OpenDrive at a Glance
Our Rating
3 / 5 stars
[xrr rating=3/5]
Price:
- Basic: 5GB Free!
- Personal: $12.95/month, $129.00/year
- Business: $29.95/month, $299.00/year
- Click here to save over 16% on OpenDrive!
Pros:
- Windows and Mac.
- Continuous back up/syncing.
- Packages reasonable with monthly and yearly options.
- Music and video streaming.
- File sharing.
- Online editing of documents, spreadsheets and presentations.
- Can create a virtual private shared drive between users.
- Web interface is well done.
- Unlimited computer access.
- File versioning can be set from 0 to 99 versions.
Cons:
- You need to be comfortable with Windows Explorer.
- No Linux support.
- Bandwidth limits could be an issue with multiple users.
- Free account has transfer limit of 200 kb/s.
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Full OpenDrive Review
OpenDrive is one of those online backup services that is not just backup. It is backup, storage, sync and a web drive that takes the power of backing up to the cloud to the next level. The desktop client tightly integrates with the Windows Explorer interface and is makes it easy to backup and sync files from anywhere on any of your drives.
Installation
After downloading the appropriate installer for your operating system, installation is quick. Double clicking the installer icon and going through the installation wizard. You will need to restart your Windows computer after OpenDrive has installed. Just a warning in case you have other work that needs to be saved before you restart your computer.
Once your computer has restarted you will be asked to login with your OpenDrive login and password. This is one of those services where you can download the desktop client without creating an account first, if that is the case you will be prompted to create an account. When you have been logged in you can start using OpenDrive.
Backup
OpenDrive creates a virtual drive on your computer that automatically backs up and syncs data in that drive to the OpenDrive servers. It integrates with Windows Explorer so there is no client application to open like most online backup services have clients. This also means that there is no backup sets or default configuration to start backing up your files.
To start a backup with OpenDrive you open My Computer on Windows and browse to the folder of files you want to backup or sync and right click on them. You are then given a menu to Backup to OpenDrive and/or Syncronize to OpenDrive. Selecting to backup to OpenDrive will present you with the option to select the destination where the folders/files will be backed up or synced to OpenDrive.
Once you have selected the folders/files for backup to OpenDrive you will see a task manager open that will show the progress of the backup or sync. You can use the task manager to manage the progress of the files being transferred.
For people that are good at managing their files and folders this method to backup folders and files is an easy system to understand and get used to, but for those people that have trouble locating files on their computer this could be a difficult system. For example backing up an Outlook PST file that is often hard to find and even harder to backup could be difficult if not next to impossible.
Restoring
In the event that you delete files or have a hard drive failure or some other disaster you want to be sure you can restore your files. If you have access to another computer with Internet access you will be able to gain access to your files through the web. You can also install the software on another computer and simply copy your files from the OpenDrive to that computer. If you accidentally delete a file on your OpenDrive there is a trash that you can restore the file from.
If you deleted a file from your computer that OpenDrive automatically backs up and syncs it will ask you if you want to delete it from OpenDrive as well. If you still happen to delete it you have a one more chance to restore the file from the OpenDrive trash. Because there is no versioning though the file you restore might still have a problem.
You can download a zip file of your entire OpenDrive contents through the web if you need to restore all of your files. If you have a large backup be prepared to take some time downloading it.
Other Features
OpenDrive has an abundance of other features that you do not find in a simple backup service. They allow you to stream your music and video files that you have backed up using a web browser or any other computer that you have synced your files to.
OpenDrive Web Access
Accessing your files through the OpenDrive web interface is a feature that is really one of the reasons you want to use OpenDrive. Through the OpenDrive Web interface you have access to all of your files, can stream music and video, edit and create new files through Zoho that are then synced back to your desktop, share files, collaborate with others, share files to Facebook and Twitter, even sell files online.
Mobile App
I only tested the Android App and it is pretty straight forward to use. You can easily browse your files and download them to your device. There is no streaming of media files that I could tell, the app will download them and then play them. You can also upload files, but there does not appear to be any kind of automatic backup or upload of photos and videos only manual upload.
Music/Video Streaming
If you backup your music of videos to OpenDrive you can easily play them through the web interface using a browser. This is great for those people that want to have access to their music collection or videos where ever you are.
My testing of this was hit and miss. I tested streaming several MP3 files and had no luck through the web portal but if I clicked the option to get the file links the embed option would play. I tried in a couple different browsers and had the same problems. If this is the main feature for you, you might want to give it a good try before handing over your money.
Editing Documents
I tested the document editor and it was run by Zoho. I did not test the spreadsheet and presentation editor, but I imagine they are all powered by Zoho. Having the ability to edit your documents online through a web browser is a great feature that I wish other backup services had. In my testing I was able to cause some confusion with OpenDrive. I created a document in My Documents which was being backed up and synced to OpenDrive. I waited for it to be backed up online and then editor the file using Zoho. I saved the document in Zoho and closed the editor. I then opened the file using the online editor again to double check the file was saved with the new contents. I waited a few minutes and then went and edited the local copy of the file in My Documents. That file had still not synced with the online version. After saving I waited to see which file version would be kept. After a few minutes the local copy over wrote the online version. This would probably not be a problem for most people, since you would not edit the online version and then shortly afterward edit the local version.
File Sharing
File sharing can be done through either the Windows Explorer interface or through the web. In my testing it was easier to do through the web once the files were uploaded. Sharing though the web interface is as easy as finding the folder or file you want to share and clicking the Share menu item. You can then choose how you want to share the folder or file. You can also share a file to Facebook, Twitter or by email. A great way to share your latest photos with family and friends.
Manage Files via Web
You can easily manage all your files with the web interface. You can delete files and folders if you no longer need them and want to save some space. You can also upload individual files through the browser to your OpenDrive. If you want folders you can upload zip files to create folders. I also noticed you can fetch files from the web straight to OpenDrive.
Encryption
According to the OpenDrive Knowledge Base all files are transferred through a 128 bit encrypted SSL (Secure Socket Layer) connection. However they offer two levels of storage but it is important to know that all files that are not in the secure files folder are NOT ENCRYPTED. All files that are stored in the Secure Files folder are encrypted and are then not available through the website and if you forget your password your files will not be recoverable. I could not find any information on how those files are encrypted or stored.
Overall
OpenDrive is a unique online backup and storage service that offers a wide range of features that will appeal to users of every level. In my testing of the service I could easily see how useful it could be. The backup and syncing features did work well for me and the service is affordable compared to other services with similar features.
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Review updated December 6, 2013.
Comments
85 responses to “OpenDrive Review”
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I checked the Better Business Bureau page referenced above: http://bit.ly/1eRs7Lz. The company’s BBB rating is F. The company failed to even respond to 7 of 14 complaints.
That’s not a performance record I would trust.
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Hi Hank,
Unfortunately, those complaints were not answered through the BBB due to the notifications getting caught in our spam trap. We didn’t find out about them until it was too late. We have long since reached out to each and every one of the complainants and have resolved their issues to their satisfaction.
If you require any type of assistance with anything whatsoever, we are happy to help you. Please contact us and let us know how we can help you.
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Works really well for me. I don’t see what all the fuss is about. Maybe I got in after they fixed a lot of the issues, but really easy to sync and access, even over medium quality ADSL2 connection.
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DANGER! DANGER! DANGER!
Thieving, lack of support! Refusal to stop charging your credit card. Never a refund! Your data IS DEFINITELY not safe here!!!!
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We are sorry you had such a bad experience. We can assure you that we do not wish for people to pay for service that they are not happy with. We will of course give you a refund and will severely reprimand our staff against such mistakes again. Please reach out to us through our Support site and we will take care of this immediately.
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Really!!! I just canceled right after signing up and I am not getting a refund.
This company has a “F” rating on BBB: http://bit.ly/1eRs7Lz
Terrible service… NEVER TRUST THEM.. just handed over $99 and cannot get the money back, cannot back up and cannot talk to anyone in customer service… STAY AWAY
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We are sorry you had such a bad experience. If the reason for your refund request was technical difficulties we will be happy to investigate it for you and issue you a refund if we are unable to get it working quickly. We would not want you to pay for a service that you are unable to use. Please reach out to support today, referencing this review, and we will take care of you promptly.
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So far OpenDrive has proven to be pretty good for me. No complaints yet. I like that I can use it on my linux machine.
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I agree with most comments here. I believe the system has potential but they need to fix the speed issue. This thing is so slow, its painful. Even though you are a paying customer, cannot upload no faster than 70kbs. It they can fix these issues, then I thing they would reach the top 3. But as is now, stay away from it.
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Hi Roger. Sorry for the inconvenience. Most of our users do not report speeds that slow. There are many factors involved in download/upload speeds, including distance from server etc.
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I am very happy with their service. It is very simple and easy to use. Support is good too. If you read their site they clearly state a no refund policy but they will refund you if it doesn’t work or they can’t get it to work. I think some of the bad reviews are just from people that don’t get that part. My friend had a problem with her Mac version but they fixed it for the next update. If they couldn’t they would have refunded her (according to the person she spoke to anyway).
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Let me add my review to the comments above – run don’t walk away. Their Mac software doesn’t work. Their CEO sent me an email admitting as much. Still working on getting a refund but my hopes aren’t high. Horrible customer service. Appalling.
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Hi David,
Please send in a support ticket to support (at) opendrive (dot) com. Thanks!
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I wasn’t ever able to even configure their terrible software to select a folder to back up. The client froze due to the poor quality of the software. I contacted support who FULLY ADMITTED the software “didn’t work” and they politely asked me to wait for new software. I said I did not want to do that. I also asked for a refund since I had never uploaded one byte of data to the service successfully. They refused. They also refused to cancel my account, rather they quoted the T’s & C’s at me. This company clearly puts profits before customer service. Do not trust your data to them! I now use Crashplan and couldn’t be happier.
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Toby – We apologize for the inconvenience. We have offered you a refund. However, we have fixed the issue with the MAC version of the software, so if you are willing to try it out, please be our guest.
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Poor MAC support.
After bringing to their attention a few problems with the Mac client (April 2013) for the third time, they admitted that the client was broken and had to be re-written from scratch. Since about June, they have been telling me every couple of weeks that the client is “in the final stages of testing” and will be released soon… As they would not give me a refund for a service they have not provided, I requested a physical drive to do an offline backup, and I seem to be deep down their queue, as have passed and I have not received the drive after almost 2 months.
I wish they would honor customer service over their self-proclaimed policies and provide me with a full refund. The MAC client is unusable (crashes, losses tasks, etc.). To this date, I have not been able to do a full backup of my system.My plead to their CEO : I want a full refund.
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The BEST service out there.
I tried many online storage services, but definitely recommend OpenDrive.
Price is great as well as features.
User management, online file editing, custom file encryption with my own key, sharing folders, direct linking, syncing, backup, white labeling and many other options. Really covers all online storage areas. -
DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!! I had so much issues with them last year: server down, couldnt download my files, etc. Then one day I realized ALL of files were gone! I found it the hard way because no one from the company informed me or even tried to help recover my files. All they said was sorry for the inconvenience caused and no, we cant refund your money. I would recommend you to have backup of your files and take your business somewhere else.
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