So you know you can take a trial without obligation and you have checked the contractual terms and conditions. What next before you take the plunge and sign up?

We'll you need to consider if the product fits your price point and this is where a little care is required. Different providers offer their services in such a way that it can be difficult to compare like with like. Some providers price compressed storage space while others depict prices for uncompressed storage.

Let's consider some examples to convey the difference.

Offer from supplier 1

1 GB of data for X pounds per month uncompressed


Offer from supplier 2

1 GB of data for Y pounds per month compressed.

Now if X=Y which supplier is more expensive?

Supplier 2 is charging you for the amount of data stored on their servers. Supplier 1 is charging you for the amount of data stored on your PC/laptops/etc. So assuming your data can be compressed, supplier 1 is actually more expensive.

More on this in part 4.

Professional online backup