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Acronis Cyber Protect vs StorageCraft ShadowProtect

Acronis Cyber Protect logo

Acronis Cyber Protect

Software

Integrated backup and cybersecurity protection

From
$68/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
StorageCraft ShadowProtect logo

StorageCraft ShadowProtect

Software

Fast and reliable image-based backup

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Acronis Cyber Protect technical support response is slow and inconsistent for resolving issues; StorageCraft ShadowProtect host-based backup requires Windows Server 2016 or above on the Hyper-V host, and desktop, client and Pro editions are not supported
  • They diverge on capability: Acronis Cyber Protect covers AI-based ransomware protection, StorageCraft ShadowProtect covers Image-based backup.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Acronis Cyber Protect and StorageCraft ShadowProtect actually diverge.

Attributes where Acronis Cyber Protect and StorageCraft ShadowProtect differ
AttributeAcronis Cyber ProtectStorageCraft ShadowProtect
Starting price$68/year$15/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWindows, Mac, Linux, Cloud, On-premisesWindows, Linux, Web

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown), founded (2003).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Acronis Cyber Protect

  • AI-based ransomware protection
  • Continuous data protection
  • Disk cloning
  • Universal restore
  • Backup validation
  • Vulnerability assessments
  • Microsoft 365
  • Google Workspace

Only in StorageCraft ShadowProtect

  • Image-based backup
  • VirtualBoot
  • Bare metal recovery
  • Hardware-independent restore
  • Incremental imaging
  • ShadowStream replication
  • Windows Server
  • Linux Server

Both cover

  • VMware
  • Hyper-V
  • Windows support
  • Linux support
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Acronis Cyber Protect

  • Data protectionnot StorageCraft ShadowProtect
  • Disaster recoverynot StorageCraft ShadowProtect
  • Business continuitynot StorageCraft ShadowProtect
  • Ransomware protectionnot StorageCraft ShadowProtect
  • Compliancenot StorageCraft ShadowProtect

StorageCraft ShadowProtect

  • Image based backup and bare metal recovery of Windows and Linux serversnot Acronis Cyber Protect
  • MSPs protecting client Hyper-V hosts and workloads from one consolenot Acronis Cyber Protect

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Acronis Cyber Protect

  • Technical support response is slow and inconsistent for resolving issues
  • UI performance is slow when handling operations like checking backup status or initiating restores
  • Backup speed can be slow with limited replication options
  • Complex pricing policies with multiple licensing models make cost prediction difficult
  • Antivirus engine can significantly impact system performance on client machines

StorageCraft ShadowProtect

  • Host-based backup requires Windows Server 2016 or above on the Hyper-V host, and desktop, client and Pro editions are not supported
  • Host-based and agent-based backup are mutually exclusive installation modes in ShadowProtect 8.0; one machine cannot run both
  • Switching from agent-based to host-based requires a clean reinstall rather than an in-place upgrade
  • Host-based backups are not compatible with VirtualBoot
  • Granular file and folder recovery is not available for host-based backups; the whole backup must be restored to a .vhd or .vhdx first
  • Host-based backup jobs do not report status to ShadowControl
  • Advanced Verification in ImageManager 8.1 is not supported for host-based backups
  • All host-based backups go into a single folder by default, so separating them per VM means creating a separate backup job for each
  • Host-based licence keys are generated only through the Arcserve MSP portal

Pricing, plan by plan

Acronis Cyber Protect

$68/year
  • Standard$68/year
    • Backup and recovery
    • Basic security
  • Advanced$129/year
    • Enhanced security
    • Ransomware protection
    • Anti-malware
  • Business$5.67/month
    • Enterprise features
    • Support
    • Multiple workloads

StorageCraft ShadowProtect

$15/month
  • ShadowProtect SPX$15/month
    • Image-based backup
    • VirtualBoot
    • Bare metal recovery

Which should you pick?

Choose Acronis Cyber Protect if

  • You need ai-based ransomware protection.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, Linux, Cloud, On-premises.
  • You also want continuous data protection.
Acronis Cyber Protect review

Choose StorageCraft ShadowProtect if

  • You need image-based backup.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, Web.
  • You also want virtualboot.
StorageCraft ShadowProtect review

Questions people ask

Is Acronis Cyber Protect or StorageCraft ShadowProtect better?
Neither clearly leads. Acronis Cyber Protect starts at $68/year and StorageCraft ShadowProtect at $15/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Acronis Cyber Protect or StorageCraft ShadowProtect?
Acronis Cyber Protect starts at $68/year and StorageCraft ShadowProtect at $15/month.
Does Acronis Cyber Protect or StorageCraft ShadowProtect run on more platforms?
Acronis Cyber Protect runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Cloud, On-premises. StorageCraft ShadowProtect runs on Windows, Linux, Web.
What is Acronis Cyber Protect best used for?
Acronis Cyber Protect is most often used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection. Of those, data protection and disaster recovery are not what StorageCraft ShadowProtect is typically brought in for.
What can Acronis Cyber Protect do that StorageCraft ShadowProtect cannot?
Acronis Cyber Protect covers AI-based ransomware protection, Continuous data protection, Disk cloning, Universal restore. StorageCraft ShadowProtect covers Image-based backup, VirtualBoot, Bare metal recovery, Hardware-independent restore. Both handle VMware, Hyper-V, Windows support, Linux support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Acronis Cyber Protect: What does Acronis Cyber Protect include?

Acronis Cyber Protect combines backup, disaster recovery, next-generation anti-malware, cybersecurity, and endpoint management in a single platform for complete cyber resilience.

Source
Acronis Cyber Protect: What are the main pricing plans for Acronis Cyber Protect?

Acronis offers Cyber Protect Standard at $68/year, Cyber Protect Advanced at $129+/year for consumers, and business plans at $5.67-$8.60/month. Acronis runs three licensing models: per-workload, per-GB, and solution-based.

Source
Acronis Cyber Protect: Does Acronis offer an API for integrations?

Yes, Acronis exposes REST APIs allowing partners to integrate existing solutions and create new ones. They provide 300+ pre-built integrations and support both inbound (CyberApps) and outbound API integrations.

Source
Acronis Cyber Protect: Can Acronis Cyber Protect be deployed on-premises?

Yes, Acronis Cyber Protect supports multiple deployment options including on-premises and SaaS, giving organizations flexibility in how they manage their backup and disaster recovery infrastructure.

Source
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