Carbonite alternative: Tornova Backup vs Carbonite Safe
Carbonite Safe is a long-established online backup service for one computer per plan, now part of OpenText. Tornova Backup is a newer Windows cloud backup with plans defined by storage and unlimited Windows devices on a Personal account. This page compares the two with sources and dates, and is plain about what Carbonite does that Tornova does not.
The short answer
- Choose Carbonite Safe if you want an automatic, continuously running backup of one computer from an established provider, with Mac support, a mobile app for browsing files, and a courier recovery service in the United States.
- Choose Tornova Backup if you have more than one Windows PC and prefer one storage-based plan to a subscription per computer, want to choose exactly what is protected and when, or run a small team that needs Organization and restore controls.
- Check availability: Carbonite's regional pages list business products, and its sites do not state which countries sell the personal plans, so confirm that Safe is offered where you live.
What Carbonite Safe is designed for
Carbonite's personal plans are called Basic, Plus and Prime. Each covers one computer and describes its storage as unlimited for that computer. Plus and Prime add one external drive; Basic does not support external drives. Files are selected automatically (user folders, documents, email and more) and you can add others. Backup is continuous by default, with an option to run once a day or skip chosen hours. Carbonite has been part of the OpenText family since 2019. Source: Carbonite's own pages and support articles, read on 16 October 2026 (listed below).
Carbonite also sells Safe Backup Pro for small businesses, with servers and up to 25 computers on its plans.
What Tornova Backup does today
Tornova Backup protects the files, folders and drives you choose on Windows PCs. You can back up with Back Up Now, schedule backups daily, weekly or monthly, or use Smart Backup to send only new and changed files at a daily, weekly or monthly check. Restore is chosen on the website and completed on the PC by Tornova App. A Personal account can protect unlimited Windows devices; a plan is defined by storage. See Personal backup.
Side by side
Tornova Backup and Carbonite Safe, facts as of 16 October 2026
| Tornova Backup | Carbonite Safe (Basic, Plus, Prime) |
|---|
| Platforms | Windows 10 (version 1809 or later) and Windows 11, 64-bit | Windows 11 and 10, macOS; mobile app for iOS and Android to browse and download files |
|---|
| Computers | Personal: unlimited Windows devices, plan defined by storage | One computer per plan; more computers need more subscriptions |
|---|
| Storage | Plans from 5 to 100 GB, custom above | Described as unlimited for one computer |
|---|
| External drives, NAS | Add drives to the Backup Set; no NAS claim | One external drive on Plus and Prime; none on Basic; NAS and servers not supported on Safe |
|---|
| What is protected | Files, folders and drives you select; not a system image | User files selected automatically plus items you add; many system and program file types are excluded; videos are not selected automatically on Basic |
|---|
| Scheduling | Automatic Backup (daily, weekly, monthly), Smart Backup, Back Up Now | Continuous by default; option to run once a day or skip certain hours |
|---|
| Earlier versions and deleted files | Optional versioning (3, 10 or 50 versions, off by default) | Up to 12 versions of a changed file; files deleted from the computer are removed from the backup after 30 days |
|---|
| Restore | Website selection, completed by Tornova App; small downloads; Keep both, Skip or Replace | Web or app restore, move a subscription to a new computer, Courier Recovery by mailed drive in the US (fees vary by plan, Carbonite's pages differ) |
|---|
| Security | Encrypted in transit and at rest; optional MFA; client-side encryption not available | TLS 1.2 in transit; AES encryption (Carbonite's pages give different key lengths); optional self-managed key on Windows; 2FA by text or call; US facilities |
|---|
| Plans | Storage plans, trial available, monthly payment always available | Annual plans with list prices from $95.99 (Basic) to $161.99 (Prime) per year, often discounted at first; 15-day trial; auto-renewing; fees non-refundable under its terms |
|---|
| Business | Organization, Teams, Team Admins, restore permissions, Restore Lock, Emergency Stop | Safe Backup Pro (small business) and other OpenText products |
|---|
Carbonite's promotional first-year prices change often and differ between its own pages, so the list prices above are the steadier figure. Currency is not named on the pages we read. Tornova's plans are on the Pricing page.
Overview and control: where Tornova is built to stand out
Tornova Backup is designed so that you can see at a glance whether your files are protected, and so that an organization stays in control of backup and restore. These parts come with the product itself.
The Tornova Windows app opens on an overview: connection, last and next backup, storage used, files protected, devices and recent activity (screenshot with sample data).
On every PC (Personal and Organization). The Home page of the Tornova Windows app answers "am I protected?" at a glance, with Back Up Now one click away. Activity keeps the history of backups and restores with their results.
The Organization overview on the website: members, teams, registered devices, plan and storage, Emergency Stop and Restore Lock status, and the backups that need attention.
For organizations. The Organization overview answers "Are my backups healthy? What needs my attention?" for the whole organization, and the controls behind it are simple:
- Simple administration. On Users & Teams you add a user, choose a role, a team and permissions. Team Admins see and manage only their own team.
- Control over backup. An Organization Admin can turn backup off for a user, and that person's Windows app says so.
- Control over restore, in three gates. The Organization Restore Lock, the Team Restore Lock and each user's own restore permission must all allow a restore. Backup permission and restore permission are separate, and business accounts start with Restore Lock on.
- Restore progress and logs. A restore shows as Ready, Restoring and Completed (or Failed, with the reason) in the Windows app and in Activity.
- Emergency Stop. One Organization-level control stops backup activity across the organization if something serious happens; resuming is a deliberate manual step.
The table compares these areas as each vendor describes them on its own pages (read on 16 October 2026). Where a feature is not mentioned we say so: that means we did not find it in the pages we read, not that it does not exist.
Overview and control: Tornova Backup and Carbonite Safe, as of 16 October 2026
| Tornova Backup | Carbonite Safe |
|---|
| Overview of backup status and devices | Windows app Home and website Overview: connection status, last and next backup, storage used, files protected, devices and recent activity; the Organization overview adds members, teams, plan, Restore Lock and Emergency Stop status | Safe covers one computer per plan, with a mobile app to browse and download files. Safe Backup Pro for businesses is a separate product that we did not compare in detail. |
|---|
| Organization and team administration | Organization Admin, optional Teams and Team Admins with a scoped view, a Users & Teams page, shared or per-user storage | Not part of Carbonite Safe (personal plans). |
|---|
| Control over who can restore | Three gates: Organization Restore Lock, Team Restore Lock and each user's restore permission; backup permission and restore permission are separate | Not part of Carbonite Safe (personal plans). |
|---|
| Restore progress and history | Restore status (Ready, Restoring, Completed or Failed) in the app and in Activity; Activity keeps the history of backups and restores | Not described in the pages we read. |
|---|
| Stopping backups quickly | Backup can be turned off for a user; Emergency Stop stops backup activity for the whole organization and is resumed manually | Not part of Carbonite Safe (personal plans). |
|---|
Where Carbonite may fit better
- You have a single computer and want unlimited storage for it from an established brand.
- You use a Mac, or want a mobile app for viewing files.
- You like automatic, continuous backup with little to configure.
- You are in the United States and want a mailed-drive recovery option for a large restore.
Where Tornova Backup may fit better
- You have several Windows PCs in a household or small office and want one plan for all of them.
- You want to decide exactly which folders and drives are protected, and to schedule when.
- You want a restore flow that goes through your account sign-in, permissions and optional two-step verification.
- You want to start with a small paid trial and monthly payment, without an annual term.
Tornova's limits: Windows only, an early release, self-serve plans up to 100 GB, US hosting, no system image, no courier recovery and no client-side encryption.
How to decide
Count your computers and your data. "Unlimited for one computer" is excellent for one large machine and gets expensive across several. Check how deleted files and versions are handled, and compare what a restore costs in time. The buyer's checklist lists the questions to ask any provider.
Frequently asked questions
Is Tornova Backup unlimited like Carbonite?
No. Tornova plans are defined by storage, with self-serve plans up to 100 GB and custom plans above. Carbonite describes its Safe storage as unlimited for one computer.
Can I back up several PCs with one Tornova plan?
Yes. A Personal account supports unlimited Windows devices, and the plan's storage is shared across them.
Does Tornova back up an external drive?
You can add a connected drive to your Backup Set. If it is disconnected, Tornova reports the source as unavailable and does not delete the cloud copy.
Does Tornova have a mobile app?
No. You manage your account and start restores on the website.
Is this page affiliated with Carbonite?
No. Tornova is not affiliated with Carbonite or OpenText. This is a vendor's comparison built from Carbonite's published documentation.
Sources and as-of dates
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