Carbonite Prices: How Cloud Backup Subscriptions Are Billed

Carbonite is a cloud backup service that automatically copies your files to its servers for a recurring subscription fee. Unlike a boxed product, there's no single price - what you pay depends on the plan tier, whether it's a personal or business account, the term you commit to, and the renewal rate after any introductory discount. Understanding those levers is the key to not overpaying.

Carbonite price snapshot

What you're buying	Typical price	How Carbonite compares
Personal plan (single computer, core backup)	Low-to-mid hundreds per year	Billed annually; longer multi-year terms usually lower the effective yearly cost.
Higher personal tier (adds image backup / external drive support)	Higher annual fee than the base tier	Extra features, not extra storage, drive the step up in price.
Small-business plan (multiple computers)	Priced per amount of storage or per device	Scales with seats and data volume rather than a flat consumer rate.
Multi-year prepay (2-3 year term)	Discounted per-year vs paying annually	Locks a lower effective rate but commits you up front.
Renewal (after intro term)	Often above the first-year promo price	The headline sign-up rate can be a first-term discount that resets higher later.

How Carbonite pricing works

Carbonite is sold as an annual (or multi-year) subscription tied to a plan tier. Personal plans are typically priced per computer with effectively unlimited backup of your everyday files, while higher tiers add capabilities like full-system image backup or external-drive coverage rather than simply more space. Business plans shift to pricing based on the number of devices or the total volume of data you need to protect.

The single biggest cost lever for most shoppers is the term length. Committing to a two- or three-year plan up front usually lowers the effective per-year price compared with paying year to year, in exchange for prepaying the whole period.

Watch the renewal, not just the sign-up price

As with many subscription services, the price you see at sign-up may include a first-term promotional discount. When that term ends, the plan can renew at a higher standard rate, so the second year can cost noticeably more than the first if you do nothing.

Because renewals often auto-bill, it's worth diarizing the renewal date, checking the current rate before it hits, and comparing against rival backup services. Promotional codes and seasonal sales appear periodically and can be applied to a new term.

What you're really paying for

The value of a backup subscription is in continuous, automatic, off-site protection - so the relevant comparison isn't just the headline price but the price per device and per feature you actually need. Paying for an image-backup tier you won't use, or for business-grade storage you don't need, is the most common way to overspend.

Before renewing or signing up, compare Carbonite's per-year cost against other cloud backup providers for the same number of devices and feature set. FindPrices can help you line up comparable plans so you can see where the real value sits.

How to pay less at Carbonite

• Choose a multi-year term up front if you're confident you'll keep the service - it usually lowers the effective yearly price.
• Match the plan tier to what you actually need; don't pay for image backup or business storage you won't use.
• Note your renewal date and check the rate before it auto-bills, since renewals often cost more than the intro term.
• Look for promo codes or seasonal sales when starting a new term - discounts surface periodically.
• Compare the per-device price against rival backup services before committing or renewing.
• If you only need one computer covered, avoid stepping up to a business plan priced per device or per amount of storage.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Carbonite cost per year?

Personal plans generally run in the low-to-mid hundreds of dollars per year, with higher tiers costing more for added features like image backup. Business plans are priced by device count or data volume, so they vary widely. Multi-year terms lower the effective annual cost.

Does Carbonite get more expensive at renewal?

It can. The sign-up price is sometimes a first-term promotional rate, and the plan may renew at a higher standard price. Check the current renewal rate before it bills and compare alternatives so you aren't paying more than necessary.

Is a longer Carbonite plan cheaper?

Usually yes on a per-year basis. Committing to a two- or three-year term typically reduces the effective annual price compared with paying yearly, though you prepay the full period up front.

What makes one Carbonite plan cost more than another?

The main drivers are the plan tier (extra features such as full-system image or external-drive backup), whether it's a personal or business account, and how many devices or how much data you're protecting. Term length then adjusts the effective rate.

Does Carbonite charge per computer?

Personal plans are generally priced per computer, so covering multiple machines means multiple subscriptions or a business plan. Business plans instead scale by device count or storage volume, which can be more cost-effective for several machines.

Are there Carbonite discounts or promo codes?

Carbonite runs periodic promotions and seasonal sales, and promo codes can sometimes be applied to a new subscription term. They typically apply to the first term, so factor in the standard renewal rate when judging the long-term cost.