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Backup & Disaster Recovery · head to head

Altaro VM Backup vs CrashPlan

Altaro VM Backup logo

Altaro VM Backup

Backup & Disaster Recovery

Simple and powerful VM backup for SMBs

From
$595/perpetual
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
CrashPlan logo

CrashPlan

File Storage & Backup

Endpoint backup designed for work-from-anywhere

From
$8/month
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; CrashPlan initial data uploads can be noticeably slow, often taking several full days for complete system backups
  • They diverge on capability: Altaro VM Backup covers Augmented inline dedup, CrashPlan covers Automatic backup.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Altaro VM Backup and CrashPlan differ
AttributeAltaro VM BackupCrashPlan
Starting price$595/perpetual$8/month
PlatformsWindows ServerWindows, macOS, Cloud (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace)
CategoryBackup & Disaster RecoveryFile Storage & Backup
Founded20092001

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 CrashPlan

  • Automatic backup
  • Continuous protection
  • Legal hold
  • Centralized administration
  • Unlimited storage
  • AES 256-bit encryption
  • Active Directory
  • LDAP

Both cover

  • Windows support
  • Web 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

CrashPlan

  • 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

CrashPlan

  • Initial data uploads can be noticeably slow, often taking several full days for complete system backups
  • Occasional slow restore speeds for very large files impact recovery time objectives
  • Full system recovery requires requesting hard drive delivery instead of bare-metal restore capability
  • Difficulties reported with backing up or restoring data from external hard drives
  • Pricing is higher than some competitors like Backblaze when compared per user/month
  • Limited SIEM integration and governance reporting for enterprise environments

Pricing, plan by plan

Altaro VM Backup

$595/perpetual

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

CrashPlan

$8/month
  • Professional (Monthly)$8/month
    • Unlimited backup capacity
    • Unlimited file versions
    • 90-day deleted file retention
  • Professional (Annual)$88/year
    • All Monthly features
    • $0.88 savings per month vs monthly billing
  • Professional (2-Year)$158/2 years
    • All features
    • Lower per-month cost vs annual

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 CrashPlan if

  • You need automatic backup.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Cloud (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace).
  • You also want continuous protection.
CrashPlan review

Questions people ask

Is Altaro VM Backup or CrashPlan better?
Neither clearly leads. Altaro VM Backup starts at $595/perpetual and CrashPlan at $8/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Altaro VM Backup or CrashPlan?
Altaro VM Backup starts at $595/perpetual and CrashPlan at $8/month.
Does Altaro VM Backup or CrashPlan run on more platforms?
Altaro VM Backup runs on Windows Server. CrashPlan runs on Windows, macOS, Cloud (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace).
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 CrashPlan cannot?
Altaro VM Backup covers Augmented inline dedup, WAN-optimized replication, Boot from backup, Granular restore. CrashPlan covers Automatic backup, Continuous protection, Legal hold, Centralized administration. Both handle Windows support, Web 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.

Source
CrashPlan: What is CrashPlan's pricing for business backup?

CrashPlan Professional Edition costs $8 per user/month (billed monthly), $7.33 per user/month when billed annually ($88/year), or $158 per user for a 2-year commitment. This includes unlimited backup capacity, unlimited file versions, and 90-day deleted file retention.

Source
CrashPlan: Does CrashPlan offer a free trial?

Yes, CrashPlan offers a 14-day free trial. Credit card information is required for signup, but there will be no charge if you cancel during the trial period. Your credit card will be automatically charged when the trial ends unless you cancel.

Source
CrashPlan: What platforms and services does CrashPlan protect?

CrashPlan protects Windows and Mac endpoints, Microsoft 365 services (Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams), and Google Workspace (Gmail, Google Drive). The platform provides backup for endpoints, servers, and cloud applications.

Source
CrashPlan: Does CrashPlan have a free version for consumers?

No, CrashPlan discontinued its consumer personal backup tier and now focuses exclusively on commercial businesses. The platform is strictly for business and organizational use.

Source
CrashPlan: What is CrashPlan's partnership status with Microsoft?

CrashPlan is a trusted Microsoft Partner and is co-sell eligible. The platform is available in the Microsoft Marketplace and counts toward customers' Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitment (MACC). CrashPlan is built on Microsoft Azure infrastructure.

Source
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