Best WordPress Backup Plugins in 2026 (Free and Paid Compared)

Every WordPress site will need a backup eventually: after a bad plugin update, a hacked admin account, a host that loses a server, or a client who deletes the wrong page. The plugin you pick decides two things that matter far more than its feature list: where your backups live and whether they actually restore. This guide compares the best WordPress backup plugins for 2026, free and paid, based on what they do today according to their own documentation and WordPress.org listings. We make one of them (Backup Restore Verifier Pro), and we have tried to be clear about where another tool is the better fit.

What makes a good WordPress backup plugin?

• Off-site copies. A backup stored only on the same server dies with the server. You want at least one copy in Dropbox, Google Drive, S3-compatible storage, Backblaze B2, SFTP or the vendor’s cloud.
• Scheduled and pre-update backups. Daily (or more often for stores) plus an automatic backup right before plugin, theme and core updates, which is when most sites break.
• Restore you can trust. A one-click restore is only useful if the archive is complete. Look for integrity checks, the ability to restore single components (database, plugins, uploads) and a rollback if the restore fails.
• Works on big sites. Chunked or resumable jobs, so a 5 GB media library does not time out on shared hosting.
• Incremental backups. Only changed files are copied, which saves storage and server load on large sites.
• Migration. Moving a site to a new host or domain with URL search-and-replace is a backup feature in disguise.
• Cost over three years. Some plugins are free, some are yearly licences and some are monthly cloud services. Add it up before you choose.

Quick comparison

1. UpdraftPlus: the most popular free backup plugin

UpdraftPlus is active on more than 3 million sites, and for good reason. The free version schedules backups (every few hours up to monthly) and sends them to Dropbox, Google Drive, Amazon S3 or compatible storage, FTP and others, and restores selected components in a few clicks. Free migration works by downloading the backup from one site and uploading it to the other, with built-in search-and-replace.

Premium adds incremental backups, automatic backups before updates, more destinations (OneDrive, Backblaze B2, SFTP, WebDAV and its own UpdraftVault storage), more retention control and direct site-to-site migration.

Choose it if you want a proven free plugin with off-site storage. Watch out for very large sites on cheap hosting, where full (non-incremental) backups can be slow.

2. WPvivid: generous free features

WPvivid’s free plugin includes scheduled backups, remote storage (Dropbox, Google Drive, Amazon S3, OneDrive and more), one-click migration to a new domain and a staging site in a subdirectory. That is more than most free plugins offer. The Pro version adds incremental backups, database encryption, backups before updates, multisite and pushing staging changes to live.

Choose it if you want backup, migration and staging in one free plugin. Watch out for staging in a subdirectory of your live site, which shares the same server resources.

3. Duplicator: built for moving sites

Duplicator packages your site into a single archive plus an installer, so you can move it to a new host or domain, or clone it, without installing WordPress first. The free (Lite) version handles backups of any size with a chunked engine and manual backups. Duplicator Pro adds scheduled backups, cloud storage integrations, multisite and staging.

Choose it if migrations and cloning are your main job. Watch out for relying on the free version for ongoing protection: without scheduling you have to remember to run it.

4. BlogVault: backups processed off your server

BlogVault is a service rather than a plugin that does the work on your server. It takes automatic incremental backups, stores them encrypted on its own cloud with up to 90 days of history, and runs backup and restore processing on its servers, so your site barely notices. It can restore a site that is completely offline, and includes one-click staging and migration plus a multi-site dashboard for agencies.

Choose it if you manage many sites or very large ones and prefer a hands-off service. Watch out for the ongoing subscription and the fact that your backups live with the vendor.

5. Jetpack VaultPress Backup: real-time for stores

VaultPress Backup saves changes in real time to the Jetpack cloud, which matters for WooCommerce stores where orders arrive every few minutes and a nightly backup could lose a day of sales. Restores are one click, work even when your host is down, and can be started from the Jetpack mobile app. It requires a paid Jetpack plan that includes Backup.

Choose it if you run a busy store and want backups with no server load. Watch out for the subscription cost across several sites.

6. BackWPup: flexible jobs for developers

BackWPup has been around for over a decade. The free version backs up your database and files on a schedule and stores them on your server or in the cloud. It supports WP-CLI and, since version 5.7, AI-assisted backup management through MCP. BackWPup Pro adds more recovery, migration and multisite features.

Choose it if you like configuring separate jobs (for example, the database hourly and files daily). Watch out for the more technical interface for beginners.

7. Backup Restore Verifier Pro: verified restores, one-time price

We built Backup Restore Verifier Pro around one problem: backups that look fine until the day you restore them. Each backup is a single zip with a manifest and SHA-256 checksums for every file. Before anything is restored, the plugin checks the format, every checksum and any unsafe paths, and rejects a damaged or tampered archive instead of half-applying it.

• Restore runs in maintenance mode, snapshots the parts you chose first and rolls back automatically if the restore fails.
• Scheduled (hourly to weekly) and pre-update backups, with chunked, resumable jobs for large sites.
• Remote copies to S3-compatible storage, SFTP, FTP/FTPS, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Backblaze B2 and WebDAV, using your own accounts, several in one job.
• Incremental file backups, optional database encryption with a passphrase you keep, and site migration with a dry run first.

Choose it if you want backups you can prove will restore, stored on accounts you own, for a one-time price. Watch out for multisite, which is not supported, and the lack of a hosted cloud: you bring your own storage.

Don’t forget your host’s backups

Many managed hosts take daily backups automatically. Keep them, but do not rely on them alone. They are usually stored with the same company, retention can be short, and if your hosting account is suspended or compromised you may lose access to both the site and its backups. A plugin that sends copies to storage you control fixes that.

A simple backup plan that works

1. Back up the database daily (hourly for busy stores) and files daily or weekly.
2. Keep at least one copy off-site, on an account that uses a different password and two-factor login.
3. Switch on automatic backups before updates.
4. Keep 14 to 30 days of history so you can go back past a hack you only notice later.
5. Test a restore every quarter on a staging copy. Our guide on how to verify a WordPress backup before restoring walks through it.

Which backup plugin should you choose?

• Small site, zero budget: UpdraftPlus free or WPvivid free, sending copies to Google Drive or Dropbox.
• Busy WooCommerce store: Jetpack VaultPress Backup for real-time copies, or a frequent database schedule with any plugin.
• Agency with many sites: BlogVault for a central dashboard, or a one-time licence on each site to avoid per-site subscriptions.
• Moving hosts: Duplicator or WPvivid.
• You need to be sure a restore will work: Backup Restore Verifier Pro, with checksum validation and automatic rollback.

Frequently asked questions

Is a free WordPress backup plugin good enough?

For many small sites, yes, as long as it runs on a schedule and sends copies off-site. Paid versions add incremental backups, pre-update backups and easier migrations, which matter more as a site grows.

How often should I back up WordPress?

At least daily for most sites. Stores and membership sites should back up the database much more often, because orders and sign-ups change constantly.

Can I use two backup plugins at once?

You can, but schedule them at different times and watch disk space. A plugin plus your host’s daily backup is a sensible combination.

Do backup plugins slow down my site?

Backups use CPU and disk while they run. Run them at quiet times, use incremental backups on large sites, or choose a service that processes backups on its own servers.

What is the most common backup mistake?

Never testing a restore. A backup that is incomplete, corrupted or missing the database is only discovered when you need it most.

Related: protect the site you are backing up with our explainer on WordPress firewall vs malware scanner, or browse more WordPress plugins in the 007AJ shop.