FBackup copies files and folders to another disk, a network share or cloud storage on a schedule. Its licence is unusually generous for a free tool — the developer states plainly that it is free for both personal and commercial use, with no watermarks, ads or nag screens.
It is made by Softland, who have been in the backup business since 1999, and the current version is 9.9.1044 (March 2026).
FBackup at a glance
| Latest version | 9.9.1044, released 31 March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Licence | Free for personal and commercial use |
| Windows | 11, 10, 8, 7, Vista; Server 2008 through 2025; 32- and 64-bit |
| Paid sibling | Backup4all — same engine with more backup types and options |
| Installer size | About 93 MB |
What it does
- Two backup types. Full backup packs everything into a standard ZIP archive; mirror backup makes an exact uncompressed copy you can browse in Explorer.
- Fast Mirror copies only new and changed files, which makes a daily mirror practical.
- Open and locked files are handled through Windows Volume Shadow Copy — so an open Outlook data file does get backed up.
- Destinations: local disks, USB drives, network shares, optical media, Google Drive and Dropbox. Those two cloud services also work as sources.
- Scheduling with actions before and after the job — shut down or sleep the machine when it finishes.
- Standard ZIP format with ZIP64 support, so archives and files above 2 GB are fine and you can open a backup without FBackup installed.
- Plugins for specific applications, so you back up a program’s settings without hunting for its data folder.
- Wizards for creating jobs and restoring — the interface assumes you do not do this every day.
What the free edition does not do
The difference from the paid Backup4all is large and worth knowing before you plan around it:
- No incremental or differential backups — only full and mirror.
- No versioning: a full backup does not keep previous copies.
- No encryption — no password on the ZIP and no AES.
- No FTP, SFTP or FTPS, and no OneDrive, Amazon S3 or Azure.
- No email notifications, so a failed job stays quiet unless you check.
- No command line, no filters to include or exclude by rule, no MSI for mass deployment.
- It backs up files and folders — it is not a disk-imaging tool and cannot restore a machine to bare metal.
Download and first job
- Click the Download button at the top of this page and unpack the archive.
- Install with administrator rights — FBackup runs a background service for scheduled jobs.
- Create a job with the wizard: what to back up, where to, full or mirror, and when.
- Run it once by hand and check the log.
- Restore a few files from the backup yourself. A backup nobody has restored is only a hypothesis.
Common problems and fixes
| Problem | What to check |
|---|---|
| Scheduled jobs do not start | Antivirus or firewall blocking the FBackup service. The vendor documents this as a cause of failed communication between the interface and the service. |
| Errors when opening a backup archive | Usually failing memory or a failing disk rather than the software — verify the hardware before blaming the backup. |
| Backup stops partway | Destination or temporary drive full, or a filter excluding more than intended. |
| Duplicate object index error | Happens when identical filenames arrive from mapped Linux shares. |
| Cloud backup fails midway | The authorisation token expired; reconnect the Google Drive or Dropbox account. |
FBackup vs. alternatives
| Tool | How it compares |
|---|---|
| Personal Backup | Also free for commercial use, and adds AES encryption, FTP and incremental backups |
| SyncBackFree | Free with commercial use allowed and true synchronisation; does not support Windows Server |
| Iperius Backup Free | Has incremental and differential backups, but cannot run as a service |
| Veeam Agent Free | Image-level backup and bare-metal restore — the thing FBackup deliberately does not do |
FAQ
Is FBackup free for business use?
Yes. The developer states it is free for both personal and commercial use, without watermarks, ads or limitations of that kind.
Can it do incremental backups?
No — that is a paid feature. The free edition offers full and mirror backups, with Fast Mirror copying only changed files.
Can I password-protect a backup?
Not in the free edition; encryption and ZIP passwords are paid features.
Will it back up an open file?
Yes, through Windows Volume Shadow Copy.
Can I open a backup without FBackup?
Yes — full backups are standard ZIP archives, and mirror backups are plain copies.
Does it work on Windows Server?
Yes, from Server 2008 through 2025.
