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N-able Cove Data Protection vs iDrive comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 3, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

iDrive
Ranking in Cloud Backup
38th
Average Rating
9.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
N-able Cove Data Protection
Ranking in Cloud Backup
20th
Average Rating
9.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
24
Ranking in other categories
Backup and Recovery (28th), SaaS Backup (10th), MSP Backup (2nd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2026, in the Cloud Backup category, the mindshare of iDrive is 0.9%, down from 1.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of N-able Cove Data Protection is 2.2%, up from 2.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Cloud Backup Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
N-able Cove Data Protection2.2%
iDrive0.9%
Other96.9%
Cloud Backup
 

Featured Reviews

reviewer2539458 - PeerSpot reviewer
President at a financial services firm with 51-200 employees
Offers lot of storage space, and you can set up several different types of backups
I’ve had some issues with iDrive. I don’t have an updated version of Windows, so that might have something to do with it. I’m running a 2018 version of Windows 10, and I haven’t had any issues with Acronis. But I have had issues with iDrive, though they do seem to fix issues, but more slowly. It would be nice if iDrive could do what Acronis does and be able to do local disk images. Instead, the only local backup they do is a file backup. I’ve had issues like the scheduler mysteriously erasing my settings. I have to babysit it and make sure it’s doing the backups regularly because sometimes when they do updates, it scrambles my backup settings. I found out later that it hasn’t been doing backups for a few days, which is annoying. The email updates were another issue I had. It was giving me email updates for successful backups, and I don’t need my inbox full of those messages. And now I told them, I need an email message when the thing’s not running. But it doesn’t work that way.
Grace Myna - PeerSpot reviewer
HR Consultant
Secure reminders have improved HR document control and support better client deadline management
I really love the reminders feature of N-able Cove Data Protection because I have many dates to keep in mind while working with multiple clients. The access settings are important for me too, and the fact that HR documents are personal means I do not want everyone seeing everything, especially because in HR we talk mostly about confidentiality. It is important that not everyone gets to see everything unless they have access, and I also appreciate being able to tell which copy is the final one. The reminders feature stands out for me the most because I deal with many dates and deadlines. The reminders work well for me in practice because they make it easy for me; I do not have to keep checking my calendar, even though I also use other calendars such as Calendly. The reminders come in handy because I do not have to keep going back to that, helping me ensure that I meet deadlines and do not miss client meetings, making it easier for me to stay organized.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"iDrive will keep up to 30 versions of a file."
"The encryption process is the most useful part of using iDrive for data security. I also use the background backup feature which helps me to clone and conduct computer backup. These features are very reliable, especially when restoring images from damaged servers. But I don't use the real-time backup feature; I always use the scheduled backup."
"The most valuable feature by far is the Virtual Disaster Recovery. On top of that is the bare-metal recovery. The recovery options that we have are great. We have tested the Virtual Disaster Recovery and the bare-metal recovery in just about any scenario you can think of. We have even restored bare metal, a full server, to a laptop, and had full functionality. It's just insane how well it works and how simple it is. It does most of the work for you."
"The most valuable feature is that it's hands-off. I log in every morning and there are pre-canned filters that I've created to make my life easier. I have something called server status color bars, and that gives me all the servers and, in a nutshell, I can see: if any errors are being reported; when the last backup was; if one is not working, should there be one, and it literally jumps off the page."
"The product is simple to use and manage. The customers have access to verify the backups."
"One of the bigger features and advantages of the solution is that it is easy to integrate with my RMM which is also N-able."
"The ability to back up, restore, and do different types of testing for the preventative maintenance has really increased our importance to these clients because they see the value in how fast we can get them back up and running. We're saving them money in that way."
"N-Able has allowed us to have peace of mind regarding backups, with very easy browser-based backup and restore of files and no more missed backup schedules or need to go on a course to learn how to use the software."
"Of all the IT companies that we deal with as suppliers, I'm pretty sure they are the best that we have ever dealt with."
"The integration of N-able Cove Data Protection into our existing infrastructure is easy."
 

Cons

"I’ve had issues like the scheduler mysteriously erasing my settings. I have to babysit it."
"The disadvantage of using real-time backup in iDrive is that it significantly impacts server performance, causing considerable speed issues. The archiving process needs improvement along with the management of bandwidth and CPU. There should also be more options for creating conditions to manage the workload of the environment, making the system easier to balance."
"One area I don't like has to do with the agent that goes on the system. Deploying it is a piece of cake, but something I have noticed is that if a system stays offline for some length of time, say for a week or so, I may have to go back in and reinstall the agent to get it back in business."
"Having the licensing available for partners to be able to take advantage of testing without paying would make a big difference."
"N-able Cove Data Protection for Microsoft 365 is an area with shortcomings that need improvement."
"The reporting feature and functionality need improvement. We would like to see a little bit more detailed reporting that offers more CEO or C-level focused reporting options."
"This solution is not very good for image restores, but really excellent for files, databases and System State restores."
"For the MSP side, they could have more of a "security user" that can go in and only see certain clients. If you give somebody access as a technician, they can see all the clients."
"A better default view on my dashboard would be great."
"Integration with a hybrid cloud is something that I found complicated."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"According to our evaluation done five to seven years ago, iDrive is cheap and it covers a lot of our needs."
"There is no per node cost, at least not the way I am doing it. I am on bulk. New customers can be set up on a trial, where they can get things all squared away, then they can switch over to being a billed customer."
"The pricing of SolarWinds seems to be fair compared to the rest of the industry."
"The cost is around ten dollars per workstation a month and that includes a certain amount of data."
"The pricing is very competitive and it's well worth the price."
"When you have a device/appliance on the site quite a lot of the other enterprise class backup people insist that you have their appliance, which is frankly offensively expensive. Because when you pry the top off, it's just a standard 19-inch tin box with a standard Intel I5 in it, some RAM, and a hard drive. Then, you go, "Why have they just charged me 5,500 quid for a box, which I could have probably build for under 500." Whereas, with the SolarWinds product, they don't have that. The backup appliances that we have onsite are just plain cooking PCs. We can build our own machines, which is reflected in the price that we can offer a customer."
"The pricing is affordable. N-able Cove Data Protection has a direct-to-cloud architecture, but it also allows saving backups locally without extra storage costs."
"Cove only takes the data you have on the physical server. I can back that up for long periods of time, and I don't accrue high charges to have the data in the cloud. It stays at one rate. This allows me to forecast payment for the next one or two years and show clients their estimated growth."
"The only option I would like to see is an adjustable scale. Right now we have 250 seats and we're not using all of them. It would be nice to be able to save that little bit of money by being able to buy just what we need."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Comms Service Provider
25%
Construction Company
11%
Non Tech Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Comms Service Provider
13%
Construction Company
10%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Outsourcing Company
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business19
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise1
 

Questions from the Community

Ask a question
Earn 20 points
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for N-able Backup?
We have not needed interns for a long time. For the one year, we did not need an intern because initially, we wanted interns because sometimes our team would be overwhelmed.
What needs improvement with N-able Backup?
For now, I do not have anything else to add about the features apart from the confidentiality aspect; it helps me ensure that HR documents are personal, so someone who does not have access to them ...
What is your primary use case for N-able Backup?
My main use case for N-able Cove Data Protection is to rely on it mostly for HR related documents, and I have been using it for quite some time. I normally open it when I need to check signed docum...
 

Also Known As

No data available
N-able Backup, SolarWinds Backup, SolarWinds MSP Backup & Recovery, SolarWinds MSP Backup
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

1. BMW  2. Audi  3. Mercedes-Benz  4. Volkswagen  5. Ford  6. General Motors  7. Toyota 8. Honda  9. Nissan  10. Hyundai  11. Kia  12. Volvo  13. Jaguar Land Rover  14. Porsche  15. Subaru  16. Mazda  17. Mitsubishi  18. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles  19. Tesla  20. Peugeot  21. Renault  22. Citroën  23. Skoda  24. Seat  25. Mini  26. Bentley  27. Rolls-Royce  28. Lamborghini 29. Aston Martin  30. Ferrari  31. Maserati  32. Alfa Romeo
Computer Depot, Leading Edge Computers, IT Logic Australia
Find out what your peers are saying about N-able Cove Data Protection vs. iDrive and other solutions. Updated: November 2026.
920,769 professionals have used our research since 2012.