Backblaze vs KnowBe4
A side-by-side comparison of two security tools for small businesses.
Bottom line
For most small businesses, Backblaze edges out KnowBe4 on overall SMB fit (9/10 vs 8/10), especially for Backblaze is a strong fit for small businesses where most critical data lives on employee…. That said, weigh pricing and the feature breakdown below against your needs.
At a glance
| Attribute | Backblaze | KnowBe4 |
|---|---|---|
| SMB score | 9/10 | 8/10 |
| Category | Security | Security |
| Free tier | No | No |
| Starting price | From $8/seat/mo | Contact sales |
| Best for | Backblaze is a strong fit for small businesses where most critical data lives on employee laptops and desktops rather than on servers. Professional services firms—accountants, consultants, photographers, video editors, and small law offices—benefit most because their work product is tied directly to individual machines. Retail shops and small agencies with two to twenty-five computers get immediate value from the per-seat flat pricing, which scales predictably. It works especially well for businesses that have zero dedicated IT staff and need a solution that an owner or office manager can deploy and forget. Remote and hybrid teams also benefit since the backup happens wherever the laptop is connected to the internet. | KnowBe4 fits small and mid-sized businesses where employees regularly handle email, invoices, vendor communications, or customer data—industries like professional services, healthcare offices, real estate agencies, financial advisory firms, and light manufacturing with office staff. It's particularly valuable for companies that have recently renewed or applied for cyber-liability insurance, since many carriers now require documented security awareness programs. Managed service providers who support multiple SMB clients will find the multi-tenant management features save meaningful admin time. Any organization that has experienced a phishing incident or near-miss in the past 18 months and wants measurable proof of improvement is a natural fit. |
Backblaze
Flat-rate, unlimited cloud backup for every business Mac and PC at $99 per computer per year—no file-size caps, no surprises.
Picture this: a two-person accounting firm wraps up tax season, and the next morning one employee's laptop hard drive fails completely. No recent backup means weeks of client files, spreadsheets, and correspondence are simply gone. That single incident can cost more in recovery a…
Key features
- Continuous automatic backup runs silently without manual intervention or scheduling
- Unlimited data per computer—no file size or file type restrictions apply
- Flat annual pricing per computer simplifies IT budget forecasting for small teams
- Web-based restore lets any authorized user retrieve files from a browser
- External drive backup covers USB and Thunderbolt drives connected at backup time
- Business Groups dashboard gives owners centralized visibility across multiple computers
- Optional physical restore via mailed USB drive speeds large file recoveries
- Version history retains deleted or changed files for up to one year by default
Limitations
Backblaze backs up computers, not servers—Windows Server editions and NAS devices are not supported under the standard personal or business computer plans (Backblaze B2 cloud storage is a separate product for those use cases). The initial backup of a large hard drive can take several days to several weeks depending on upload speed and data volume, which is a real gap in protection during onboarding. Files on external drives must be connected at the time of backup or they'll be flagged as missing and eventually removed from the backup set. It is not a sync tool, so it cannot replace Dropbox or Google Drive for real-time file sharing. Verify current retention limits and add-on costs on the vendor site before assuming defaults meet your needs.
KnowBe4
Turn your employees from your biggest security liability into your strongest line of defense against phishing and ransomware.
Picture this: a bookkeeper at a 12-person accounting firm clicks a convincing email that appears to come from the IRS, enters her credentials on a fake login page, and by morning the firm's client files are encrypted and a ransom demand is sitting in the owner's inbox. That scena…
Key features
- Simulated phishing campaigns with hundreds of customizable, real-world-style templates
- Automatic enrollment of clickers into targeted security awareness training modules
- Phish-prone percentage dashboard to track risk reduction across your organization over time
- Extensive on-demand training library covering phishing, ransomware, password hygiene, and compliance topics
- Multi-account management for MSPs or consultants supporting several small business clients
- Scheduled and randomized campaign delivery to prevent employees from predicting test timing
- Compliance reporting exports suitable for cyber-insurance audits and regulatory reviews
- AI-driven phishing template recommendations based on current threat intelligence
Limitations
KnowBe4's pricing is subscription-based and scales by seat count; the entry-level tier is affordable for small teams, but costs climb noticeably as headcount grows or as you add premium content libraries. Verify current tier pricing on the vendor site, as it changes. The platform's depth is genuinely broad, which means initial setup and campaign configuration can feel complex for a non-technical owner without IT support. Some SMBs report that employees eventually recognize the phishing simulations as tests, reducing realism over time. The platform is focused on the human layer only—it does not provide antivirus, email filtering, or endpoint protection, so it must be paired with other security tools to cover the full threat surface.
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Frequently asked questions
- Is Backblaze or KnowBe4 better for small businesses?
- For most small businesses, Backblaze edges out KnowBe4 on overall SMB fit (9/10 vs 8/10), especially for Backblaze is a strong fit for small businesses where most critical data lives on employee…. That said, weigh pricing and the feature breakdown below against your needs.
- How does pricing compare between Backblaze and KnowBe4?
- Backblaze offers paid plans from about $8/mo. KnowBe4 offers custom / contact-sales pricing. Always confirm current plans on each vendor's website before you commit.
- When should I choose Backblaze over KnowBe4?
- Backblaze is a strong fit for Backblaze is a strong fit for small businesses where most critical data lives on employee laptops and desktops rather than on servers.…. Lean toward KnowBe4 if you need KnowBe4 fits small and mid-sized businesses where employees regularly handle email, invoices, vendor communications, or customer….
Read the full profiles: Backblaze · KnowBe4 · All Security tools