UpdraftPlus WordPress Backup Plugin: What It Does and Why It Matters

The UpdraftPlus WordPress backup plugin saved one of our client sites last month, and the whole thing took about four clicks. A WooCommerce store with 1,200 products went dark after a theme update conflict. No panic, no late-night Slack messages. We restored a clean copy from Google Drive in under ten minutes, and the store was back online before most customers noticed a thing.

That experience reminded us why backups sit at the very top of every WordPress project we run. Not as an afterthought, as the foundation. If you manage a business site, a portfolio, an online store, or a membership platform, UpdraftPlus is one of the first plugins worth understanding. Let’s walk through what it actually does, how to set it up, and whether the free version is enough for your situation.

What UpdraftPlus Actually Handles for Your Site

UpdraftPlus backs up five core components of a WordPress installation: your database, plugins, themes, uploads folder, and any other directories inside wp-content. You can back up all five at once or pick only the pieces you need.

Here is why that matters. Your database holds every page, post, comment, WooCommerce order, and user record. Your uploads folder contains every image and PDF you have ever added through the media library. If either one disappears, because of a hack, a failed update, or a hosting outage, rebuilding from scratch could take days or weeks.

UpdraftPlus creates compressed copies of those files and sends them to a remote location you choose (more on that in a moment). It runs on a schedule you define, so backups happen automatically in the background. No manual exports, no FTP downloads, no crossing your fingers.

A few things the plugin does not do: it is not a security scanner, it is not a firewall, and it will not patch vulnerabilities for you. For that side of the equation, we keep a running list of recommended security plugins for WordPress that pairs well with a backup strategy. Think of UpdraftPlus as your safety net, not your lock on the front door.

One detail worth calling out: UpdraftPlus stores backup archives as standard zip files. That means even if you stop using the plugin someday, you can still unzip those files and restore manually. No vendor lock-in.

Setting Up Your First Backup Schedule

After installing UpdraftPlus (search for it in Plugins → Add New), head to Settings → UpdraftPlus Backups. The main screen shows two scheduling dropdowns: one for files, one for the database.

For most business sites, we recommend this starting point:

• Database backups: Daily, retaining at least 7 copies
• File backups: Weekly, retaining at least 2 copies

Why the split? Your database changes far more often than your theme files or plugin code. A daily database snapshot means you will never lose more than 24 hours of orders, form submissions, or content edits. Weekly file backups keep storage costs reasonable while still covering any media uploads or plugin changes.

If you run a high-traffic WooCommerce store or a membership site with constant signups, bump the database schedule to every 12 hours or even every 4 hours. Storage is cheap: lost revenue is not.

Once you pick your schedule, scroll down and choose which file sets to include. We leave all five checked by default. Hit Save Changes, and UpdraftPlus will run the first backup at the next scheduled interval. You can also hit Backup Now to trigger an immediate snapshot, we always do this right before a major plugin update or a theme switch.

A quick governance note: if your site handles sensitive data (patient forms, legal intake, financial records), make sure your backup storage location meets the same compliance standards as your live hosting. A backup sitting in an unencrypted personal Dropbox account is a liability. This ties directly into a broader 30-minute WordPress security checklist we use with every client project.

Choosing a Remote Storage Destination

Backing up to the same server that hosts your website is like keeping your spare house key inside the house. If the server goes down, your backups go with it.

UpdraftPlus connects to a long list of remote storage options in the free version:

• Google Drive, generous free tier, easy authentication
• Dropbox, straightforward setup, 2 GB free
• Amazon S3, pay-per-use, great for larger sites
• Rackspace Cloud, another cloud option for enterprise-leaning teams
• Email, works only for very small databases (attachment size limits apply)

The premium version adds Microsoft OneDrive, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Backblaze B2, SFTP/SCP, and WebDAV.

Our go-to recommendation for most small business sites: Google Drive. Setup takes about 90 seconds, you authenticate with your Google account, grant UpdraftPlus permission, and you are done. Files land in a dedicated UpdraftPlus folder.

For agencies managing multiple client sites, Amazon S3 with separate buckets per client gives you clean separation and fine-grained access control. The cost usually runs a few cents per gigabyte per month.

One thing to watch: if you are migrating a WordPress site to a new host, having a remote backup already in place means you can restore onto the new server without transferring files manually. That alone can cut migration time in half.

Restoring From a Backup When Things Go Wrong

This is the part that actually matters. A backup you cannot restore is just a zip file taking up space.

UpdraftPlus makes restoration surprisingly painless. Go to Settings → UpdraftPlus Backups, scroll to the Existing Backups section, and click Restore next to the date you want. The plugin asks which components to restore, database, plugins, themes, uploads, or other. Check what you need and hit Restore.

The process runs inside the WordPress dashboard. You do not need FTP access or phpMyAdmin. For a typical small business site (under 1 GB), a full restore finishes in 2 to 5 minutes.

A few tips we have picked up from doing this dozens of times:

1. Restore the database separately from files when possible. If the issue is a broken plugin, restoring only the plugins folder fixes the problem without rolling back your latest posts or orders.
2. Always take a fresh backup before restoring an older one. That way you have a snapshot of the current (broken) state, just in case you need to reference it.
3. Test your restore process on a staging site first. If you use a tool like the Doubly plugin for cloning content between sites, you can spin up a test copy quickly.

What about disaster scenarios where you cannot even log in to WordPress? The premium version includes a standalone PHP restoration script called UpdraftPlus Restore. You upload it via FTP, open it in a browser, and it walks you through pulling your backup from remote storage and rebuilding the site. We have used this twice in production, and both times it worked on the first try.

Free vs. Premium: Which Version Fits Your Needs

The free version of the UpdraftPlus WordPress backup plugin covers the essentials for most single-site owners:

• Scheduled backups (files and database, independent schedules)
• Remote storage to Google Drive, Dropbox, Amazon S3, Rackspace, email, or FTP
• One-click restore from the dashboard
• Backup splitting for large sites (breaks archives into smaller zip files)

That is a solid set of features for a plugin that costs nothing.

The premium version (UpdraftPlus Premium) adds features aimed at agencies, developers, and higher-stakes sites:

• Incremental backups, only backs up files that changed since the last run, saving time and storage
• Site-to-site cloning and migration, move a full WordPress install to a new domain or host
• More storage destinations, OneDrive, Azure, Google Cloud, Backblaze B2, SFTP
• Multisite/network support, backs up WordPress multisite installations
• Reporting, email confirmations and failure alerts
• Priority support, direct access to the UpdraftPlus team

Our honest take: if you run one site with moderate traffic, the free version will serve you well. Pair it with a solid backup plugin comparison to make sure you are picking the right tool for your stack.

If you manage five or more client sites, the premium license (which covers up to 10 sites) pays for itself the first time you need incremental backups or the standalone restore script. For agencies, the migration feature alone saves hours compared to manual database exports, especially when combined with a reliable duplication workflow.

Pricing at the time of writing starts around $70/year for a personal license. The agency tier runs closer to $195/year for unlimited sites.

Conclusion

Backups are the one thing you never think about until you desperately need them. The UpdraftPlus WordPress backup plugin removes most of the friction from that process, scheduled snapshots, remote storage, one-click restores, so you can focus on running your business instead of worrying about what happens if something breaks.

Start with the free version. Set a daily database schedule and a weekly file schedule. Point it at Google Drive or Dropbox. Then test a restore on a staging copy so you know the process before you are stressed and under pressure. That entire setup takes less than fifteen minutes, and it could save you days of rebuilding down the road.

If you need help setting up backups as part of a broader WordPress maintenance plan, we are always happy to walk through it. Reach out to our team at Zuleika LLC and we will get your safety net in place.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the UpdraftPlus WordPress backup plugin actually back up?

UpdraftPlus backs up five core components of your WordPress site: the database, plugins, themes, uploads folder, and any other directories inside wp-content. You can back up all five at once or select only the pieces you need, then send compressed zip files to a remote storage destination like Google Drive or Dropbox.

How often should I schedule backups with UpdraftPlus?

For most business sites, set database backups to run daily (retaining at least 7 copies) and file backups weekly (retaining at least 2 copies). High-traffic WooCommerce or membership sites should increase database frequency to every 4–12 hours. Pair your backup schedule with a 30-minute WordPress security baseline for full protection.

Is the free version of UpdraftPlus enough for a small business site?

Yes. The free UpdraftPlus WordPress backup plugin includes scheduled backups, one-click restore, and remote storage to Google Drive, Dropbox, Amazon S3, and more. For a single site with moderate traffic, it covers the essentials. Check out a detailed backup plugin comparison to see how it stacks up against alternatives.

How do I restore a WordPress site using UpdraftPlus?

Go to Settings → UpdraftPlus Backups, scroll to Existing Backups, and click Restore next to the desired date. Select which components to restore—database, plugins, themes, or uploads—and hit Restore. The process runs inside your dashboard without needing FTP or phpMyAdmin and typically finishes in 2–5 minutes for sites under 1 GB.

Can UpdraftPlus help with WordPress site migration?

The premium version includes a site-to-site cloning and migration feature that lets you move a full WordPress install to a new domain or host. Even with the free version, having a remote backup simplifies migration since you can restore onto a new server directly. For other migration approaches, explore an All-in-One migration guide as well.

Do I still need security plugins if I use UpdraftPlus for backups?

Absolutely. UpdraftPlus is a safety net, not a security tool—it does not scan for malware, block attacks, or patch vulnerabilities. You should pair it with dedicated WordPress security plugins for firewalls, malware scanning, and login hardening. Backups ensure recovery; security plugins help prevent incidents in the first place.