You already have offsite storage
If you have a web hosting account, you already have disk space in a data center with FTP access. That’s all you need for offsite backups.
The idea is simple: your important files live on your computer or office server. A backup tool copies them to your hosting account on a schedule. If something goes wrong locally (hardware failure, ransomware, theft, fire, a coffee spill on the wrong laptop), your files are safe in a data center somewhere else.
Backup tools that support FTP
Most backup software can write to an FTP destination. A few options:
- Duplicati (free, open source): runs on Windows, Mac, Linux. Schedule encrypted backups to FTP/SFTP destinations.
- Cobian Backup (free, Windows): straightforward FTP backup scheduling.
- rsync + lftp (free, Linux/Mac): command-line tools for scripted backups.
- Windows Task Scheduler + WinSCP: schedule WinSCP scripted uploads on Windows.
- Any script. A simple cron job or scheduled task that zips files and FTPs them works fine.
The setup is the same in all cases: point the backup tool at your hosting account’s FTP address, give it credentials, tell it which files to back up and how often.
What to back up
- Documents and spreadsheets: the stuff you can’t recreate
- Photos and media: especially if they don’t exist anywhere else
- Database exports: MySQL dumps from your applications
- Configuration files: server configs, application settings, anything that took time to set up
- Accounting data: QuickBooks files, invoices, financial records
You don’t need to back up everything. Focus on files that would hurt to lose and can’t be re-downloaded or reinstalled.
Keep it organized
Create a folder structure on your hosting that makes sense:
/backups/
/desktop-pc/
/2026-04-08/
/office-server/
/2026-04-08/
/database/
/2026-04-08/Most backup tools can create date-stamped folders automatically. Set a retention policy (keep last 30 days, for example) and have the tool delete older backups to prevent filling up your storage.
Encrypt your backups
If you’re backing up sensitive files (financial records, client data, personal documents), encrypt them before uploading. Duplicati handles encryption automatically. For manual scripts, zip files with a password or use GPG encryption before FTPing them.
Use SFTP instead of plain FTP for the transfer itself. That way both the files and the connection are encrypted.
Why this works
You’re not paying for a separate backup service. You’re not setting up another server. You’re using storage you already have. Your web hosting plan includes disk space and FTP access. Pointing backup software at it is a five-minute configuration.
Is it a replacement for a dedicated enterprise backup solution with versioning, deduplication, and disaster recovery SLAs? No. But for small businesses, freelancers, and anyone who just needs their important files copied somewhere safe, it’s hard to beat the simplicity.
Your APlusHosting web hosting account already has the storage and FTP access you need for offsite backups. Set up a backup schedule and sleep better knowing your files are in a data center.