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Backup & Disaster Recovery · head to head

Altaro VM Backup vs IDrive

Altaro VM Backup logo

Altaro VM Backup

Backup & Disaster Recovery

Simple and powerful VM backup for SMBs

From
$595/perpetual
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
IDrive logo

IDrive

File Storage & Backup

Affordable online backup with multiple device support

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only IDrive 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; IDrive the advertised annual rates are first year introductory prices, with standard pricing applying from the second year onward
  • They diverge on capability: Altaro VM Backup covers Augmented inline dedup, IDrive covers Multiple device backup.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Altaro VM Backup and IDrive differ
AttributeAltaro VM BackupIDrive
Starting price$595/perpetualFree
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows ServerWindows, Mac, Linux, Web
CategoryBackup & Disaster RecoveryFile Storage & Backup
Founded20091995

Identical on both: 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 IDrive

  • Multiple device backup
  • True archiving
  • Continuous protection
  • IDrive Express
  • Snapshots
  • File sharing
  • iOS
  • Android

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 protectionnot IDrive
  • Disaster recoverynot IDrive
  • Business continuitynot IDrive
  • Ransomware protectionnot IDrive
  • Compliancenot IDrive

IDrive

  • Online backup for computers, servers and mobile devicesnot Altaro VM Backup
  • Backing up multiple machines under one accountnot 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

IDrive

  • The advertised annual rates are first year introductory prices, with standard pricing applying from the second year onward
  • The two year offer discounts only the first year, so the second year reverts to the full rate
  • Team plans tie user and computer counts to the storage tier, so 10 TB means exactly 10 computers
  • Business storage costs far more per terabyte than Personal, at $719.88 a year for 1.25 TB against $143.88 for 5 TB

Pricing, plan by plan

Altaro VM Backup

$595/perpetual

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

IDrive

Free
  • Personal$4/month
    • 5TB storage
    • Unlimited devices
    • IDrive Express

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 IDrive if

  • You need multiple device backup.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, Linux, Web.
  • You also want true archiving.
IDrive review

Questions people ask

Is Altaro VM Backup or IDrive better?
Neither clearly leads. Altaro VM Backup starts at $595/perpetual and IDrive at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Altaro VM Backup or IDrive?
IDrive has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $595/perpetual for Altaro VM Backup and Free for IDrive.
Does Altaro VM Backup or IDrive run on more platforms?
Altaro VM Backup runs on Windows Server. IDrive runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Web.
Can I use IDrive for free?
Yes. IDrive 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 IDrive is typically brought in for.
What can Altaro VM Backup do that IDrive cannot?
Altaro VM Backup covers Augmented inline dedup, WAN-optimized replication, Boot from backup, Granular restore. IDrive covers Multiple device backup, True archiving, Continuous protection, IDrive Express. 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.

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