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Altaro VM Backup vs Arq Backup

Altaro VM Backup logo

Altaro VM Backup

Software

Simple and powerful VM backup for SMBs

From
$595/perpetual
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Arq Backup logo

Arq Backup

Software

Mac and Windows backup to your own cloud storage

From
$50/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Altaro VM Backup limited to small and medium-market businesses with up to 50 host servers; Arq Backup runs on Mac and Windows only
  • They diverge on capability: Altaro VM Backup covers Augmented inline dedup, Arq Backup covers Client-side encryption.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Altaro VM Backup and Arq Backup actually diverge.

Attributes where Altaro VM Backup and Arq Backup differ
AttributeAltaro VM BackupArq Backup
Starting price$595/perpetual$50/year
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWindows ServerWindows, Mac

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown), founded (2009).

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 Arq Backup

  • Client-side encryption
  • Hourly backups
  • Network backup
  • Deduplication
  • Immutable backups
  • Budget controls
  • Google Cloud
  • Backblaze B2

Both cover

  • Azure
  • AWS S3
  • Wasabi
  • Windows support

What people use each for

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

Altaro VM Backup

  • Data protection
  • Disaster recovery
  • Business continuity
  • Ransomware protection
  • Compliance

Arq Backup

  • Data protection
  • Disaster recovery
  • Business continuity
  • Ransomware protection
  • Compliance

Both are used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection, compliance, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

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  • Perpetual license model outdated compared to modern cloud-based backup solutions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

Arq Backup

  • Runs on Mac and Windows only
  • Arq 7 is licensed per computer, and continuing to receive updates after the first year costs $25 per year per computer
  • Arq Premium covers up to 5 computers, so larger households or teams need more than one subscription
  • Arq Premium includes 1TB of storage and charges $0.0059 per GB per month beyond it

Pricing, plan by plan

Altaro VM Backup

$595/perpetual

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

Arq Backup

$50/year
  • Arq Premium$50/year
    • 5 computers
    • Arq Cloud storage option
    • Email support

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 Arq Backup if

  • You need client-side encryption.
  • You work on Windows, Mac.
  • You also want hourly backups.
Arq Backup review

Questions people ask

Is Altaro VM Backup or Arq Backup better?
Neither clearly leads. Altaro VM Backup starts at $595/perpetual and Arq Backup at $50/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Altaro VM Backup or Arq Backup?
Altaro VM Backup starts at $595/perpetual and Arq Backup at $50/year.
Does Altaro VM Backup or Arq Backup run on more platforms?
Altaro VM Backup runs on Windows Server. Arq Backup runs on Windows, Mac.
What is Altaro VM Backup best used for?
Altaro VM Backup is most often used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection.
What can Altaro VM Backup do that Arq Backup cannot?
Altaro VM Backup covers Augmented inline dedup, WAN-optimized replication, Boot from backup, Granular restore. Arq Backup covers Client-side encryption, Hourly backups, Network backup, Deduplication. Both handle Azure, AWS S3, Wasabi, Windows support.

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.

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