Online backup services promise your data will always be recoverable — but the history of the category tells a more cautious story. Several popular brands have shut down, leaving users scrambling, while others quietly changed terms or purged inactive accounts. This 2026 overview reviews the well-known backup services, notes which survived, and explains the self-hosted alternative that removes provider risk entirely.
The brands that shut down
JustCloud, ZipCloud and MyPCBackup were heavily marketed consumer backup services, all operated by the same parent group (Just Develop It). They shared an engine and an aggressive affiliate/upsell model, and have since shut down or been discontinued. Anyone who relied on them for their only backup learned the hard way that a backup living solely on a third party's servers disappears when that third party does.
The survivors
| Service | Status (2026) | Best for | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carbonite | Active | Set-and-forget PC backup | Now part of a larger data-protection vendor |
| Backblaze | Active | Unlimited personal backup + B2 object storage | Low-cost, developer-friendly B2 API |
| Livedrive | Active | Backup + briefcase sync | UK-based consumer/prosumer |
| Hightail | Active (pivoted) | Creative file sharing / review | Moved away from pure backup |
| JustCloud / ZipCloud / MyPCBackup | Discontinued | — | Just Develop It brands, gone |
The recurring lesson: don't rent your only copy
A backup that exists only on a managed provider's servers is only as durable as that provider's business. Shutdowns, acquisitions, term changes and inactivity purges are all outside your control.
The industry-standard answer is the 3-2-1 rule: keep at least three copies of your data, on two different media, with one copy off-site. The strongest version of "off-site" is a copy on infrastructure you control, so no vendor decision can erase it.
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The self-hosted backup alternative
Running your own backup target removes provider risk and the per-GB meter. Two proven approaches:
- Nextcloud — desktop/mobile clients back up and sync your files to a server you own, with versioning and sharing. Deploy it via our Nextcloud server solution.
- S3-compatible object storage (MinIO) — a perfect target for tools like restic, Duplicati, Veeam and Backblaze-style workflows, giving programmatic, versioned backups you fully own.
Because backup is capacity-heavy and rarely latency-critical, high-capacity HDD dedicated servers and dedicated storage servers are the most cost-effective home for it. For a broader self-hosted footprint, a private cloud on your own dedicated server can run backup, sync and more from one environment you control — and, unlike JustCloud, it won't disappear on you.
Frequently asked questions
Is JustCloud still around?
No. JustCloud, along with sister brands ZipCloud and MyPCBackup (all Just Develop It products), has been discontinued. Former users needed to migrate their data elsewhere.
What is the best cloud backup service in 2026?
Among managed options, Backblaze and Carbonite are strong, reliable choices. For provider-independent durability and fixed cost, a self-hosted backup on your own storage server is the most resilient option.
What is the 3-2-1 backup rule?
Keep three copies of your data, on two different types of media, with one copy off-site. A self-hosted server is an excellent "off-site" copy you fully control.