For most sites the strongest alternative to BackUpWordPress is UpdraftPlus, which backs up to remote storage like Dropbox and Google Drive and restores in a click, both things BackUpWordPress never handled well. WPvivid is the best free option, bundling backup, migration, and staging, while Duplicator is the standout for cloning and moving sites. We ranked these from our index of 55,000+ WordPress plugins.

Why people switch from BackUpWordPress

• BackUpWordPress is no longer actively maintained, so people move to supported tools like UpdraftPlus or BackWPup.
• It offers no built-in remote storage, so users switch to UpdraftPlus or WPvivid to send backups off site.
• Anyone who also needs to migrate or clone a site moves to Duplicator or WPvivid.
• For simple scheduled database dumps, some choose the focused WP Database Backup.

UpdraftPlus – Overall replacement

UpdraftPlus is the most popular WordPress backup plugin, from Team Updraft, with scheduled backups to a wide range of remote destinations and one-click restore. Against BackUpWordPress, it adds reliable off-site storage, restore, and active development. The drawback is that incremental backups, multisite, and some remote options require the paid version.

Choose UpdraftPlus if you want the most complete, well-supported backup plugin.

Duplicator – Cloning and migration

Duplicator specializes in packaging a whole site into a portable archive for cloning or moving to a new host. Against BackUpWordPress, it makes migrations far smoother and is a favourite for developers. The drawback is that scheduled automatic backups and cloud storage are reserved for the paid version.

Choose Duplicator if your main need is migrating or cloning sites.

WPvivid – Free all-in-one

WPvivid combines backup, migration, and staging in a generous free plugin. Against BackUpWordPress, it adds remote storage, one-click restore, and site moving at no cost. The drawback is that its interface is busier than UpdraftPlus and some conveniences like incremental backups are paid.

Choose WPvivid if you want backup, migration, and staging together for free.

WP Database Backup – Database only

WP Database Backup is a lightweight plugin focused on scheduling and emailing database backups. Against BackUpWordPress, it is simpler and lighter for sites that only need the database saved. The drawback is that it backs up the database alone, not your themes, plugins, or uploaded files.

Choose WP Database Backup if you only need scheduled database backups, not full-site archives.

BackWPup – Free full backups

BackWPup is a long-standing free plugin that backs up your entire site to destinations like Dropbox, S3, and FTP. Against BackUpWordPress, it is actively maintained and supports more storage targets. The drawback is that one-click restore is a Pro feature, so free restores are a manual process.

Choose BackWPup if you want free full-site backups to many storage services.

When to stay on BackUpWordPress

There is little reason to stay on BackUpWordPress for new sites, since it is no longer actively maintained and lacks built-in remote storage. If it is already running, backing up cleanly, and you keep copies off the server yourself, it can keep working for now, but you should plan a move to a supported plugin before you actually need a restore.

How we ranked these

Every plugin here is scored by the WPS Score, a single 0 to 10 rating built from 21 signals covering maintenance, support responsiveness, compatibility, performance, and ratings quality across our index of 55,000+ plugins. Rankings are derived from that data, not editorial preference, and no plugin author can pay to change a score. How the WPS Score works.

Frequently asked questions

Is BackUpWordPress still safe to use?

BackUpWordPress still runs on many sites, but it is no longer actively maintained, which is a risk for something as important as backups. Most users are better served by an actively supported plugin like UpdraftPlus, WPvivid, or BackWPup that receives regular compatibility and security updates.

What is the best free alternative to BackUpWordPress?

WPvivid is one of the best free options because it combines backups, remote storage, migration, and staging in a single plugin. UpdraftPlus and BackWPup also offer strong free tiers, though features like one-click restore in BackWPup are reserved for the paid version.

Can these plugins store backups off my server?

Yes. UpdraftPlus, WPvivid, and BackWPup can all send backups to remote destinations such as Dropbox, Google Drive, or Amazon S3. Storing backups off the server is safer than keeping them on the same site, which BackUpWordPress did not handle on its own.

The verdict

The best all-round replacement is UpdraftPlus for its reliability and off-site restore, while WPvivid wins for a free all-in-one toolkit and Duplicator for migrations. Since BackUpWordPress is no longer maintained, moving to any of these is worthwhile, though an existing install can hold until you have time to switch.