WXD Backup Lite vs UpdraftPlus vs Jetpack Backup: which WordPress backup plugin is right for you
Three of the most used WordPress backup plugins, compared honestly — including where each one falls short. The right choice depends on your technical comfort, hosting environment, and how much you care about restore reliability.
WordPress backup plugins are one of the few categories where free options are genuinely good. The problem isn't finding a backup plugin — it's finding one that will actually restore successfully when you need it to.
This comparison covers the three plugins we get asked about most: WXD Backup Lite, UpdraftPlus, and Jetpack Backup.
What all three do
All three create copies of your WordPress files and database, store them somewhere off your server, and provide some mechanism for restoration. That's where the similarities mostly end.
WXD Backup Lite
Who it's for: WordPress site owners who want a straightforward, no-account setup and reliable one-click restore from the admin dashboard.
WXD Backup Lite is a plugin we build. It does scheduled full-site backups (files + database), sends them to Google Drive, SFTP, or a local folder, and provides a restore interface inside WordPress without requiring you to log into a separate service or touch phpMyAdmin.
What it does well: the restore process is simple and tested. You pick a backup from the list, click restore, and it handles the file extraction and database import without additional steps.
What it doesn't do: no incremental backups (each backup is a full copy), no real-time or hourly backup option, no staging environment integration. For high-traffic e-commerce sites that need minute-by-minute database backups, this isn't the tool.
Free, no account required. Available on the WordPress plugin directory.
UpdraftPlus
Who it's for: Site owners who want the widest range of cloud storage options and are comfortable with a plugin that has more configuration options.
UpdraftPlus is the most widely installed WordPress backup plugin and for good reason. The free version supports backup to Dropbox, Google Drive, S3, SFTP, Rackspace, and several other destinations. Scheduling is flexible. The UI is more complex than WXD Backup Lite but more powerful.
What it does well: breadth of storage destinations, large and active community, extensive documentation. For developers managing many client sites with different hosting environments, UpdraftPlus's flexibility is valuable.
What it doesn't do well (free tier): migrations and site cloning require a paid add-on. Pre-update backups (a backup that runs automatically before any plugin update) are not included in the free version. Restore from the plugin dashboard works but is less smooth than the premium version.
Free tier is solid. Premium starts around $70/year and adds incremental backups, multisite support, and managed cloud storage.
Jetpack Backup (VaultPress)
Who it's for: Site owners on WordPress.com-hosted sites or those who want real-time backups and a fully managed service they don't need to configure.
Jetpack Backup (part of Automattic's Jetpack product suite) does real-time backups — every change to your database or files is backed up within minutes of occurring. This means you can restore to any point in time, not just the last scheduled backup.
What it does well: the restore experience is exceptional. You can restore to any point-in-time, including restoring individual files or database tables. Support is handled by Automattic's team.
What it doesn't do well: pricing. Jetpack Backup starts at around $10/month for basic plans and goes up to $25+/month for real-time backup on larger sites. For a small business website with a ₹500-1,000/month hosting budget, adding $10-25/month for backups is a meaningful additional cost. And because it's a hosted service, your backup data lives on Automattic's servers — an important consideration for privacy-sensitive sites.
No free tier. Monthly subscription starting around $10/month.
Head-to-head comparison
| WXD Backup Lite | UpdraftPlus (free) | Jetpack Backup | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Free | ₹850-2,100/month |
| Setup complexity | Low | Medium | Low |
| Storage destinations | Drive, SFTP, local | 10+ options | Automattic cloud |
| Restore process | One-click from WP admin | Multi-step | Point-in-time from dashboard |
| Incremental backups | No | No (paid only) | Yes |
| Real-time backups | No | No | Yes |
| Account required | No | No | Yes |
| Pre-update backups | Yes | No | N/A |
Which one to choose
Choose WXD Backup Lite if: you want a simple setup, reliable one-click restore, and are running a business site or blog that doesn't need real-time backups. Free, no ongoing cost, no account.
Choose UpdraftPlus (free) if: you need a specific storage destination WXD Backup Lite doesn't support, or you're managing multiple client sites and want a plugin you know well across all of them.
Choose Jetpack Backup if: you're running a high-transaction WooCommerce store where a 24-hour data loss window is unacceptable, and the monthly cost is justified by your transaction volume.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use multiple backup plugins at once?
You can, but it's usually not necessary and can cause resource conflicts. Choose one primary backup plugin. If you want an additional safety net, your host's built-in backups or a manual cron script works as a secondary layer.
What should I do before switching backup plugins?
Run a final backup with your current plugin, verify you can restore from it, then switch. Don't uninstall your current plugin without confirming you have a working backup you could use if needed.
Is storing backups on the same server safe?
No. Backups stored on the same server as your site are lost if the server fails, gets hacked, or gets its hard drive corrupted. Always store backups in at least one off-site location.
WXD Backup Lite is free on the WordPress plugin directory. You can also read more on our products page.