In today’s digital-first world, data is the backbone of every business. Whether you run a small office, a growing IT firm, or a large organisation with multiple locations, your files, systems, and client data are mission-critical. That’s why one of the most common questions businesses ask is:
“Should I use cloud backup or local backup?”
With cyber threats, hardware failures, and even human error on the rise, choosing the right data backup strategy is no longer optional—it’s essential. Industry experts expect this urgency to grow significantly by 2025, driven by emerging risks and evolving infrastructure demands.
In this guide, we’ll explain the key differences between cloud backup and local backup, their pros and cons, and help you determine which option (or combination) best suits your business needs in 2025.
Let’s start with definitions.
While both methods protect your data, they offer very different levels of accessibility, speed, cost, and security.
Security Note: Even if you’re using encrypted drives, physical security is still a weak point compared to cloud backups.
Security Tip: Look for cloud backup services that offer AES-256 encryption, multi-factor authentication, and ISO 27001 certification. Providers like Superfast IT can help ensure these standards are met as part of a secure, business-ready backup solution.
Security is often the top concern when comparing cloud and local backup solutions. It’s a valid concern — after all, your backup is only as good as its ability to protect your data from loss, theft, or breach. However, cloud backups are now among the most secure options available, provided you partner with a reputable provider.
Modern cloud backup platforms offer advanced protection, including:
Data is encrypted both in transit (as it’s being uploaded/downloaded) and at rest (while stored), often using AES-256 standards — the same used by governments and defence organisations.
Your data is automatically backed up across multiple geographically separate data centres, reducing the risk of data loss from local outages, disasters, or hardware failures.
Continuous monitoring and threat detection
Leading platforms use AI-driven monitoring to detect anomalies, flag suspicious activity, and even proactively defend against ransomware targeting backups.
Strict regulatory compliance
Providers adhere to international standards such as GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2, and ISO 27001, ensuring that data handling and storage meet the highest benchmarks for privacy and security.
Role-based access controls and audit trails
You can define exactly who has access to your backups — and view detailed logs of when and how data is accessed.
In fact, for most SMEs, reputable cloud backup services typically provide far stronger data security, redundancy, and disaster recovery capabilities than what could be achieved with internal infrastructure alone — not to mention lower upfront costs and reduced maintenance overhead.
So while local backups can still play a role in a hybrid strategy, cloud-based solutions are increasingly the default choicefor resilient, secure, and scalable business continuity.
Many experts recommend combining cloud and local backup into a hybrid backup strategy rather than choosing one over the other.
This includes the original file plus two backup copies.
For example: a local server and a cloud-based platform.
Cloud storage is ideal for this, protecting against theft, fire, flood, or local system failures.
Quickly restore files from an on-site device in case of accidental deletion, software errors, or hardware issues — no internet required.
If your premises are hit by ransomware, a fire, or flooding, your off-site cloud backup ensures business continuity with minimal disruption.
Knowing your data is secured locally and remotely offers reassurance — and often helps meet compliance or cyber insurance requirements.
Yes. These platforms have basic version history and retention but don’t offer comprehensive protection against accidental deletion, ransomware, or malicious actions. Use a dedicated backup tool that integrates with these platforms for proper protection.
No—it’s usually charged per GB or device and scales with your usage. More importantly, it prevents costly data loss, which can lead to operational downtime, lost contracts, and reputational damage.
It depends on your compliance needs. For example:
If you’re a business owner or IT manager looking for secure, reliable, and scalable data protection, here’s what to remember:
Don’t wait until disaster strikes to realise your data wasn’t protected. Evaluate your current backup setup and ask:
"If my business lost access to its data right now, how quickly could we recover?"
We help businesses across Birmingham and the West Midlands implement secure, scalable backup strategies as part of a broader approach to IT resilience. Whether you’re looking to back up Microsoft 365, protect on-premise servers, or secure remote work environments, our locally focused team ensures your data stays safe, recoverable, and fully aligned with your business needs.