What's a good, simple website backup service that runs automatically in the background?

If you mean a website backup service that you set up once and then basically forget about, I’d look at these:

• jetpack.com — My pick for a simple WordPress site. It runs automatically, stores backups off-site, supports real-time backups, and has one-click restores. Current pricing starts at $4.95/month for the first year when billed annually, then $9.95/month.Jetpack+1
• blogvault.net — Another very hands-off WordPress option. Its Personal plan currently provides daily automatic backups, 30-day retention, cloud storage, and one-click restoration, at $99/year.BlogVault
• codeguard.com — Worth considering if it's not WordPress. It automatically backs up website files/database and monitors changes. Its Personal plan is currently $5/month billed annually for one site.CodeGuard

What I'd choose

If your site is WordPress, I'd start with Jetpack VaultPress Backup. It's particularly appealing if your priority is "install it, let it run in the background, and have an easy restore button if something breaks." It backs up the WordPress database and site files and can capture changes in real time.Jetpack

If you tell me what your website is built with (WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, Shopify, custom HTML, etc.) and roughly how big it is, I can narrow it down to the simplest/cheapest option.

A few simple “set it and forget it” website backup services:

• CodeGuard — probably the simplest dedicated website backup option. It runs automated backups, stores them off-site, and offers one-click restores. Good for small business sites and WordPress sites.CodeGuard
• Dropmysite — works with many hosts using FTP/SFTP/RSYNC, backs up files and databases automatically, and provides one-click recovery.Dropmysite
• SiteLock — combines automated backups with security monitoring; backups can run on a schedule and restore files or databases.SiteLock
• If you use WordPress specifically, a managed WordPress host with built-in daily backups (or a plugin like a reputable backup service) is often the least maintenance.

For most small sites, I’d pick CodeGuard for simplicity, Dropmysite if you want host-independent backups, and your host’s built-in backup system if it’s reliable and includes off-site storage. Make sure any service stores backups separately from your web server and lets you test a restore.CodeGuard+1

The best and simplest way to back up a website automatically is to use your web host's built-in automated backup system or a dedicated SaaS backup tool that operates completely independently of your server.

The ideal choice depends on whether you want a hands-off service managed by your host or a platform-agnostic plugin/SaaS tool.

Top Automated Website Backup Options

Service / Type	Best For	How It Works	Key Feature
SiteGround (Hosting-level)	All-in-one hosting & site management	Runs silently on host servers daily [SiteGround]	30-day automated geo-distributed backups with 1-click restore [SiteGround]
BlogVault (SaaS)	WordPress sites needing off-site safety	External servers pull and store backups	Independent daily/real-time backups that won't slow your site down
UpdraftPlus (Plugin)	Budget-conscious WordPress owners	Scheduled tasks trigger automated cloud uploads	Direct sync to Google Drive, Dropbox, or S3
CodeGuard (SaaS)	Non-WordPress or mixed platform sites	Monitors code changes and backs up daily	Change alerts and automated daily monitoring

Choosing the Right Approach

• Managed Web Host Backups: If you use a quality host like SiteGround or WP Engine , they take daily background snapshots automatically [SiteGround]. This requires zero configuration and doesn't consume your website's internal resources.
• Independent SaaS Services: Tools like BlogVault run on their servers, connecting securely to your website. This ensures that if your site crashes or gets hacked, your backup process remains completely unaffected and accessible.
• Plugin-Based Backups: For WordPress, UpdraftPlus or Duplicator can be scheduled via a simple dashboard to zip and ship your files to an external cloud storage provider like Dropbox or Google Drive automatically.

If you can tell me how your website is built (e.g., WordPress, Shopify, custom HTML) and who your current web host is , I can tell you if you already have free automated backups included or recommend the exact tool you need.

Yes. If you want “set it up once and forget about it”, I’d look at these:

• jetpack.com — my pick for WordPress. It automatically backs up your site off-site, supports real-time backups, and has one-click restores. The current standalone plan starts at $4.95/month for the first year when billed yearly, with renewal at the regular price.Jetpack+1
• codeguard.com — good if you want something independent of WordPress. It can back up websites via SFTP/MySQL, runs automatically, monitors changes, and offers one-click restoration.CodeGuard+1
• blogvault.net — another strong WordPress option. Backups run automatically and off-site, with incremental backups, easy restores, and staging/migration tools.WordPress.org

If it's a normal WordPress site, I'd choose Jetpack VaultPress Backup. It's particularly hands-off: once connected, backups happen automatically, and Jetpack can even notify you if it loses contact with your site.Jetpack

If you tell me what your site runs on (WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, Shopify, custom HTML, etc.), I can give you the simplest/best option for that platform.

Yes. If your priority is “set it up once and forget about it,” I’d look at these:

• codeguard.com — my pick for a general website. It automatically backs up your site daily, monitors for changes, stores backups off-site, and offers one-click restoration. Its backups are differential after the initial backup, so it only transfers changes.CodeGuard+1
• jetpack.com — best if your site is WordPress. It can continuously back up changes in real time and provides one-click restores, including if your hosting server is down. Current pricing starts around $8.95/month normally, with promotional pricing currently shown on its site.Jetpack+1

What I'd choose

WordPress → Jetpack VaultPress Backup. It's extremely hands-off and the restore process is particularly simple.

Non-WordPress → CodeGuard. It's designed specifically around backing up websites regardless of the CMS and is similarly automatic. CodeGuard currently advertises a one-site plan at $4/month when billed annually.CodeGuard

One important tip: don't rely solely on the backup provided by your web host. An independent, off-site backup is much safer if the hosting account or server itself has a problem.

If you tell me what your website runs on (WordPress, Wix, Shopify, Squarespace, custom PHP, etc.) and roughly how big it is, I can narrow it down to the simplest/cheapest option for you.

For a WordPress site, UpdraftPlus is the best and simplest background backup service, while CodeGuard is the top choice if your website is built on another platform or hosted customly.sitelock.com+1

Service	Best For	Core Feature / Automation	Pricing tier (approx.)
UpdraftPlus	WordPress sites	Automated schedules (daily/weekly) sent straight to remote storage like Dropbox or Google Drive.	Free core / Premium from $70/yr
CodeGuard	Non-WordPress or mixed sites	Daily automatic monitoring and background backups with change alerts.	Starts around $5/mo
BlogVault	Heavy WordPress e-commerce	Real-time or daily automated backups stored on independent external servers.	Starts around $89/yr

• UpdraftPlus: If you use WordPress, install this plugin, link it to a free cloud folder (like Google Drive, Dropbox, or Amazon S3), and set a schedule. It runs completely in the background without slowing down your server.
• CodeGuard: If you do not use WordPress or want an external SaaS that tracks your files via SFTP/MySQL from the outside, CodeGuard monitors your site daily, runs incremental background backups, and alerts you if any files change.

If you can tell me what platform your website is built on (WordPress, Shopify, custom HTML, etc.) and where it is hosted , I can recommend the exact setup steps or an alternative tool.

When looking for a simple, automated website backup service, the right choice depends heavily on how your website is built (e.g., whether it runs on WordPress or a custom stack/platform).

Here are the best, most hands-off options split by use case:

• If your site is on WordPress : Use UpdraftPlus . It is the most popular and trusted WordPress backup solution. You simply install the plugin, connect it to a remote cloud storage account like Google Drive, Dropbox, or Amazon S3, and set a schedule (e.g., daily database backups, weekly file backups). It runs entirely in the background and even allows for one-click restores right from your dashboard.youtube.com+2
• If you want an all-in-one SaaS/Hosting-independent service: Use Codeguard or BlogVault . These services connect to your website via SFTP/FTP and MySQL databases, pulling automated daily backups and storing them securely in the cloud. They operate completely outside your website, meaning if your site completely crashes or gets locked out, you can still access and restore your clean backup externally.
• If your website is managed via a Web Host : Check your host's native control panel (like cPanel, Plesk, or managed hosts like SiteGround, Kinsta, or WP Engine). Most modern hosts include free, automated daily backups built directly into your hosting tier that run in the background without needing any external plugins or services.

If you let me know how your website is hosted or built (e.g., WordPress, Shopify, custom HTML/PHP, or a specific host like Bluehost/GoDaddy), I can give you a more precise recommendation or step-by-step setup advice.