Fresh/Last checked Jul 04, 02:25 AM·Updated daily
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Best External Drives by Price per TB

External drives are the easiest backup you can buy: plug in, copy, unplug. This list ranks current Amazon external and portable drive offers by price per TB, refreshed with every snapshot.

The category mixes desktop external hard drives (cheapest per TB, need wall power at larger sizes) and portable SSDs (pricier, pocketable, fast). The blurbs flag which is which so the ranking stays honest.

  1. VLSVLS Tinycarry 16TB Large-Capacity Type-C Portable Mini SSD, Tinycarry 16TB External Hard Drive, Ultra Slim & Lightweight External Storage for Laptop, PC, Mac, Android, Silvery (Black)

    $39.99 · $2.50/TB as of Jul 04, 02:25 AM

    Ranks #1 at $2.50/TB — 98% below the typical 16TB external. New condition.

  2. Avolusion PRO-H1 6TB 7200RPM USB 3.2 Gen2 (10Gbps) External Hard Drive (for Windows or MacOS Desktop PC/Laptop) (Renewed)

    $169.99 · $28.33/TB as of Jul 04, 02:25 AM

    Ranks #2 at $28.33/TB — 37% below the typical 6TB external. Renewed condition, USB.

  3. Avolusion PRO-T5 4TB USB 3.0 External Hard Drive for Windows & Mac OS (White) - 2 Year Warranty (Renewed)

    $118.99 · $29.75/TB as of Jul 04, 02:25 AM

    Ranks #3 at $29.75/TB — 34% below the typical 4TB external. Renewed condition, USB, 2 yr warranty.

  4. Avolusion PRO-G2 10TB USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) External Hard Drive for Windows/MacOS (Silver)

    $319.99 · $32.00/TB as of Jul 04, 02:25 AM

    Ranks #4 at $32.00/TB — 73% below the typical 10TB external. New condition, USB.

  5. Seagate Expansion 8TB External Hard Drive HDD - USB 3.0, with Rescue Data Recovery Services (STKP8000400)

    $259.99 · $32.50/TB as of Jul 04, 02:25 AM

    Ranks #5 at $32.50/TB — 12% below the typical 8TB external. New condition, USB.

  6. Avolusion PRO-T5 4TB USB 3.0 External Hard Drive for Windows & Mac OS (White) - 2 Year Warranty

    $129.99 · $32.50/TB as of Jul 04, 02:25 AM

    Ranks #6 at $32.50/TB — 55% below the typical 4TB external. New condition, USB, 2 yr warranty.

  7. Seagate FireCuda Gaming Hub External Hard Drive HDD 8TB - USB 3.2, Customizable RGB LED lighting, Dual forward-facing USB for Desktop PC with Rescue Services (STKK8000400)

    $268.00 · $33.50/TB as of Jul 04, 02:25 AM

    Ranks #7 at $33.50/TB — 9% below the typical 8TB external. New condition, USB.

  8. Seagate Expansion 24TB External Hard Drive HDD - USB 3.0, with Rescue Data Recovery Services (STKP24000400)

    $849.00 · $35.38/TB as of Jul 04, 02:25 AM

    Ranks #8 at $35.38/TB — 78% below the typical 24TB external. Used condition, USB.

  9. Seagate One Touch 8TB External Hard Drive Desktop HDD - USB-C Compatible with Most Windows and macOS, Rescue Recovery (STNB8000400)

    $289.99 · $36.25/TB as of Jul 04, 02:25 AM

    Ranks #9 at $36.25/TB — 2% below the typical 8TB external. New condition, USB.

  10. WD_BLACK 8TB D10 Game Drive - Portable External Hard Drive HDD Compatible with Playstation, Xbox, PC, & Mac - WDBA3P0080HBK-NESN

    $300.99 · $37.62/TB as of Jul 04, 02:25 AM

    Ranks #10 at $37.62/TB — 2% above the typical 8TB external. New condition.

Compare live hard disk prices for all matching deals →

What to look for

Match the drive to the job: for scheduled backups that sit on a desk, a desktop external HDD gives the most capacity per dollar. For moving files between machines or editing on the go, a portable SSD is worth its premium.

Check the port and cable: USB-C 10 Gbps is the current sweet spot. A fast SSD behind a 5 Gbps port wastes half its speed, while a spinning external drive won't saturate even USB 3.0 — don't pay for interface speed an HDD can't use.

One external copy is a convenience, not a backup strategy. The drives at the top of this list are cheap enough to buy in pairs — keep one offsite or pair the external with cloud storage.

FAQ

Are external drives reliable enough for backups?

Yes, with the usual caveat that any single drive can fail. Use at least two independent copies of anything you can't replace, ideally in two places.

Why are external drives sometimes cheaper per TB than internal ones?

Retail promotions on popular external models are aggressive, and manufacturers bin drives across lines. When an external undercuts internals at the same capacity, it's a genuine arbitrage — this page makes those moments visible.

Portable SSD or external HDD?

HDD for capacity per dollar and shelf backups; SSD for speed, silence, and surviving being carried around. If it lives in a bag, buy the SSD.