Duplicator
WordPress migration and backup plugin that packages a site into an archive plus standalone installer; Pro adds scheduling, cloud storage and staging.
86
BackWPup
Job-based WordPress backup plugin from WP Media with free scheduling to Dropbox, S3, FTP and Azure; Pro adds Google Drive, encryption and a restore app.
Free installs400K+WordPress.org, active
Est. Pro installs~38KLikely 19K–76K
Vendor claims500K+Vendor's own figure
Rating4.0/51,323 reviews
Price from$49/yrFreemium
Last updated14 Oct 2026Version 5.7.8
Overview
BackWPup is a long-running backup plugin now owned by WP Media, the company behind WP Rocket and Imagify. It is built around backup jobs: each job defines what to back up, how often and where to send it, so you can, for example, run a daily database job to S3 and a weekly full backup to Dropbox.
The free version is generous. Jobs can run hourly, daily, weekly or monthly and can cover the database, files, an XML export or database maintenance. Destinations include a server folder, Dropbox, FTP and SFTP, Amazon S3 and S3-compatible storage, Microsoft Azure, Rackspace and SugarSync. You can choose archive formats, keep a set number of backups per destination, get email logs and restore uploaded backups in one click. WP-CLI commands and multisite support are also free, and recent versions add an MCP interface for AI assistants.
BackWPup Pro
- Google Drive, OneDrive, Amazon Glacier and HiDrive destinations
- Backup encryption with encrypted restores
- Restoring directly from cloud storage without downloading first
- Migration with automatic URL and database updates
- A standalone restore app for sites whose dashboard is unreachable
- File-by-file sync mode that only transfers changed files
All three Pro plans have the same features and differ only by the number of domains (2, 5 or 20).
Limitations
The job-based interface has more settings than simpler rivals, which can confuse beginners. There is no staging, no vendor-run storage, no white-labelling and no central dashboard of its own (MainWP offers an extension). Google Drive and OneDrive, two of the most requested destinations, are behind the paywall, and the WordPress.org rating is lower than most competitors.
Who it suits: technically comfortable users who want flexible scheduled jobs and S3, FTP or Dropbox storage for free, and site owners who want an inexpensive Pro tier with encryption and a standalone restore option.
Best for: Users who want flexible, free scheduled backup jobs to S3, FTP or Dropbox and are comfortable with detailed settings.
BackWPup gives away more scheduling and storage flexibility than most free backup plugins, and Pro is affordable with a useful standalone restore app. Its interface is busier than UpdraftPlus and key destinations like Google Drive are paid, but it is a solid choice for technical users.
Pros
- Free hourly-to-monthly scheduling with multiple independent jobs
- Free S3, S3-compatible, FTP/SFTP, Dropbox and Azure destinations
- WP-CLI and multisite support included free
- Standalone restore app in Pro for sites that will not load
- All Pro features in every plan, from $49/year
Cons
- Google Drive and OneDrive require Pro
- Job-based settings are more complex for beginners
- Migration and encryption are paid features
- No staging, white-label or built-in multi-site dashboard
Key features
What BackWPup highlights on its WordPress.org page and its own website, split by version.
Free version WordPress.org
- Multiple backup jobs with schedules
- Hourly, daily, weekly or monthly runs
- Database, files and XML export
- Dropbox, S3 and S3-compatible storage
- FTP, SFTP, Azure, Rackspace, SugarSync
- Choose ZIP, TAR or TAR.GZ archives
- Per-destination retention limits
- Email logs on completion
- One-click restore of uploaded backups
- WP-CLI commands and multisite support
- MCP interface for AI assistants
Pro / paid adds From $49/yr
- Google Drive and OneDrive destinations
- Amazon Glacier and HiDrive
- Encrypted backups and restores
- Restore directly from cloud storage
- Migration with URL updates
- Standalone restore app
- File-by-file sync of changed files
- Premium priority support
Feature checklist
18 of 23 features we track in Backup & Migration, feature score 80/100
Backups 4/6
Scheduled backups Key
Automatic backups on a schedule (daily, weekly and so on).
Free jobs run hourly, daily, weekly or monthly.
Included
Incremental backups Key
Only backs up what changed since the last backup, saving time and space.
Pro sync mode uploads only changed files; database always sent in full.
Paid version Starter
Real-time backups
Backs up changes as they happen, useful for stores with constant orders.
No real-time backups; jobs run on schedules or manually.
Not included
Choose what to back up
Database-only or files-only backups, include/exclude folders and tables.
Database-only or files-only jobs with folder and table exclusions.
Included
Built-in cloud storage
Backups stored on the vendor's own cloud, no separate storage account needed.
No WP Media-run backup storage; uses your own destinations.
Not included
Encrypted backups
Encrypts backup archives or the database export.
Encrypted backups and restores are Pro features.
Paid version Starter
Storage destinations 6/6
Google Drive
Send backups to Google Drive.
Google Drive is a Pro destination.
Paid version Starter
Dropbox
Send backups to Dropbox.
Dropbox is a free destination.
Included
Amazon S3
Send backups to Amazon S3.
Amazon S3 is a free destination.
Included
S3-compatible storage
Backblaze B2, Wasabi, DigitalOcean Spaces and other S3-compatible services.
Free S3 destination works with compatible storage providers.
Included
Microsoft OneDrive
Send backups to OneDrive.
OneDrive is a Pro destination.
Paid version Starter
FTP / SFTP
Send backups to your own server over FTP or SFTP.
FTP and SFTP destinations are free.
Included
Restore & migration 5/6
One-click restore Key
Restore a backup from the WordPress dashboard.
Free restores uploaded backups in one click; Pro restores straight from cloud.
Included
Restore when the site is down
Restore from outside WordPress (vendor dashboard or standalone installer) if the site won't load.
Pro includes a standalone restore app usable without wp-admin.
Paid version Starter
Site migration / cloning Key
Move or clone a site to a new host or domain.
Migration with URL and database updates is a Pro feature.
Paid version Starter
URL search & replace
Rewrites URLs and paths in the database during migration.
Automatic URL rewriting is part of Pro migration.
Paid version Starter
Staging sites
Create a staging copy to test changes, then push them live.
No staging feature is offered.
Not included
Multisite support
Back up and restore WordPress multisite networks.
Free version supports multisite; Pro adds advanced multisite workflows.
Included
Management 3/5
Retention rules
Keep a set number of backups or delete old ones automatically.
Set how many backups to keep per destination.
Included
Backup notifications
Email reports when backups succeed or fail.
Job logs can be emailed after backups.
Included
Multi-site dashboard
Manage backups for many sites from one dashboard.
Managed centrally through MainWP's BackWPup extension.
Third-party
WP-CLI commands
Run backups and restores from the command line.
WP-CLI commands are included in the free version.
Included
White label
Rebrand the plugin for client sites.
No white-label option in any plan.
Not included
Pricing
Free
$0On WordPress.org
Starter
$49per year2 sites
All Pro features: premium storage, encryption, migration, restore app; 14-day money-back.
Advanced
$99per year5 sites
Same features as Starter, more domains.
Pro
$199per year20 sites
Same features, 20 domains; upgrade mid-cycle by paying the difference.
Prices are list prices from the vendor's site, checked 14 Oct 2026. Many vendors discount the first year.
How many sites use BackWPup?
Free installs from WordPress.org, the vendor's own claim, and our estimate of paid installs.
Free version (WordPress.org)
400K+
Active installations reported by WordPress.org.
Vendor claim
500K+
Sites/users claimed on the vendor's website. source
Estimated Pro / paid installs
~38K
Our estimate, see method below.
How we estimated this: WordPress.org shows 400K+ free installs, which could mean anything from 400K to 500K. The vendor says 500K+ sites, so we put the free count halfway between the middle of that range and the vendor figure, at about 480K. About 480K free installs x 8% (the usual share of free sites that also run the paid version when some key features are paid) gives 38K. Likely range: 19K to 76K. This counts sites running the paid version, including sites whose licence has lapsed. Estimates are rough and based on public figures as of 14 Oct 2026.
Stats & health
Weekly downloads
35,167 downloads last week, 25.4M all time
Rating breakdown
| Version | 5.7.8 |
|---|---|
| Last updated | 14 Oct 2026 (20 days ago) |
| Tested up to | WordPress 7.1.4 |
| Requires | WordPress 5.3+, PHP 7.4+ |
| Support threads (2 months) | 16 of 17 resolved |
| On WordPress.org since | 5 Jul 2009 |
Company & policy
| Refund policy | 14-day money-back (source, 5 Oct 2026) |
|---|
BackWPup compared
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FAQ
Is BackWPup free?
Yes. BackWPup has a free version on WordPress.org. Paid plans start at $49/yr.
How many sites use BackWPup?
WordPress.org reports 400K+ active installations of the free version. The vendor claims 500K+ sites in total. We estimate around 38K sites run the paid version.
Does BackWPup have scheduled backups?
Yes: included. Free jobs run hourly, daily, weekly or monthly.
Does BackWPup have incremental backups?
Yes: paid version (Starter). Pro sync mode uploads only changed files; database always sent in full.
Does BackWPup have one-click restore?
Yes: included. Free restores uploaded backups in one click; Pro restores straight from cloud.
Does BackWPup have site migration / cloning?
Yes: paid version (Starter). Migration with URL and database updates is a Pro feature.
What does BackWPup Pro add over the free version?
Pro adds Google Drive, OneDrive, Glacier and HiDrive destinations, backup encryption, direct restores from the cloud, site migration and a standalone restore app. All plans share the same features.
Can BackWPup restore a site that is down?
With Pro, yes. The standalone restore app works without access to the WordPress dashboard. The free version restores backups you upload through wp-admin.
Does BackWPup support WP-CLI and multisite?
Yes, both are included in the free version according to the WordPress.org listing. Pro adds more advanced multisite workflows.
Who develops BackWPup?
BackWPup is developed by WP Media, the company behind WP Rocket and Imagify.
Last updated 5 Oct 2026. Spotted something wrong? Suggest an edit.