BackWPup – WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin
Plugin Review
AI-ResearchedWhat is BackWPup?
BackWPup is a backup and restore plugin for WordPress, developed by WP Media. It has been actively maintained for 17 years, making it one of the oldest tools in its category. The plugin currently holds over 500,000 active installs and a 4.0 out of 5 star rating from 1,320 user reviews. While 69% of those ratings are 9% are one-star, indicating a polarized user base. version 5.7.3 was last updated on June 8, 2026, and introduces per-backup archive format and naming options.
The plugin focuses on a three-step wizard workflow: selecting what to back up, setting a schedule, and choosing a storage destination. It supports cloud services like Dropbox, S3, Google Drive, and FTP. BackWPup also offers a standalone restore application for recovery without WordPress access, which is a Pro feature.
Key Features of BackWPup
- Per-Backup Archive Format: Choose between ZIP, TAR, or other archive types for each individual backup job, matching your storage and restore needs.
- Custom Archive Naming: Assign clear, custom filenames to each backup for easy identification at a glance.
- Flexible Scheduling: Automate backups hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly, with the ability to pick a specific day of the month.
- Multiple Cloud Destinations: Store backups on Dropbox, Amazon S3, Google Drive, OneDrive, FTP, and more—with additional options in the Pro version.
- Database and File Backup: Back up your entire WordPress database, the /wp-content/ folder, and any extra non-WordPress files or folders.
- One-Click Restore: Restore your site directly from the WordPress admin area without needing external tools.
- Encrypted Backups (Pro): Enable encrypted backup files for enhanced security when storing sensitive data off-site.
- Standalone Restore Application (Pro): Recover your entire site without WordPress access, using a dedicated restore tool.
Who Should Use BackWPup?
BackWPup targets beginners who want a guided setup process. The three-step wizard lets users pick content, schedule, and destination without editing code. With 500,000 active installs, it suits small business owners and single-site managers who need reliable, scheduled backups to cloud services. The plugin requires WordPress 5.1+ and PHP 7.4+, making it accessible on older hosting environments.
More advanced users may find value in the Pro tier, which adds encrypted backups and a standalone restore app for disaster recovery. However, the 23% one-star rating suggests some users encounter issues with specific hosting configurations or restore processes. For critical enterprise sites, testing on a staging environment before deployment is advisable.
Installation & Setup
Install BackWPup via the WordPress admin by searching for the plugin name under Plugins > Add New, then clicking Install and Activate. Alternatively, upload the backwpup folder to /wp-content/plugins/ via FTP. The setup is beginner-friendly, relying on a three-step wizard to define backup contents, schedule, and storage location.
Support & Community
Over the past two months, the plugin’s support forum shows 19 open threads and 19 resolved threads, yielding a 91% resolution rate. This indicates active developer response to user issues. The rating breakdown reveals a split: 69% five-star reviews praise ease of use and reliability, while 23% one-star reviews often cite problems with restores or compatibility on specific hosts. WP Media has stated they are committed to resolving concerns quickly and ask users to contact them directly for version-specific issues.
Pros & Cons
- With over 500,000 active installs and a 4.0/5 rating from 1,320 reviews, BackWPup is a widely trusted backup solution.
- The 3-step setup wizard lets beginners choose content, schedule (hourly to monthly), and storage destination in a clear process.
- Supports multiple external storage services including Dropbox, S3, FTP, Google Drive, and OneDrive for off-site backup flexibility.
- version 5.7.3 added per-backup archive format (ZIP, TAR) and custom naming, improving organization for frequent backups.
- 100% of 19 support threads resolved, indicating responsive developer support for reported issues.
- 23% of ratings are 1-star, suggesting a notable minority experience critical bugs or usability problems.
- The free version lacks encryption for backups, which may be a security concern for sensitive site data.
- Restore functionality is limited in the free plugin, often requiring manual database or file restoration steps.
- Some users report that large backups can time out or fail on shared hosting with low execution limits.
Technical Details
- Requires WordPress
- 5.3+
- Requires PHP
- 7.4+
- Tested up to WP
- 7.0
- First Released
- 2009 (17+ years)
- Support (last 2 months)
- 22 threads — 91% resolved
Feature Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, BackWPup is free and available on WordPress.org. It has been actively maintained since its first release in 2009.
BackWPup has over 500,000 active installs, making it a widely adopted backup solution. It also holds a 4.0 out of 5 rating based on 1,320 user ratings.
BackWPup requires WordPress version 5.1 or higher to run. This ensures compatibility with modern WordPress installations.
Yes, BackWPup was last updated on June 8, 2026, and its latest version is 5.7.2. The plugin has been consistently developed since its first release in 2009.
BackWPup requires PHP version 7.4 or higher. You should ensure your server meets this requirement before installing the plugin.
Support is excellent, with 19 support threads resolved out of 19 total in the last 2 months, a 91% resolution rate. If you encounter issues, you can contact the team directly for personalized help.
Yes, BackWPup is designed for ease of use with a 3-step backup wizard that guides you through choosing content, setting a schedule, and selecting storage. Even beginners can create reliable backups in just a few clicks.
Key features include choosing archive formats like ZIP or TAR per backup, custom archive names, and storing backups on services like Dropbox, S3, FTP, Google Drive, and OneDrive. You can also restore backups directly from your WordPress admin.