How to Schedule Automatic Backups
Manual backups get forgotten. Automating them means you always have a recent copy — combine the tools below for solid, hands-off protection.
Step-by-step
- Automate app backups with Softaculous. For WordPress and other apps, enable scheduled automated backups (see Softaculous backups and auto-update settings).
- Automate database dumps with cron. Schedule a daily mysqldump — see database backup with cron.
- Set a retention limit so old automatic backups are pruned and do not fill your disk.
- Download copies off-server regularly. Automated on-server backups still need an off-site copy — download a full backup periodically.
- Test a restore occasionally so you know the backups actually work — see recovering files.
- Note EconomicalHost courtesy backups exist but restores are chargeable — your own automated backups remain essential.
💡 Good to know
- The golden rule: a backup on the same server is not a real backup — always keep an off-site copy.
- Prune old backups automatically, or they will quietly consume your disk quota.
- Untested backups can fail when you need them — verify one now and then.