FTP backup in Hestia CP

Hestia CP is one of the most popular and user-friendly hosting control panels around. It covers everything from managing websites, email, and databases to SSL certificates, file management, and task scheduling — all from a clean, straightforward interface.

By default, it stores backups only locally on the server. However, you can easily configure automatic backups to a remote FTP or SFTP server for better data protection.

Step 1: Configure remote backup

1. Log in to your Hestia CP panel.
2. Go to Server Settings → Configure → Backups.
3. Open the Remote Backup tab.

Fill in the following fields:

• Protocol — choose ftp or sftp (SFTP is strongly recommended for security)
• Host — IP address or domain name of the remote server
• Port — port number (default: 21 for FTP, 22 for SFTP)
• Username — FTP/SFTP username
• Password — password for the user
• Directory — path to the folder where backups will be stored (e.g., /backups/hestia/)

You can also set compression type (gzip or zstd) and compression level.

Click Save.

Remote FTP/SFTP backup configuration form

Step 2: Set up backup schedule

1. Go to the CRON section.
2. Find the task sudo /usr/local/hestia/bin/v-backup-users and click Edit.
3. Set a convenient schedule (nighttime is recommended to minimize server load).

Configuring automatic backup schedule

4. Save the changes.

Quick tips

• Use SFTP whenever possible for better security.
• Regularly check that backups are being successfully transferred to the remote server.
• The default local backup path in Hestia is /backup.