shouldiuse.io

VERDICT

Should I use CrashPlan?

CrashPlan provides data resiliency through secure, scalable, and comprehensive backup solutions. We help organizations recover from worst-case scenarios. - crashplan.com

Depends. Buy if you're an IT team backing up many endpoints plus Microsoft 365 data. Skip it if you're an individual, need long-term retention, or have one massive archive.

Confidence

Medium. Based on 60+ public sources including Reddit threads, G2, Trustpilot, Capterra, CVE databases, and vendor pages.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support quality
  • Security posture

Pricing

Not disclosed

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed

Best for

  • IT-managed endpoint fleets
  • Microsoft 365 / Google Workspace backup
  • Universities and large nonprofits
  • MSPs backing up client endpoints

Not for

  • Home users — consumer plans were killed in 2017
  • Anyone with one huge archive (multi-TB backups)
  • Cold storage or long-term retention needs
  • Budget solo buyers wanting set-and-forget backup

Gotchas - check before you buy

high

Deleted-file retention reportedly ~90 days — not a cold-storage archive

high

Large backups reportedly stall or fail; not built for huge single archives

medium

Plans were restructured and repriced, hitting existing loyal customers

medium

Consumer product was axed with migration pain; roadmap risk under PE ownership

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Backs up endpoints plus Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace data
  • 4.8/5 on G2 across 273 reviews
  • Trusted by major universities: Cornell, UPenn, Minnesota, Hamilton
  • Publishes security advisories and incident-response addendum
  • Directory sync and admin tooling for enterprise IT environments

Cons

  • Consumer plans discontinued; SMB/enterprise only now
  • Users report 90-day retention, not long-term storage
  • Called unsuitable for large backups by multiple users
  • Plan restructuring sparked 'massive scam' backlash
  • Sold to private equity; some sysadmins question direction

Sources & method

Analyzed 9/25/2026 - 10 sources - Past CVEs exist including a 2017 remote exploit in the backup server; vendor publishes advisories and a security addendum.

official x1review x5security x2news x2
  • CVE-2017-9830 — remote exploit in CrashPlan backup server, Remote exploit demonstrated in the CrashPlan backup server software.
  • CVE-2021-43269, Vulnerability affecting Code42 Incydr Basic/Advanced (CrashPlan's enterprise predecessor).
  • CVE-2019-11551, Code42 app vulnerability rated 5.5.

Key stats

  • Value for money: 2/5

    Rating

  • Not disclosed

    Starting price

  • 10

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 2/5. Repeated plan restructuring angered long-time customers
  • Ease of use: 3/5. Deployed broadly by university IT departments
  • Feature depth: 4/5. Endpoint plus M365/G Suite backup, directory sync
  • Support quality: 2/5. Thin Trustpilot presence, complaint threads on Reddit
  • Security posture: 3/5. Past CVEs, but publishes advisories and incident addendum
  • 4.8/5 G2 rating 273 reviews
  • 91 Trustpilot reviews small, largely critical sample
  • $52.5M Funding raised as Code42, 2012
  • Mill Point Capital Ownership private equity since Code42 divestiture

Pricing

Not disclosed

Security

Past CVEs exist including a 2017 remote exploit in the backup server; vendor publishes advisories and a security addendum.

  • CVE-2017-9830 — remote exploit in CrashPlan backup serverRemote exploit demonstrated in the CrashPlan backup server software.⁷
  • CVE-2021-43269Vulnerability affecting Code42 Incydr Basic/Advanced (CrashPlan's enterprise predecessor).
  • CVE-2019-11551Code42 app vulnerability rated 5.5.

What users say

IT buyers value the endpoint and M365 coverage, but long-time users complain loudly about pricing changes, retention limits, and large-backup performance.

“Crashplan is 100% unsuitable for large backups.”
Reddit, r/Crashplan
“Crashplan is a 90 day hot/warm backup, not a long term cold storage”
Reddit, r/homelab
“CrashPlan Pro/Enterprise should not be trusted anymore.”
Reddit, r/sysadmin

Alternatives

Compare CrashPlan with each alternative.

  • Backblaze

    Cheaper unlimited personal backup; actively courts CrashPlan migrants.

  • IDrive 360

    Endpoint backup for teams and MSPs, positioned against CrashPlan.

    CrashPlan vs IDrive 360

  • NinjaOne

    RMM plus backup; frequent CrashPlan comparison for SMB IT.

Companies that use it

  • Wake Forest University
  • Wesleyan University
  • Point Loma Nazarene University
  • Coherent
  • TRAX International
Full analysis

Based on 60+ public sources including Reddit threads, G2, Trustpilot, Capterra, CVE databases, and vendor pages.

Fine for IT-managed endpoint backup; individuals and huge archives should look elsewhere — pricing and retention complaints are loud.

Methodology

Based on 60+ public sources including Reddit threads, G2, Trustpilot, Capterra, CVE databases, and vendor pages.

Sources

  1. CrashPlan official sitecrashplan.com
    official
  2. CrashPlan is 100% unsuitable for large backups — Redditreddit.com
    review
  3. PSA: 90-day hot/warm backup — Redditreddit.com
    review
  4. CrashPlan Trustpilot reviewstrustpilot.com
    review
  5. CrashPlan Platform reviews — G2g2.com
    review
  6. CrashPlan security advisoriessupport.crashplan.com
    security
  7. CVE-2017-9830 remote exploitblog.radicallyopensecurity.com
    security
  8. Code42 grabs $52.5M — CRNcrn.com
    news
  9. Code42 sold CrashPlan to Mill Point Capitallincolninternational.com
    news
  10. CrashPlan pricing — Capterracapterra.com
    review

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