Best External Hard Drives for Backup
An external hard drive is the simplest way to back up your computer. Plug it in, set up Time Machine or Windows Backup, and your files are protected. We track every external drive on Amazon US and UK and sort by price per TB so you can find the best value backup drive without overthinking it.
How much backup storage do you need?
A good rule of thumb: your backup drive should be at least 2x the size of the data you want to protect. If your laptop has a 512 GB SSD, a 1–2 TB external is plenty. If you have a desktop with 2 TB of files, look at 4–5 TB portable or 8 TB desktop externals. For whole-household backup or NAS backup targets, 8–16 TB desktop drives offer the best per-TB value.
Quick Verdict
- Who this is for
- Anyone who needs a simple plug-and-play backup solution — Mac users with Time Machine, Windows users, families backing up multiple devices, and NAS owners who want an external backup target.
- What usually wins
- A 4–5 TB portable HDD for laptop and single-PC backup. An 8+ TB desktop external for families, content creators, or NAS backup. Buy the most capacity you can afford — you will fill it.
- Prioritise
- Capacity and price per TB. Backup drives do not need to be fast — they need to be big enough to hold everything and cheap enough to justify the purchase.
Prices updated hourly from Amazon US and UK. All links go directly to the retailer. Details.
Best Portable Backup Drives
Compact, bus-powered external drives you can toss in a bag. Ideal for laptop backup, Time Machine, and grab-and-go offsite copies.
Best Desktop Backup Drives (8 TB+)
High-capacity desktop externals for whole-computer backup, multi-device households, and NAS backup targets. Needs a power outlet, but delivers the best per-TB value.
Budget Backup Drives Under $100
The most storage you can get for under $100. Perfect for a first backup drive or a gift for someone who has never backed up their files.
How to Choose
Backup drives are a solved problem — here is what to look for.
Portable vs desktop
Portable drives (2.5-inch, bus-powered) are convenient and travel-friendly but cap out around 5 TB. Desktop externals (3.5-inch, wall-powered) go up to 20+ TB and cost less per TB. Choose based on whether you need portability or capacity.
Capacity
Always buy more than you think you need. Storage needs grow, and a backup drive that fills up stops protecting your newest files. For most individuals, 4–5 TB is a minimum. For households or creators, start at 8 TB.
USB standard
USB 3.0 (5 Gbps) is fast enough for any HDD backup — the drive itself is the bottleneck, not the cable. USB 3.2 Gen 2 or Thunderbolt matters only for external SSDs.
Backup software
Mac users get Time Machine built in. Windows users get File History and Windows Backup. Both work with any USB drive. Most external drive manufacturers also bundle their own backup software, though the built-in OS tools are usually better.
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