Carbonite (OpenText Cybersecurity) review
Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Carbonite, owned by OpenText, is a cloud backup service rather than a VPN, and it suits small offices that want continuous file backup across 1 to 25 devices. Support runs through email, chat and phone, and the plan price holds at $6.33 a month at entry and at renewal.
Key facts
- Best for
- Small offices wanting automatic cloud backup at a steady monthly rate.
- Monthly price
- $6.33 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Long-term plan price
- $6.33 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Devices
- 1 to 25 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Money-back period
- 30 days (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Jurisdiction
- US (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Platforms
- Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Owner
- OpenText (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Longest plan (months)
- 12 months (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Carbonite, Inc. (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United States (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 2005 to 2006 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Chat, Phone, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Audience
- Business
- Official website
- carbonite.com
Encrypted storage
- Zero-knowledge encryption
- No (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Jurisdiction
- US (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Compliance certifications
- HIPAA, FERPA, GLBA (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Carbonite, Inc. (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United States (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 2005 to 2006 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Chat, Phone, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Pros and cons
Pros
- Compliance with HIPAA, FERPA and GLBA is listed, which regulated buyers ask for by name.
- Device coverage of 1 to 25 devices fits a small office on a single plan.
- Help runs through email, chat and phone when a restore needs a hand.
- The service has run since 2,005 to 2,006, so the vendor is established.
Cons
- Carbonite can read the content of every file it backs up, so privacy-first buyers have a reason to look elsewhere.
- The figure is identical at entry and renewal, $6.33 and $6.33, so a longer term buys nothing extra.
- It ranks 80 of 112 on long-term plan price, so entry cost sits high in the group.
Who it suits
- Small offices that want continuous file backup on 1 to 25 devices without managing hardware.
- Readers content with the same figure at entry and renewal: $6.33 and $6.33.
- Regulated teams that need HIPAA, FERPA and GLBA on file.
Who should look elsewhere
- Apple Inc., listed at $0.99 a month, suits buyers after device protection rather than backup history.
- Sinew Software Systems, at $1.99 a month, fits password storage rather than cloud backup.
Core features
Carbonite backs up files to the cloud rather than routing traffic through a tunnel. Professional backup plans cover 1 to 25 devices, which is a small office's worth of machines rather than a large fleet. Apps cover Windows, macOS and Android, so a restore can land on a laptop, a phone or a tablet without extra tooling.
Plans and renewals
The personal plan bills $6.33 a month, and the long-term rate is also $6.33, so committing to a longer term does not lift the monthly figure. The longest plan term runs 12 months. For readers comparing entry and renewal prices, both lines land in the same place.
How Carbonite (OpenText Cybersecurity) compares
8.9 vs 9.1
8.9 vs 8.8
8.9 vs 8.5
8.9 vs 9.5
8.9 vs 9.4
8.9 vs 9.1
8.9 vs 9.2
8.9 vs 9.4Device coverage of 3 to 25 devices sits close to the range here, so the device count is not what separates them.
8.9 vs 9.2
8.9 vs 8.8
8.9 vs 9.3
8.9 vs 9.0
8.9 vs 9.0
8.9 vs 9.4
Where Carbonite (OpenText Cybersecurity) is available
- Available
- France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
How much does the personal plan cost?+
The personal plan bills $6.33 a month, and the long-term rate is also $6.33, so both price lines are identical. The longest plan term runs 12 months. Readers weighing entry against renewal see the same figure at each end.
Is there a money-back window?+
The refund window runs 30 days, so a plan bought for a single backup cycle can be cancelled inside that period. That keeps a first commitment low risk. The service is run by Carbonite, Inc. under OpenText.
How many devices does a plan cover?+
Professional backup plans cover 1 to 25 devices, enough for a small office with a handful of machines but short of a large estate. Anything beyond that needs more than a single plan, and larger estates should check the range before signing up.
Which platforms are supported?+
Apps cover Windows, macOS and Android, so a backup can be restored to a laptop, a phone or a tablet. That set suits a mixed household and office setup. Support reaches you through email, chat and phone when a restore stalls.
Can the provider read my backup content?+
Yes, Carbonite can read the content of what it backs up, and only 73.7% of the brands tracked here keep the provider blind to it. Buyers who place weight on that property should weigh the encrypted-storage names against this one before choosing.
Who runs Carbonite and where is it based?+
Carbonite is Carbonite, Inc., owned by OpenText and headquartered in the US, so US law governs the service. The company was founded 2,005 to 2,006. Buyers who want to know who holds their backup data get a clear answer.
Does it suit regulated organisations?+
It lists HIPAA, FERPA and GLBA, which is the set many healthcare, education and financial buyers ask for. Those certifications sit alongside a business audience, business, so regulated teams are the intended buyer. Coverage of 1 to 25 devices fills the rest.
Can it replace a VPN?+
No. It backs up files to the cloud and restores them rather than routing traffic through a tunnel, so it cannot stand in for a VPN. Monthly prices elsewhere in the group sit lower, at $0.99 and $1.99 a month.
Sources
- carbonite.com checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Compliance certifications
“professional solutions that support your compliance needs (HIPAA, FERPA, GLBA)”
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbonite_(online_backup) checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded, Zero-knowledge encryption
“Founded February 23, 2006 ... CEO David Friend and CTO Jeff Flowers founded Carbonite in 2005”
- carbonite.com checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Money-back period, Platforms
“Try risk-free today with our 30-day money back guarantee.”
- carbonite.com/about checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Owner
“Acquired by OpenText in December 2019, Carbonite products bring cyber-resilient solutions to each of our customers”
- carbonite.com/faqs checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Support channels
“We offer free support via phone, email and live chat. Our support channels are available to all our customers”
- carbonite.com/personal/backup checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Long-term plan price, Longest plan (months), Monthly price
“$6.33/mo $75.99/year, billed annually”
- carbonite.com/professional/backup checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Audience, Devices
“Protect your critical data automatically, so your business never slows down. For 1+ servers & up to 25 computers”
- carbonite.com/terms-of-use/website checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Headquarters, Jurisdiction, Legal entity
“You agree to personal jurisdiction by and exclusive venue in the state and federal courts sitting in the State of Delaware”
Compiled from 8 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Server countries, No-logs audit.
Related by the facts
Carbonite (OpenText Cybersecurity)
Small offices wanting automatic cloud backup at a steady monthly rate.