Creating a WordPress backup sounds simple — until you actually need one in an emergency and realize your last backup is three months old, or doesn’t exist at all. There are three basic ways to create a WordPress backup: via plugin, through your hosting provider, or manually. Which method makes sense for you depends on how much control you need and how technical you are. Here’s an honest comparison.
Why “some kind of” backup isn’t enough
A backup is only really a backup if three things are true: it runs automatically (not just when you happen to remember), it’s stored somewhere other than the live website, and it has been successfully restored at least once. This is exactly where most “backup strategies” I find with new clients fall apart.
Method 1: Backup via plugin
Backup plugins like UpdraftPlus, Duplicator, or BackWPup are the most common way to create a WordPress backup. They back up files and the database on a schedule, ideally uploading the backup directly to external cloud storage (Dropbox, Google Drive, S3).
Pros: Easy to set up, automatic scheduling, usually comes with a restore wizard right in the WordPress dashboard. Cons: Adds extra plugin load to the server, quality and reliability vary a lot between plugins, free versions often have limited features (e.g. no automatic cloud connection).
For a detailed comparison of the most popular backup plugins, including pricing, see my WordPress backup guide.
Method 2: Backup through your hosting provider
Many hosting providers offer their own server-side backup solutions that run independently of WordPress. The advantage: a compromised WordPress installation can’t affect the backup itself.
Pros: Runs independently of WordPress, usually no extra server load from a plugin, often one-click restore through the hosting panel. Cons: Retention period and frequency depend on your hosting plan, and the backup often sits with the same provider as the website itself — in a worst-case provider outage, both could be affected.
Method 3: Manual backup
Downloading files via FTP/SFTP and exporting the database through phpMyAdmin or WP-CLI — the most time-consuming but also the most controlled method. This makes the most sense before major changes like a major update or a theme switch, on top of your regular automated backup.
Pros: Full control over scope and storage location, no extra plugin required, independent of plugin bugs. Cons: Time-consuming, error-prone without technical experience, not practical as your only regular solution.
The 3-2-1 rule: combining all three methods
In practice, I usually combine all three approaches following the 3-2-1 rule: at least 3 copies of your data, on at least 2 different storage locations, with at least 1 copy stored off-site from the hosting provider. In practice, that often means: automated plugin backup to the cloud, the hosting provider’s own backup as a second layer, and a manual backup before major changes.
How often should you create a WordPress backup?
As a rule of thumb: the more your site changes, the more often you should back it up. Before any major update or theme change, you should also create a manual backup, regardless of your regular schedule. For a detailed breakdown by website type (blog, shop, static site), see the table in my WordPress backup guide.
Conclusion
Creating a WordPress backup isn’t a one-time task — it’s an ongoing routine, and that’s exactly where most backup strategies fail. How often a backup is really needed, what to do in an emergency, and how to handle a compromised site are covered in Website Hacked? Here’s How to Respond.
If you’re not sure whether your current backup strategy would actually hold up in an emergency, I’m happy to take a look — no obligation, just reach out via the contact form.
