. Cloud storage like Dropbox is also supported. Allow automatic scheduled backups.
You can enjoy all these features without paying a penny. To get more support and Google drive support, upgrade to Pro Version.
Restoration of the WordPress backups is super easy.
2. UpdraftPlus
Another free plugin is UpdraftPlus – it allows you to automate backups and store them in your most preferred location. Database encryption is another neat feature that add security to your data. Do you have a large site? This plugin is for you because it allows you to split the site into small archives for faster backup.
If you new to this plugin, it might prove difficult to use due to its cluttered user interface that make the user had to locate the option they want to use. Despite the hinge, WordPress plugin directory rate it as among the best plugins.
3. BackUpWordPress
Just like the above plugins, it allows automatic backup, scheduling and even create files for your database.
The choice of storage is limited to only your hard drive or email. For those who wish to have a range of options on where they store their data, you can purchase an extension that enables you to do just that.
4. Duplicator
Created as a migration tool with backup capability. It has most basic backup options for your WordPress except you can’t automate scheduled backup in advance.
You also need to have the technical knowledge to be able to use this plugin. Despite these drawbacks, if you want to migrate your site, you can use this plugin to serve both purposes. “Killing two bird with one stone.”
5. BackupBuddy
A premium plugin that serves all you need in backing up your WordPress site by just a push of a button. Set how frequent you wish to backup your blog and where to. That’s all you have to do.
As I said it’s a premium plugin, you need to dig into your pocket. You can pay between $80 and $297 depending on the plan that suits your needs better.
6. VaultPress
It offers automated real-time backup solution for your WordPress site at a subscription service plan and pricing. VaultPress was founded by Matt Mullenweg (WordPress co-founder) together with his team at Automattic.
Pricing start as low as $5 per month.
Bonus Backup plugins that you can also use:
- WP-DB-Backup
- WordPress Backup to Dropbox
- Snapshot
Rules to follow for WordPress Backup
Before you settle for any plugin as your best option for you blog, there are few rules that you must follow to be on the safe side.
- Your scheduled backup should be related to your blog routine updates.
- Never backup you blog on one location, instead backup in three places.
- Conduct a manual backup once in a while.
- Before any upgrade, backup your database.
- Only backup those plugins that are important for your blog.
There is no compromise on these rules, and they are must follow if you love your blog.
Final Thoughts
Backing up your blog frequently and regularly is mandatory. And with all these plugins available to ease your job, you have no excuse not to.
I would love to know how you backup you site, do you take the manual option or use a plugin? Share your experience with me and my readers in the comments.
About the Author:
Ana Pascoa is the woman behind the KitCriarBlogs.com project a totally innovative platform that promises to revolutionize the learning of WordPress.