Best WordPress Backup Plugins to Save Your Hard Work

You probably already know the importance of regular backups of your computer files and your emails. But when was the last time you thought about making a backup of your WordPress website? The important thing to know when it comes to WordPress backups is that there isn’t just one “backup”. WordPress is comprised of the front end, where the design and content is, and the database, which stores your writing, plugins and settings, among other things.

So how can you be sure that you’re backing up everything and how often should you back it all up? Here’s everything you need to know about choosing the best WordPress backup plugins to ensure you’re covered and can backup and restore your WordPress blog quickly and efficiently.

Which Type of WordPress Plugin Backup is Right for You?

Some WordPress plugins only backup the database, which is the backend that manages your data and settings. Others will let you backup everything, including the database and WordPress files, and still others will let you schedule a regular backup at an interval you decide, so you don’t have to think about “when was the last time I made a WordPress backup?”

The good news is that there are several great WordPress plugins to keep your WordPress installation saved, and many of them will let you save the backup elsewhere other than on your server, such as in Dropbox or Google Drive. This is particularly helpful if your WordPress installation gets corrupted (or worse, hacked) and you have to reinstall everything from a backup in order to get it back to normal.

Here are some of the best free WordPress plugins to help you get the job done.

UpdraftPlus

Do you need maximum flexibility with your scheduled WordPress backups in terms of where you store them? If so, UpdraftPlus is the option for you. The free version allows you to back up your entire WordPress installation, including media, files and databases, into the cloud server of your choice including Dropbox, Google Drive, Amazon S2, UpdraftVault, Rackspace Cloud, FTP,  DreamObjects, Openstack Swift and email.

The paid version includes backup to Microsoft OneDrive, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Storage, BackBlaze B2, SFTP, SCP and WebDAV, so if you need even more backup choices, you have them for an affordable rate.  UpdraftPlus is one of the top-rated WordPress backup plugins, with over 3,000 5-star ratings and over 2 million downloads.

BackWPUp

BackWPUp is a free backup plugin that backs up your entire WordPress installation to a remote location of your choice, including Dropbox and Amazon S3. If you want to upgrade, the premium version lets you save it to your Google Drive or Amazon Glacier. BackWPUp counts over 5 million downloads, making it one of the most popular WordPress backup plugins available. If you want a hassle-free, easy to use WordPress backup plugin, this is a great option that costs nothing at all.

BackUpWordpress

The simple WordPress backup plugin is easy to use right out of the box because there’s no special configuration needed. BackUpWordpress is simple and straightforward. Your backups will go to your /wp-content/backups folder by default, but you can (and should) change this to a secure location if you aren’t downloading your backups from your server regularly. It works with both Windows and Linux installations of WordPress. You can also exclude any files you don’t want to back up.

WP DB Backup

Just need to backup your WordPress database and tables? If you don’t need to backup media files or any other components of WordPress, WP DB Backup is a simple and straightforward backup plugin. The plugin assumes you have some technical knowledge in terms of knowing how to back up and restore the database, so if you don’t, this may not be the best plugin option for your needs.

WP Database Backup

If you want a more user-friendly option to back up your WordPress database and need something with great documentation that walks you through the process, check out the similarly named (but separate) WP Database Backup. It includes superb step-by-step walkthroughs to help even the complete beginner back up their WordPress database quickly, easily and efficiently.

What If I Need Help With My WordPress Backup?

Some of the aforementioned plugins require more specialized or technical knowledge of server settings and access permissions and privileges, which is why it’s good to have a knowledgeable WordPress developer on your side. Fortunately, WPDandy is here to help you with all of your WordPress backup needs! Whether you need ongoing backups or other types of WordPress maintenance and management, trust our talented, professional programming team to help you get more done in less time.

In addition, when you work with us, you’ll be able to benefit from our free Administrative Dashboard plugin which lets you work one on one with your dedicated programmer. Similar to an interactive chat and message board, you can correspond with your developer and get your WordPress to-do list done. Assign as many tasks as you like for one affordable monthly fee and cut through your workload like never before while enjoying premium-level WordPress management from top-rated pros.

To learn more about our comprehensive and powerful WordPress maintenance and management services, including upgrading plugins, creating WordPress backups and much more, we invite you to get in touch with us and learn how affordable it can be to let our professional team manage all of your WordPress development needs. Concentrate on marketing your blog, not on slogging through code or server hiccups! Contact WPDandy today to learn more!