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Backup · head to head

Altaro VM Backup vs Apple Time Machine

Altaro VM Backup logo

Altaro VM Backup

Backup

Simple and powerful VM backup for SMBs

From
$595/perpetual
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Apple Time Machine logo

Apple Time Machine

Backup

Built-in backup for every Mac

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Apple Time Machine has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Altaro VM Backup limited to small and medium-market businesses with up to 50 host servers; Apple Time Machine apple states the Time Machine backup disk should be used only for Time Machine backups and not for storing other files, unless you split it into a separate APFS volume
  • They diverge on capability: Altaro VM Backup covers Augmented inline dedup, Apple Time Machine covers Automatic backup.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Altaro VM Backup and Apple Time Machine actually diverge.

Attributes where Altaro VM Backup and Apple Time Machine differ
AttributeAltaro VM BackupApple Time Machine
Starting price$595/perpetualFree
Pricing modelUnknownfree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows ServerMac
Founded20091976

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Backup).

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 Altaro VM Backup

  • Augmented inline dedup
  • WAN-optimized replication
  • Boot from backup
  • Granular restore
  • Cloud management
  • Continuous CDP
  • VMware
  • Hyper-V

Only in Apple Time Machine

  • Automatic backup
  • Hourly snapshots
  • Visual restore interface
  • Network backup
  • Encryption
  • System restore
  • macOS
  • AirPort Time Capsule

What people use each for

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

Altaro VM Backup

  • Data protectionnot Apple Time Machine
  • Disaster recoverynot Apple Time Machine
  • Business continuitynot Apple Time Machine
  • Ransomware protectionnot Apple Time Machine
  • Compliancenot Apple Time Machine

Apple Time Machine

  • Automatic versioned local backups of a Mac to an external drivenot Altaro VM Backup
  • Restoring a Mac or migrating to a new one from a local backup historynot Altaro VM Backup

Where each one falls short

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

Altaro VM Backup

  • Limited to small and medium-market businesses with up to 50 host servers
  • Perpetual license model outdated compared to modern cloud-based backup solutions
  • Lacks enterprise-grade features for large-scale deployments
  • Offsite backup to cloud requires additional setup and configuration

Apple Time Machine

  • Apple states the Time Machine backup disk should be used only for Time Machine backups and not for storing other files, unless you split it into a separate APFS volume
  • Apple recommends the Time Machine volume be twice the storage capacity of the Mac being backed up
  • It requires an attached external storage device or network disk; there is no built-in cloud destination
  • It backs up Macs only

Pricing, plan by plan

Altaro VM Backup

$595/perpetual

No published plan breakdown. See the Altaro VM Backup review.

Apple Time Machine

Free
  • Built-inFree
    • Automatic backup
    • Visual restore
    • Network backup

Which should you pick?

Choose Altaro VM Backup if

  • You need augmented inline dedup.
  • You work on Windows Server.
  • You also want wan-optimized replication.
Altaro VM Backup review

Choose Apple Time Machine if

  • You need automatic backup.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mac.
  • You also want hourly snapshots.
Apple Time Machine review

Questions people ask

Is Altaro VM Backup or Apple Time Machine better?
Neither clearly leads. Altaro VM Backup starts at $595/perpetual and Apple Time Machine at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Altaro VM Backup or Apple Time Machine?
Apple Time Machine has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $595/perpetual for Altaro VM Backup and Free for Apple Time Machine.
Does Altaro VM Backup or Apple Time Machine run on more platforms?
Altaro VM Backup runs on Windows Server. Apple Time Machine runs on Mac.
Can I use Apple Time Machine for free?
Yes. Apple Time Machine has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Altaro VM Backup starts at $595/perpetual.
What is Altaro VM Backup best used for?
Altaro VM Backup is most often used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection. Of those, data protection and disaster recovery are not what Apple Time Machine is typically brought in for.
What can Altaro VM Backup do that Apple Time Machine cannot?
Altaro VM Backup covers Augmented inline dedup, WAN-optimized replication, Boot from backup, Granular restore. Apple Time Machine covers Automatic backup, Hourly snapshots, Visual restore interface, Network backup.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Altaro VM Backup: What is the price per host for Altaro VM Backup?

Altaro VM Backup pricing starts at $595 per host for the Standard Edition, with the Unlimited Edition at $695 per host and Unlimited Plus at $875 per host. Pricing includes the first year of priority support and updates.

Source
Apple Time Machine: Does Time Machine charge a subscription or licensing fee?

No. Time Machine is a built-in feature of macOS with no subscription or licensing costs.

Source
Apple Time Machine: What storage capacity do I need for Time Machine backups?

Apple recommends using a storage device with at least twice the storage capacity of your Mac. For example, if your Mac has 1TB of storage, your backup disk should ideally have at least 2TB.

Source
Apple Time Machine: How long does Time Machine keep my backups?

Time Machine automatically maintains hourly backups for the past 24 hours, daily backups for the past month, and weekly backups for all previous months. The oldest backups are deleted when your backup disk is full.

Source
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