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Being a Mac user, we agree that it offers the most secure and seamless user experience. However, we must not forget it’s a machine end of the day. Some odd day, it might collapse or compromise the space of your data. Eventually, erasing everything in it and making you lose all of it if you didn’t opt for backup software for your Mac. In our today’s writeup, we’d be talking about – best backup softwares for Mac? Need to do a Backup? Which one’s better, backup or cloning? And How often should you backup your data on Mac? Let’s begin.
What is Data Backup, and Why It’s Important?
I know we already have a generic Mac management software thread going, but I wanted to start another one dedicated to free, cheap and/or open source solutions. I think almost everyone would agree that Jamf Pro (formerly Casper Suite) is the way to go if you can afford it, but of course that isn’t always an option. MacOS Server brings even more power to your business, home office, or school. Designed to work with macOS and iOS, macOS Server makes it easy to configure Mac and iOS devices. It’s also remarkably simple to install, set up, and manage. Add macOS Server to your Mac from the Mac App Store for just $19.99. Especially considering its free. For those having trouble getting it to see their PS3 on the network, one thing you may need to do is go under 'General Configuration' and in the 'Force IP of the server' field, put in the network IP of your mac running the software. For example 192.168.1.2 After that click save and then restart the server.
We use our Mac regularly to create, transfer, and receive ‘n’ number of files. While some of them are personal, some play a significant part in our professional life. By backing up your data, you can stay assured of not having any loss of your moments stored in Mac or your work-related files.
What is Cloning, and why it’s important?
Unlike backup, cloning creates a copy of the selected drive on the partition made at the target location. Having said this, you’ll have access to an exact copy comprising partition layout and split. However, in comparison to backing up, cloning requires larger space considering that it gets created immediately, and encryption or compressing the file isn’t feasible.
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What is the Difference Between Backup and Cloning?
Backing up to a hard drive lets you create a backup for the entire content of a selected partition into the target source. This is also known to create an Image. Just if you are taking the backup of the entire system, an image file will be created of all the installed programs and settings. You also have the option to encrypt the backed up file for enhanced security.
How Often Should You Backup your Data on Mac?
Did you know, according to a report published, 24% of adult users never back up their data, 42% do it once a year or even less, and 34% do it once a month. It’s just 6% of users who back up their data daily. Strange it may sound, but in a world where our MacBook serves an invincible role in storing our data, we sideline the role of having Mac’s backup software.
If you are among the 6% of users who do it daily, Kudos to you!! If you are part of the remaining population, it’s time you should take data loss seriously.
What is the Best Mac Backup Software?
Keep scrolling to find some of the best free and paid available data backup software for your Mac. Let’s begin.
1. Time Machine
This is macOS’ built-in back software. Being designed primarily for Mac, it’s easy to use and copies everything on your Mac, including applications, accounts, email, messages, documents, photos, music, videos, system files, and preferences.
Setting up Time Machine doesn’t require more than a hard drive, which is twice the internal hard drive’s storage capacity. Once you connect it with your Mac, you’ll notice a box seeking confirmation on using it with Time Machine and whether or not you intend to encrypt the backup disk.
While the backing up process may take hours to finish, here’s how you can backup using Time Machine.
While the backing up process may take hours to finish, here’s how you can backup using Time Machine.
- Compatibility: All macOS’
- Price: Free (Built-in with Mac)
- How to install Time Machine: It comes by default with Mac.
2. Super Duper
The software offers intuitive software and is extremely easy to use. You have to select your target and the destination drive and sit back to watch it happen in no time. The software will take a backup of your entire data. Once the initial backup is completed, you’ll have the option to select incremental backups. This will copy only the files that were created after your last backup was done. Isn’t that interesting?
It also has a feature named Smart Wake, which enables you to take the backup even when your Mac’s not awake.
It also has a feature named Smart Wake, which enables you to take the backup even when your Mac’s not awake.
- Compatibility: macOS 10.10 (Yosemite) and later
- Latest Version: 3.3.1 (Updated on 7th February 2020)
- Price: Free to Try (License costs $27.95 for single Mac)
3. Carbon Copy Cloner
The cloning tool offers you a straightforward interface to execute the process. It gives you the option to create a back of your internal drive at a bit level and create a bootable backup disk or a clone, which is ready to install. In their recent upgrade, they resolved concerns linked with “Copying of SystemKey” in macOS Catalina and an issue linked with the bootability of Yosemite and EI Captain backups.
- Compatibility: macOS 10.10 (Yosemite) or later.
- Latest Version: 5.1.21.6053 (Updated on 24th September 2020)
- Price: 30-day Free to Try (License costs $39.99 for all the devices in a premise)
4. Chrono Sync
The software dons an editor rating of 4 stars out of 5 and works seamlessly between different work stations. It helps sync data and takes backup from multiple devices. Though the user agreement may look lengthy to you, once it starts to work, you’d see the effortlessness with which it carries all tasks. With its trial version, the software allows you to backup/transfer data up to 500mb. Further, you’ll have to buy its licensed version.
- Compatibility: OS X 10.12 (Sierra) or higher.
- Latest Version: 4.9.10 (Updated on 10th June 2020)
- Price: Free to Try (License costs $39.99 for all the devices in a premise)
5. Smart Backup
![Server for mac Server for mac](/uploads/1/2/5/8/125875269/940010406.png)
The lightweight backup application is created to serve devices with macOS X or higher. It uses a custom sync engine to improve performance and enhance features. It gives you entire liberty to select the volumes and folders you want to sync and create a bootable clone of your hard drive. It also comes with built-in automation that lets you schedule backup in just a few clicks.
- Compatibility: OS X 10.10 (Yosemite) or higher.
- Latest Version: 4.2.1 (Updated on 4th March 2020)
- Price: Free
6. Disk Drill
This one’s a powerful tool to scan your Mac or connected devices to find lost files. Though mostly it happens that some files can’t be recovered, this tool has successfully reconstructed such lost or deleted files in many cases. It has a preview feature that will share with you the list of recoverable files after scanning.
- Compatibility: OS X 10.8.5 (Mountain Lion) or higher.
- Latest Version: 4.0.123 (Updated on 8th October 2020)
- Price: Free basic version. $89 for Pro Version that allows recovery.
7. Carbonite Safe
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It allows you to backup your Mac to remote servers and fetches files as and when you need them. We need to note that it only backups your files and folders and doesn’t include system files and applications. The software protects your files with 128-bit encryption. However, there’s no option of adding an access password to your protected files.
- Compatibility: OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) or higher.
- Latest Version: 2.4.4
- Price: Free Try. It starts at $71.99 for a single Mac.
8. Acronis True Image 2020
This one’s widely used and recognized by Windows users in comparison to those using Mac. However, the truth is that it can be of great help in availing personal backup solutions and taking backup of data in a local disk, an attached network, or its cloud service. However, to leverage the cloud service, you’ll have to set up an account, which won’t take much time, though.
- Compatibility: OS X EI Captain or higher.
- Latest Version: 2020.25760 (Updated on 29th April 2020)
- Price: Free Try. It starts at $49.99.
9. Get Backup Pro (V3)
One primary reason for the popularity of this software is the flexibility it offers. It gives you the option to either backup your entire drive or a particular folder. It can create boot-ready clones of Mac’s startup drive and sync folders and files to different drives. You can also schedule backups. These will happen in the background without hindering your work-in-progress. Once completed, the software will close automatically.
- Compatibility: OS X Mavericks or higher.
- Latest Version: 3.5.9 (Updated on 1st October 2020)
- Price: Free Try. It starts at $19.99.
10. Backblaze
The software performs auto backups for you on Mac as per the schedule set. So just in case you forget doing it or have a busy schedule, this can be of great help. However, it keeps the backed up data stored for 30 days and then deletes it by self. Having said this, to be on the safer side, it’ll always be a good idea to create a schedule for daily EoD or weekly.
- Compatibility: OS X Mountain Lion or higher.
- Latest Version: 7.0.1.452 (Updated on 14th August 2020)
- Price: Free Try. $6 per month or $60 per year.
11. IDrive
The online backup service offers free accessibility up to 5GB capacity. After that, things get pretty expensive. However, there’s one thing that you might like about this software. It does not delete your backup, giving you the liberty to roll back to any date from the past. While the data is fully encrypted, the features like Rewind and Snapshot are indeed a charm.
- Compatibility: OS X Mavericks or higher.
- Latest Version: 3.5.9.19 (Updated on 25th September 2020)
- Price: Free Try. $52.12 for 1st year and then $74.62/year.
Numerous software helps you back up your data on Mac. Understanding its vitality, it’s crucial to have the best software on board to serve the purpose. Just in case there are any further details you want, please feel free to share it with me in the comment section.
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Mayank is a published author and a tech-blogger with over ten years of writing experience for various domains and industries. At iGeeks, he mostly writes about blogs that solve user-problems and guide them on unleashing the full potential of their Apple Device. He can often be found with his headphones on, typing to the rhythm of some country song.
- https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/mayank/
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We all are fond of music and videos and everybody has its own collection of media files both on computers and smartphones. But you can’t carry every time your huge collection of movies, songs, and other media files with you. In such a situation, the home media server comes in handy. There are a bunch of best open source media server software available online that can set up on your own personal home computer. You can store all your media files at one place on the media server and can access it remotely or locally using the computer or smartphone. For example, you are out of town and want to access your movies or music, what you will do, just take out your smartphone enter your home media server address, and boom!! Using media servers you can create your own personal YouTube, Netflix, and Vimeo. Some Media servers based on lightweight Linux, which means to save electricity and other resources you can install them on Rasberry Pi.
Best Opensource Media server for Linux, Mac, or WindowsOSMC Media Center
Best Opensource Media server for Linux, Mac, or Windows
Here we have listed Free and Open source Media server software that can be work on both Linux and Windows.
PLEX Media Server (Freemium, not opensource)
We already have a done couple of articles on Plex and it really has some great features that allow it in our best media server list. The Plex Media Server is available for a variety of platforms such as Windows, Linux, Mac, Docker, and third-party NAS (network-attached storage device) Synology, Qnap, Netgear, Seagate, and more…
The Plex media server is not an open-source instead of a freemium software and offers some features on a subscription base only. However, still here because of easy to use and install capabilities.
Whereas the Plex player comes under both freemium and open source license GPL v2. Due to its vast range of devices support the Plex continuously gaining its popularity as a media streamer.
The Plex media server is based on a client-server model. It offers a wide range of client apps for different devices to support and stream its media server content easily. The Plex app is available for Android, Web, Windows, Kodi, Windows Phone, TiVo, SONOS, Android TV, Chrome cast, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Amazon Alexa, Roku, Nvidia Shield, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 & 4 and Smart TV.
Plex Media Server Features:
- Account management
- Support all format videos and audios
- iOS, Windows, and Android Mobile platform support
- Privacy and security
- Media Libraries Sharing
- No Storage Limit
- Online channels
- Live TV
- Plex cloud
- Mobile and Cloud Sync
- Parental control
- Audio Fingerprinting
- Remote Controls
- Media Optimizer and more…
If you are interested in PLEX, also see: How To setup Plex Media Server on Ubuntu Linux.
Kodi Open Source Home Theater Software
Kodi 100% Opensource Media center software that stores all your digital media files at one place like Plex and gives you a beautiful interface to access them. The Kodi was previously known as Xbox Media center or XMBC. Kodi provides a bit different media server software approach. It works more as a local media streamer rather functions a server-client relationship like PLEX. It was developed as an XMBC open-source media center and still distributed under open source licenses. It plays content from two sources one is locally saved content and secondly is via plugins.
Kodi Open Source Home Theater Software
It has a vast range of Addon for popular web services, applications, and script such as Pluto.TV, PS Vue, HDHomeRun, SoundCloud, Kodi Android Installer, Rooster Teeth, and more… It also provides an add-on to stream, video content from various sources like NBC, CBS, Funimation, and Crunchyroll. It is a perfect mixture of a media center PC/homer sever software. Kodi is also multi-platform support Media center/server software and supports Linux, macOS, Windows, Android, and embedded devices like the Raspberry Pi.
Kodi Features:
- TV Shows library supports
- Supporting all the main video formats
- Kodi can play all your music including mp3, flac, wav, and WMA formats
- Import pictures and view in different styles such as slideshow
- Support Live TV recording
- JSON-RPC based remote interface
- Smartphone and Tablet Apps
- Add-Ons for popular web services, applications, and scripts.
- Works popular backends such as MediaPortal, MythTV, NextPVR, Tvheadend, and much more.
Emby Media Server
Emby is a great and best open source Media server similar to Plex in features and user interface. While the Plex is a closed source or freemium, Emby is totally open-source media server software. In comparison to Plex, the Emby is much easier to install for newbies and you can see our article: How to Install Emby media server, step by step installation process. Emby offers lots of customization, media management, and database options.
Emby Media Server
The Emby Media server is available for Windows, Linux, Nas Devices, Mac OS, Docker, and FreeBSD. Like Plex, the Emby is also has a dedicated Linux installer for Debian, Ubuntu, Arch Linux, OpenSUSE, Fedora, and CentOS. If you are looking for 100% open-source Media server for your office or home then Emby is the best one.
Web-based Management System of Emby to install plugins, edit metadata and subtitles, Sync and more…
Emby also offers Apps for the mobile operating system: Emby Web client, Android, iOS, Windows 10, and Windows Mobile. Apart from the Emby Apps, it also has a good collection of TV Apps as follow:
- Android TV
- Amazon Fire Tv
- Shield Android TV
- Apple TV
- Chromecast
- Roku
- Emby Theatre HTML5
- Emby Theatre for Windows
- LG Smart TV
- Samsung Smart TV
- PS4
- Xbox One
- Windows Media Center
- Xbox 360
- Kodi
- PS3
Emby Media Server Features
- Emby Server automatically converts and streams the media
- Stream Live TV to any device
- Web-based tools to edit metadata and subtitles
- Easy DLNA
- Parental Controls
- Easily control content access
- Cloud Sync
- Chromecast
MediaPortal
MediaPortal is a well-featured open-source HTPC media center and similar to Kodi. It does not have features like Emby and Plex but still, it’s very good open-source media server software. Using it you can watch, schedule, and record live TV like TiVo, streaming media, radio, and TV to any HTPC connected to your network., Check the weather, news, slideshow of pictures & videos, and more. It can access easily the web or mobile device. It also based on Client/Server Architecture.
See:How to Install and Configure the MediaPortal Media server on Windows 10 PC
MediaPortal
Media Portal Features
- Watch TV, Videos, and DVD
- Watch Online Videos
- Listening Music, Radio, and Web Streams
- Schedule Recordings
- Client/Server Architecture
- Skin System
- Plug-in System
- Check Weather Forecast
- Picture and video slideshow Viewer
- Multiple Tuner Support
- Time Shifting, Pause and Record TV/Radio
- Read RSS Feeds
OpenFLIXR Media Server
OpenFLIXR 2 is the easiest free all-in-one home Media server that offers all media solutions in one package. OpenFLIX Media server software download, install updates of media programs automatically. This home media server is a combination of all well-known open-source projects out there including Plex Media Server.
OpenFLIXR Media Server all-in on video streaming server
Software used in OpenFLIXR are:
- CouchPotato + Radarr for Movies
- SickRage + Sonarr for automated TV show downloading
- Headphones- Automated music downloader
- Mopidy-Music Server
- Ubooquity-Comics and Ebooks & Web-based Reader
- Subtitles- AutoSub, Sub-Zero, Sickrage
- HTPC Manager
- Plex Media Server to organizes movies, series, music, and photos
- SABnzbd, NZBge, qBittorrent
- Netdata + Monit for monitoring
- Home-Assistant
- And More…
Free Music Server Software For Mac
The OpenFLIXR media server needs a virtual machine to install since it is a virtual application
OpenELEC
Free Office Software For Mac
OpenELEC is a lightweight Linux operating system built to create a media server like Kodi. The full form of the OpenELEC is Open Embedded Linux Entertainment Center. Due to its lightweight, it can be easily installed on Raspberry, Apple TV, or low configurations systems.
Features of OpenELEC are:
- TV Show Management
- Movie Organizer and Player
- Music and Audiobook Player
- Freescale iMX6 ARM builds for Cubox-i, CuboxTV, and Hummingboard boxes
- TV and Personal Video Recorder
- Addon available to expand its feature
- Picture Browser
OSMC Media Center
Mac Web Server Software
OSMC Media center is last on our list. It is an open-source media center with a simple design and intuitive navigation system. The OSMC media center is based on Kodi and Debian. It also offers paid hardware kits and other accessories to enhance the OSMC user experience such as the Vero 4K. It is a hardware device with OSMC that supports 4K, HEVC, 10-bit content, and HD audio. It supports almost every type of media file. OSMC Media center is available for Linux, Windows, Mac OS, Rasberry Pi, Vero, and Apple TV.
OSMC Media Center
A verdict on Best Free & Opensource Media Server Software Options
Although Plex, Emby, and Kodi are the best and most popular media servers. But that doesn’t mean that other media servers are not good some of them like OpenFlixr are worth trying. We have put everything we know on this list, now it’s all upon you which you want to use. If you want to install a media server along with a NAS server then you can go for open-source NAS software like FreeNAS.
Free Ftp Server Software For Mac
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