SuperDuper for Mac

Used SuperDuper for Mac?

SuperDuper Analysis

AI Assisted Content · January 7, 2026

Not written by CNET Staff.

SuperDuper! is a robust backup and recovery program tailored for macOS, allowing users to create bootable backups of their internal drives. The software features a built-in backup scheduler and a drive duplicator, making it particularly useful for those wanting to safeguard their data against potential system failures. By creating comprehensive disk images, users can ensure that all their files, applications, and settings are preserved and easily restored if needed.

The program is designed to be user-friendly, with an intuitive interface that simplifies the backup process. Users can create carbon copies of their data, enabling easy restoration through the app's straightforward navigation. While SuperDuper excels at internal drive backups, it does not support external drives. Nevertheless, its Smart Update and Smart Delete functions, along with the ability to maintain multiple versions of an operating system, make it a powerful tool for Mac users looking to secure their data.

SuperDuper for Mac

Used SuperDuper for Mac?

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Full Specifications

GENERAL

Release: February 12, 2020

Latest update: January 7, 2026

Version: 3.11-136

OPERATING SYSTEMS

Platform: Mac

Operating System: macOS 10.15

POPULARITY

Total Downloads: 288,491

Downloads Last Week: 17

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Last Updated

User Reviews

4.7/5

247 User Votes

Sets the standard for backing up your hard drive.
lemon4611March 12, 2017
Pros
Flawless backups every time and I have made hundreds of backups over the last 5 years covering all the incarnations of OSX. Incredibly easy to use and it's the fastest backup app I've used.
Cons
Apple does not include this app as part of the standard OS install. But that is also a "Pro" since they'd probably make a mess out of it.
Summary
If you don't have this app you need it. The price for this app is a steal even if you only need it once. The developer has been diligent in keeping this app up to date and the one single time I requested support the developer responded within a couple of hours.
damned near bullet-proof backup images
jfitzpJuly 7, 2016
Pros
Easy to set-up and works like a charm. Set-up a schedule for the program and it will execute at your desired convenience, out of the way whenever your Mac may be busy. There are options that keep the repeated backup runs to a minimum of time; usually a fraction of the time than for the first complete backup. A great companion to the Time Machine application.
Cons
Your should read the manual, as always.
Summary
One of the Best Backup Programs Available.
Best Customer Support Ever
ZuschlauerMarch 18, 2016
Pros
Simple interface. Upgrades. Makes bootable backups (clone). Can make incremental backups to existing backup, which is faster than backing up the entire work drive again and again. Send in a Log with a problem description and you will probably have a response before you can even think, "Oh, I should have added ...."
Cons
Too easy. I would like a little more verbiage about some of it. But you don't need that to use this product, just curious.
Summary
Has more features than I can even use for my small business. Either part or all of your backup solution is here. He has versions that work for older systems also.
Good, works as described.
ackerrjNovember 17, 2015
Pros
I have Time Machine, which has saved me twice from HD failure. However, there are issues with Time Machine: 1. Time Machine backup is purposely designed to be NOT BOOTABLE. Therefore, if you have a failure, and your TM backup is good, you are still out of business until your failed hard drive is replaced and the data restored. 2. That being said, TM files are retrievable incrementally by looking back over time for older versions... once you are back up and running. 3. TM is also complex. It creates incremental backups... and can become confused. I have had to wipe backup HD's when TM had so many data layers that it became confused. This product, Super Duper, is pretty simple. Give it an external drive or external drive partition and it will make a BOOTABLE backup of your Mac hard drive. This is incredibly important because, if your HD fails, you can just boot from the backup and your back in business, regardless of the condition of your original drive.
Cons
Little snitch firewall had to be reset when booting and running from the backup.
Summary
If you are not comfortable with disassembling your mac to replace the HD, this program will save you time and possibly money. You can still function from the bootable backup, even with a dead main HD. Time Machine will not do that for you. This alone makes the program worth having.
Free! Works! Awesome!
Daisy_PandoraMay 15, 2014
Pros
Worked first try no issues.
Cons
MINOR CON it takes a while, but I didn't expect 320GB to clone in minutes either. I don't think that's a software issue, I think it just depends on the amount of data you have.
Summary
Used it to clone and upgrade from 320GB to 1 TB hard drive. It is fantastic and you don't have to buy it, the free version will clone your drive easily
One of the "Must Have" utilities every Mac user needs.
mpiasAugust 11, 2013
Pros
Simple to use and configure. Complete or incremental backups. Bootable backups make restores easy. Uses minimal resources. I generally don't notice when it's running. Excellent tech support. Inexpensive.
Cons
No folder or file backups. It just backs up the whole volume. Doesn't backup the recovery partition.
Summary
I've been using SuperDuper for years and it's never failed me. It's simple to configure, runs automatically (if you want) and generates bootable backups. If you have a problem, restoring from a backup couldn't be easier. I have found it to be more reliable than Time Machine. If you're looking for backup software that will backup specific files or directories, this isn't for you. However if you want to schedule a regular full or incremental backup that runs in the background without using too many system resources, this is it. I've tried a number of backup software packages over the years and SuperDuper is the most trouble free. It also doesn't hurt that it has excellent tech support and costs less than $30.
Absolutely vital app I use constantly
primalpicturesMay 16, 2013
Pros
I saw the negative reviews and all I can say is that those people are dummies. I've been using SuperDuper on several computers maintaining secondary and sometimes tertiary backups of many drives containing thousands of photo and video files. Every drive has a clone drive updated daily by SuperDuper. I've been doing this for about 4 years and have never had a problem. The software works exactly as it should. And it has saved my ass in a major way on 2 occasions. The price is nothing compared to the value you get should you need to go back to a backup.
Cons
No real cons if you understand how it works. it's no "Timemachine". If you accidently delete a file and the, Superduper does a back up, it also deletes the file from the back up. This is why I also do a 3rd back up of very important drives on a weekly basis. Also I don't like the way windows keep popping up every time the software goes to start a scheduled backup. I have a lot of drives so these windows pop up all day long. A minor inconvenience though.
Summary
I think I've said everything above. Lots of people I know use SuperDuper. it's a cornerstone app I think. Don't judge the free version for not doing what you want it to do. Pay the money so the programmers can pay their rent!
Bad Product, Terrible Support, DONT BUY!
Economist88March 15, 2013
Pros
I have to write 10 characters, so I will. This product can sometimes be used for a full backup of a hard drive. Users of Time Machine, beware!! If it doesn't work, sucks to be you is what Shirt Pocket Support has to say about that.
Cons
The actual product is very limited and poorly made, especially for the incredibly high price of $27.95... Might be worth $5.00... but even that's a stretch.. For what this product can do, just use the Disk Utility built into your Mac.... While it will make a backup of a hard drive, it apparently is prone to not work with Time Machine, at which time the people at Shirt Pocket, the company that makes the software, will just tell you that Time Machine backups are poorly made error prone pieces of garbage. Which is funny, because there was no problem with my Time Machine backup, I used Carbon Copy Cloner and it did a perfect job.
Summary
Unless you enjoy being spoken down to by the Shirt Pocket Support, have $27.95 that you want to flush down the nearest toilet, and want to have to go spend the time and money to buy a different software that will work, I would avoid purchasing this software, and just go buy Carbon Copy Cloner instead which has much better software and support!
easy to set up, simple to use, reliable, great support,
naplen_dotmacMarch 14, 2013
Pros
ease of use, simple instructions, amazing software support, rapid backup, can logon from the backup, the software has saved me from two Apple computer crashes and a time machine failure
Cons
only if one does not follow the simple instructions
Summary
some complain that the software only backups a full partition, not a portion of a partition. If this is a problem than simply create a separate partition for the data requiring backup.
I Like It So Far
OneEighteenDecember 20, 2012
Pros
Allows separate backups of disks to other disks. I couldn't figure out how to do this with time machine. It will keep track of changes on the original drive and only back up changes. The interface is very clear with a dialog box that tells you exactly what is supposed to happen if you choose certain options. Your backup is not an unreadable obscure proprietary huge file. It's a copy of the original disk that you can look at with finder if you need to.
Cons
Haven't found any yet.
Summary
I just bought a MacPro with a 500 GB SSD drive. Not great for storage, but very fast. I do a lot of photography and also need a big storage drive for my photo archives. I had some hard drives from my previous computer that weren't very old and I wanted to set up an internal and external backup system that would work with multiple drives. This lets me schedule a bootable backup of the SSD to a 1TB drive and another backup of the storage drive to a separate 2TB drive. I can also back these up to a set of portable drives that I keep in a separate location.

Developer’s Description

By Shirt Pocket

Backup, clone, and restore your information.

SuperDuper is the wildly acclaimed program that makes recovery painless, because it makes creating a fully bootable backup painless. Its incredibly clear, friendly interface is understandable, easy to use, and SuperDuper's built-in scheduler makes it trivial to back up automatically. It's the perfect complement to Time Machine, allowing you to store a bootable backup alongside your Time Machine volume - and it runs beautifully on your Mac.