The best WordPress backup plan for most beginners is simple: keep your host’s backups, add an independent scheduled backup with UpdraftPlus, and test a restore before you need one.
I recommend the free version of UpdraftPlus for a typical blog, portfolio, or small-business site. Send the backup to remote storage such as Google Drive or Dropbox instead of leaving the only copy on the same server as the website.
My direct recommendation: Use UpdraftPlus for an independent files-and-database backup, keep your host’s automatic backups as a second layer, and run a manual backup before WordPress updates, theme changes, migrations, or other major work.
A backup is only useful if it is complete, recent, reachable when the site is down, and able to restore. This guide shows you how to cover all four.
What a complete WordPress backup includes
A WordPress website has two main parts. You need both if you want to rebuild the whole site.
- Website files: WordPress core files, themes, plugins, uploaded images, documents, and other files stored on the server.
- The database: posts, pages, settings, users, comments, product information, form configuration, and other structured content.
A database export alone does not contain your media library, theme, or plugins. A copy of wp-content alone does not contain your posts, users, and settings. The official WordPress backup documentation recommends backing up both, keeping copies in different locations, and checking automated backups from time to time.
One server is one point of failure. A backup stored only inside the same hosting account can disappear with the site during an account problem, server failure, or security incident. Keep at least one copy somewhere independent.
Host backup vs plugin backup vs manual backup
You do not have to choose one method forever. The strongest beginner setup uses two automatic methods and keeps the manual option for specific situations.
| My pick UpdraftPlus | Host backup | Managed service | Manual export | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Most beginner sites | Fast whole-site rollback | Busy stores and memberships | Pre-change copy or emergency access |
| Automatic schedule | Yes | Usually | Yes | No |
| Independent copy | Yes, with remote storage | Not by itself | Usually | Yes, if downloaded elsewhere |
| Restore effort | Low to medium | Low when the host is available | Low | Highest |
| Main risk | Setup or storage connection can be wrong | Copy may share the hosting account | Ongoing subscription cost | Easy to forget or miss a component |
Swipe to compare more options. UpdraftPlus stays pinned.
Use UpdraftPlus as the independent beginner-friendly layer. Keep host backups too, because either method can fail when used alone.
Your host’s restore button is convenient when an update breaks the site. It should not be your only plan. A plugin backup sent off-site gives you a copy you control if the hosting account itself is unavailable.
How often should you back up WordPress?
Choose the schedule based on how much recent work you could afford to lose. A weekly backup is not enough for a store that receives orders every hour, but it may be fine for a brochure site that changes once a month.
| Website type | Practical starting schedule | What could be lost |
|---|---|---|
| Mostly static business or portfolio site | Weekly full backup, plus one before every major change | Recent edits, form configuration, or uploads |
| Active blog | Daily database and weekly files, or a daily full backup | New posts, comments, settings, and media |
| Store, membership, or course site | Daily at minimum; consider real-time or incremental backups when activity is frequent | Orders, accounts, access changes, and customer activity |
Make a restore point before risky work. Run a manual files-and-database backup before updating WordPress, changing themes, installing a major plugin, editing code, or moving the site.
Keep more than one recent restore point. If malware or a bad edit sits unnoticed for several days, the newest backup may already contain the problem.
How to back up a WordPress site with UpdraftPlus
UpdraftPlus is available in the official WordPress plugin directory and has a useful free version. It can schedule files and database backups and send them to supported remote storage. The exact labels can move as the plugin changes, but the setup order stays the same.
1. Install UpdraftPlus
In WordPress, go to Plugins → Add New Plugin, search for “UpdraftPlus,” confirm the developer and plugin name, then install and activate it. If you are new to the dashboard, our WordPress tutorial explains plugins, themes, pages, and the rest of the admin area.
You can also review the official UpdraftPlus listing before installing. For a normal first site, start with the free plugin. Upgrade only if you can name the extra storage, scheduling, migration, multisite, or support feature you need.
2. Connect remote storage
Open Settings → UpdraftPlus Backups → Settings. Choose a remote destination that is separate from the hosting account and complete its authorization steps. Google Drive or Dropbox is an easy place to start if you already control the account.
After saving, confirm the plugin reports a successful connection. Do not assume the destination works because you selected its icon.
3. Set the files and database schedules
Choose the schedule that matches the table above. The database may change more often than the files, so it can run more frequently on an active site.
Retain several recent backups, then save the settings. Storage limits matter, but keeping only one copy gives you no room to move back past a problem that was discovered late.
4. Run the first complete backup
Return to the Backup/Restore tab and choose Backup Now.
Keep both the database and files selected. Send the backup to remote storage if the dialog offers that choice.
Wait for the job to finish. Check that a new backup appears with database, plugins, themes, uploads, and other files available. Then open the remote storage account and confirm the files arrived there too.
5. Test the restore
The safest place to test is a staging site or another non-public copy. Start by restoring the full set there, then check the homepage, a post, the login screen, images, menus, forms, and any store or membership functions.
A green “backup complete” message is not the finish line. Confirm the remote files exist and complete a test restore on staging. That is how you learn whether the copy is usable before the live site is in trouble.
UpdraftPlus pros and cons
My recommendation
UpdraftPlus for a beginner WordPress backup plan
Why it works well
- Useful free version Most basic WordPress sites can schedule files and database backups without buying the premium version first.
- Independent remote copy A supported remote destination keeps the backup separate from the web server when it is configured correctly.
- Files and database are visible The backup set makes it clear that themes, plugins, uploads, other files, and the database are separate components.
- Works beside host backups You can keep the host’s fast rollback option while maintaining a copy outside the hosting account.
What still needs attention
- Setup can be incomplete Selecting a storage provider is not enough. The connection has to authorize, save, and receive a real backup.
- A restore still needs testing The plugin can complete a backup without proving that your particular site will restore cleanly.
- Busy sites may need more A store or membership site with frequent transactions may need shorter intervals, incremental backups, or a managed real-time service.
UpdraftPlus Premium adds features for more advanced setups. You can review the paid options here, but do not buy an upgrade just to avoid setting up the free version correctly.
How to restore a WordPress backup safely
Do not click Restore until you know which restore point you need. Restoring normally replaces current data with the state from that backup, so posts, orders, comments, uploads, and other changes made afterward can be lost.
- Record the current problem. Note when it started and what changed just before it.
- Download the current state if possible. Even a broken copy may contain recent files or data you need later.
- Choose a restore point from before the problem. Do not automatically choose the newest backup.
- Restore both files and database when the whole site is affected. Restore only a specific component when you understand exactly what changed.
- Check the site after restoration. Test login, pages, images, forms, navigation, caching, and critical transactions.
- Make a fresh clean backup. Once the site is stable, create a new restore point.
If WordPress still loads, UpdraftPlus can restore from its existing backup list. If the dashboard is unavailable, your host’s restore tool may be the faster route. Hosting dashboards differ, so use the provider’s current documentation and contact support before overwriting a live store or membership site.
When a manual WordPress backup makes sense
A manual backup usually means downloading the website files through the host’s file manager or SFTP and exporting the database through phpMyAdmin or another database tool.
This is useful before a migration, when a plugin cannot run, or when you want a separate archive you control. It is a poor primary system for most beginners because it is easy to forget, easy to leave on the same computer, and easy to capture the files without the matching database.
If repeated backup failures are caused by storage limits, timeouts, or an unreliable host, compare the providers in our best web hosting guide. Better hosting does not replace your independent backup, but it can make restores and staging much easier to manage.
WordPress backup checklist
- Files and database are both included.
- At least one copy is stored outside the hosting account.
- The schedule matches how often the site changes.
- Several recent restore points are retained.
- A manual backup runs before risky changes.
- The remote destination has enough space and still authorizes correctly.
- A full restore has been tested on staging.
- Someone knows where the backups are and how to use them.
Backups are one layer of maintenance. Use the website security guide to reduce the chance that you need one, and the WordPress optimization guide to keep the site healthy after it is restored.
WordPress backup FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest way to back up a WordPress site?
For most beginners, install UpdraftPlus, connect remote storage, schedule files and database backups, then keep the host’s automatic backups as a second layer. Run a manual backup before major changes and test a full restore on staging.
Does a WordPress backup include the database?
A complete WordPress backup should include the database and website files. The database contains posts, pages, settings, users, and other structured content. Themes, plugins, and uploaded media live in the files, so you need both.
How often should I back up WordPress?
Back up at least as often as you can afford to lose new data. Weekly may be enough for a static site. An active blog usually needs daily coverage. A busy store, course, or membership site may need more frequent or real-time backups.
Are hosting backups enough?
Hosting backups are useful for fast restores, but they should not be your only copy. Keep an independent backup in remote storage so a hosting-account problem does not remove both the website and its only backup.
Where should I store WordPress backups?
Keep at least one copy outside the hosting account in supported remote storage such as Google Drive, Dropbox, or another destination you control. Confirm the files arrived and protect the storage account with a strong password and multi-factor authentication.
Can I back up WordPress for free?
Yes. UpdraftPlus has a free version that can schedule files and database backups and connect to supported remote storage. Your host may also include automatic backups. Paid tools become useful when you need advanced scheduling, incremental or real-time coverage, more storage options, or hands-on support.
How do I know whether a WordPress backup works?
Confirm that the backup completed, verify the files exist in remote storage, and restore the full set to a staging site. Check the homepage, login, images, forms, navigation, and any store or membership functions. A successful test restore is stronger proof than a success message.
Should I back up WordPress before updating plugins?
Yes, especially before major plugin, theme, or WordPress core updates. Create a fresh files-and-database restore point first. On an active store or membership site, account for orders and user activity that could happen between the backup and a possible restore.
Build a backup plan you can restore
For most WordPress sites, the practical setup is UpdraftPlus sending scheduled files-and-database backups to remote storage, plus the automatic backups included with your host. Keep several restore points, make a fresh copy before major changes, and test the full process on staging.
Once that system works, write down where the backups live and who can restore them. Then you can get back to improving the website instead of hoping the emergency plan works. If you are still setting everything up, continue with our step-by-step website guide.
