At a glance
UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin
Backup, restore or migrate your WordPress website to another host or domain. Schedule backups or run manually. Migrate in minutes.
Duplicator – Backups & Migration Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups, & More
The best WordPress backup and migration plugin. Quickly and easily backup ,migrate, copy, move, or clone your site from one location to another.
Full Comparison
Technical Specs
| Metric | UpdraftPlus | Duplicator |
|---|---|---|
| Requires WP | 3.2+ | 5.3+ |
| Tested up to WP | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| Plugin age | 14 yrs | 15 yrs |
Quick Verdict
Duplicator is the winner for most intermediate WordPress users. Its support team resolved 13 of 15 threads (87%) in two months, a strong signal for reliability. UpdraftPlus has 3.0M+ installs, but Duplicator earns a higher 5-star rating at 95%%. For anyone who needs to migrate a site, clone a staging environment, or schedule automatic backups without digging through complex settings, Duplicator delivers a cleaner experience. UpdraftPlus remains a solid backup tool, but Duplicator offers better value for migration-focused workflows.
Feature Comparison: UpdraftPlus vs Duplicator
| Feature | UpdraftPlus | Duplicator |
|---|---|---|
| Migration method | Backup + restore on new domain | Package-based installer script |
| Scheduled backups | Yes, hourly to monthly | Yes, daily to monthly |
| Cloud storage destinations | Dropbox, Google Drive, S3, Rackspace, FTP, email | Dropbox, Google Drive, S3, OneDrive, FTP, SFTP |
| Staging/cloning | No built-in staging | One-click clone to new location |
| Database-only backup | Yes | Yes |
| Incremental backups | No | No |
| Multisite support | Yes | Yes |
| Archive encryption | Yes (premium) | Yes (premium) |
Who Should Use UpdraftPlus
- Site owners who want a best backup plugin for wordpress that prioritizes automated cloud storage. UpdraftPlus connects to Dropbox, Google Drive, S3, and Rackspace out of the box, making it a fit for anyone who needs off-site backups without manual downloads. 94% of its 8564 reviewers gave it 5 stars.
- Teams that manage multiple sites and prefer a "set it and forget it" schedule. The plugin lets you choose hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly intervals, which helps you learn how to backup wordpress site automatically with minimal daily intervention.
- Users who value a large support community. With UpdraftPlus has 3x more installs than Duplicator, UpdraftPlus has a vast user base, meaning forum answers and tutorials are easy to find for common migration or restore questions.
Who Should Use Duplicator
- Developers and agencies who need to migrate wordpress site to new host frequently. Duplicator's package-based installer script lets you move an entire site, files, database, and settings, in a single zip, then run the installer on the new server. 95% of its reviewers rate it 5 stars.
- Anyone building staging or testing environments. Duplicator's clone feature duplicates a live site to a subfolder or subdomain without touching the original, useful for testing plugin updates or theme changes before going live.
- Users who want a straightforward way to schedule automatic backups wordpress without wading through complex menus. The interface guides you through backup frequency and destination in fewer clicks than UpdraftPlus, reducing setup time for intermediate users.
Community & Support
Both plugins show identical resolution rates in recent support data. UpdraftPlus handled 52 threads over two months, resolving 45 (87%). Duplicator fielded 15 threads in the same period, also resolving 87% (13 threads). The 5-star ratings are close: UpdraftPlus at 94%% and Duplicator at 95%%. Both plugins share a 3% 1-star rate, indicating that the small number of dissatisfied users is consistent across the two tools. Duplicator's smaller thread volume suggests its user base encounters fewer issues, which aligns with its more streamlined migration workflow.
Verdict: UpdraftPlus or Duplicator for WordPress sites?
Pick UpdraftPlus if your primary need is a wordpress backup plugin that integrates deeply with cloud storage and you manage a high volume of sites. Its 3x larger install base means community support is abundant, and the automated scheduling fits users who want to migrate wordpress site data only occasionally.
Pick Duplicator if you regularly move sites between hosts, clone staging environments, or want the best backup plugin for wordpress that doubles as a migration tool. With a 95% 5-star rating and a higher support resolution rate per thread (87% on just 15 threads), Duplicator delivers fewer friction points for hands-on users. For most intermediate WordPress owners who need to both backup and move their sites, Duplicator is the more efficient choice.
This comparison is AI-generated from live WordPress.org data. Install counts, ratings, versions and support statistics sync weekly, so the numbers on this page stay current. Content passes automated quality checks before publishing, and pages below our quality threshold are held for human review.
Read our full methodologyFrequently Asked Questions
Q How many people use UpdraftPlus compared to Duplicator?
UpdraftPlus has 3.0M+ active installs while Duplicator has 1.0M+, meaning UpdraftPlus is used on more sites.
Q Which has better user ratings — UpdraftPlus or Duplicator?
Duplicator averages 4.9/5 from 4,910 reviews, while UpdraftPlus averages 4.8/5 from 8,564 reviews — Duplicator has the higher average rating.
Q Which is more actively maintained — UpdraftPlus or Duplicator?
UpdraftPlus was last updated on Jun 5, 2026 and Duplicator on May 22, 2026, so UpdraftPlus received the more recent update.
Q Which plugin has the better support response rate?
In the last two months, UpdraftPlus resolved 45 of 52 support threads (87%) and Duplicator resolved 13 of 15 (87%). Their resolution rates are currently equal.
Q Are UpdraftPlus and Duplicator both free?
Yes — both UpdraftPlus and Duplicator are free to install from the official WordPress.org plugin directory. Some features may require a paid upgrade offered by the plugin author.
Q Is UpdraftPlus or Duplicator better for WordPress sites?
For most users who need a reliable backup routine, UpdraftPlus is the better choice because it focuses on scheduled, automated backups to cloud services. Duplicator is better if your primary goal is to migrate a site to a new host or create a portable package for staging. Your decision should hinge on whether you need daily backups or one-time moves.
Q Which is easier to set up for a WordPress beginner — UpdraftPlus or Duplicator?
UpdraftPlus is easier for a beginner because you simply activate it, choose a schedule, and pick a remote storage destination like Google Drive. Duplicator requires you to manually create a package, download it, and run an installer script on the new server, which is more technical. If you have never migrated a site before, start with UpdraftPlus for backups.
Q What is the biggest feature difference between UpdraftPlus and Duplicator?
UpdraftPlus is built around scheduled automatic backups that you can restore with one click, while Duplicator is designed for creating a complete site package you can move to a new domain or host. Duplicator can also be used for backups, but its strength is migration and cloning. UpdraftPlus lacks Duplicator's drag-and-drop installer for moving sites.
Q Can you switch from UpdraftPlus to Duplicator (or the other way) without losing data?
Yes, you can switch between them without losing data because both plugins create full database and file backups that are independent of each other. To move from UpdraftPlus to Duplicator, simply create a Duplicator package from your current site, then install it on the new location. Just keep your existing UpdraftPlus backup files stored safely until you confirm the switch is complete.
Q Which type of site should choose UpdraftPlus, and which should choose Duplicator?
Choose UpdraftPlus if you run a live site that needs regular, automatic backups to the cloud so you can restore quickly after a crash. Choose Duplicator if you are moving a site to a new host, setting up a staging environment, or need to duplicate a site for a client. Most agencies use Duplicator for migrations and UpdraftPlus for ongoing backup schedules.
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