Hi Jim,
That’s not part of UpdraftPlus (free), because you can download a fresh copy of WordPress core from wordpress.org.
It is part of UpdraftPlus Premium, mostly due to demand (not because it backs up anything that you can’t download afresh from wordpress.org).
Best wishes,
David
Ok, just giving out some real world experience (take with a grain of salt please).
Most people I encounter who use backup plugins are using them due to, either being hacked previously, or an overabundance of caution in hopes they can recover “when” they are hacked.
Since hackers often hack core files within WordPress, your not including the core files in backup means that when client goes to “recover” their site will likewise remain hacked; client will at some point figure this out; then summarily the delete your plugin and move on to another that does.
In the plugin biz you generally get one chance.
Burn a client one and they’ll likely never come back…
The recommended way to proceed after a hack specifically suggests that you upload the WordPress core files from a fresh download.
Most people don’t even know what FTP is.
That’s why they use WordPress…
Then the brutal but honest answer is that they need to learn. It’s an essential skill for any site owner who intends to maintain their own site. Failing that, it would be relatively inexpensive to employ someone to do this job for them. Using anything other than a fresh download is really asking for trouble.
