BackWPup vs UpdraftPlus (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Backup Plugins top 10: BackWPup at #6 and UpdraftPlus at #1. UpdraftPlus leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
BackWPup
BackWPup – WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin
Back up, restore, and protect your WordPress website with automated backups, cloud storage, one-click recovery, and AI-assisted backup management.
UpdraftPlus
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.
Who leads on what
UpdraftPlus leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
UpdraftPlus ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #6 in Backup Plugins.
UpdraftPlus has more users: 3 million+ active installs against 400,000+.
UpdraftPlus is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 8,637 reviews, against 4.0 from 1,321 reviews.
UpdraftPlus has more reviews behind its score: 8,637 against 1,321.
BackWPup was updated more recently, on September 3, 2026; UpdraftPlus on August 21, 2026.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
BackWPup
Pick BackWPup if you want the one shipping releases most recently.
UpdraftPlus
Pick UpdraftPlus if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, the review score matters most to you or you want the score backed by more reviews.
BackWPup vs UpdraftPlus side by side
| BackWPup | UpdraftPlus | |
|---|---|---|
| Backup Plugins ranking | #6 | #1 |
| Rating | 4.0 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 1,321 | 8,637 |
| Active installs | 400,000+ | 3 million+ |
| Total downloads | 24,697,084 | 164,491,267 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Sep 3, 2026 | Aug 21, 2026 |
| First published | Jul 5, 2009 | May 22, 2012 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | – |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
BackWPup ratings
UpdraftPlus ratings
How we compare these two
Every figure here is pulled from the WordPress.org plugin API every day at 03:00 UTC, for both plugins in the same run, so the two are always read on the same day. We compare only what the directory reports: active installs, the rating and how many reviews stand behind it, the last release date and, once we have a month of history, downloads over the last 30 days. Ratings are only called a win above 50 reviews each, because a handful of five-star reviews is not evidence. Nothing is weighted into an overall score, no measure is worth more than another, and neither BackWPup nor UpdraftPlus can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Backup Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
BackWPup vs UpdraftPlus: common questions
Is BackWPup better than UpdraftPlus?
UpdraftPlus leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. UpdraftPlus ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #6 in Backup Plugins.
Which has more users, BackWPup or UpdraftPlus?
UpdraftPlus ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #6 in Backup Plugins.
Which is rated higher, BackWPup or UpdraftPlus?
UpdraftPlus has more users: 3 million+ active installs against 400,000+.
Are BackWPup and UpdraftPlus free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. BackWPup is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. UpdraftPlus may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to BackWPup and UpdraftPlus
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
More Backup Plugins comparisons
- All-in-One WP Migration vs BackWPup
- All-in-One WP Migration vs UpdraftPlus
- Backup Migration vs BackWPup
- Backup Migration vs UpdraftPlus
- JetBackup vs BackWPup
- JetBackup vs UpdraftPlus
- Backuply vs BackWPup
- Backuply vs UpdraftPlus
- BackWPup vs Duplicator
- BackWPup vs InfiniteWP Client
- BackWPup vs Jetpack
- BackWPup vs ManageWP Worker
Weekly · free
What moved this week
One email a week, built from the same daily snapshots these rankings come from: the plugins that climbed, what launched, and one ranking worth a look.