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Backup · head to head

Amanda Enterprise vs Apple Time Machine

Amanda Enterprise logo

Amanda Enterprise

Backup

Open-source backup trusted by enterprises

From
Free
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

  • Each has a real cost: Amanda Enterprise minimum 10 workloads required for most use cases; 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: Amanda Enterprise covers Cross-platform backup, 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 Amanda Enterprise and Apple Time Machine actually diverge.

Attributes where Amanda Enterprise and Apple Time Machine differ
AttributeAmanda EnterpriseApple Time Machine
Pricing modelsubscriptionfree
PlatformsWindows, Linux, WebMac
Founded20051976

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Amanda Enterprise

  • Cross-platform backup
  • Cloud integration
  • Disk staging
  • Web-based management
  • Bare metal recovery
  • AWS S3
  • Azure
  • Google Cloud

Only in Apple Time Machine

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

Both cover

  • Encryption

What people use each for

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

Amanda Enterprise

  • 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 Amanda Enterprise
  • Restoring a Mac or migrating to a new one from a local backup historynot Amanda Enterprise

Where each one falls short

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

Amanda Enterprise

  • Minimum 10 workloads required for most use cases
  • Per-device pricing may increase costs for large deployments with many servers
  • Enterprise plan requires contacting sales for custom quotes
  • NAS/File share backups charged separately at $4.99-$5.99/TB/month after first 10 TB free

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

Amanda Enterprise

Free
  • Business$5.99/monthly
    • Linux/Windows backup
    • Database backup
    • M365 backup
  • Business Plus$6.99/monthly
    • Everything in Business plus: 24/7 premium support
    • 10 hours pro services
    • 8 hours training
  • Enterprise$undefined/quote
    • Everything in Business Plus plus: Integrated data resiliency
    • Expert consultation & design
    • Bulk automation scripts

Apple Time Machine

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Amanda Enterprise if

  • You need cross-platform backup.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, Web.
  • You also want cloud integration.
Amanda Enterprise 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 Amanda Enterprise or Apple Time Machine better?
Neither clearly leads. Amanda Enterprise starts at Free and Apple Time Machine at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Amanda Enterprise or Apple Time Machine?
Amanda Enterprise starts at Free and Apple Time Machine at Free.
Does Amanda Enterprise or Apple Time Machine run on more platforms?
Amanda Enterprise runs on Windows, Linux, Web. Apple Time Machine runs on Mac.
Can I use Amanda Enterprise for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Amanda Enterprise best used for?
Amanda Enterprise 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 Amanda Enterprise do that Apple Time Machine cannot?
Amanda Enterprise covers Cross-platform backup, Cloud integration, Disk staging, Web-based management. Apple Time Machine covers Automatic backup, Hourly snapshots, Visual restore interface, Network backup. Both handle Encryption.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Amanda Enterprise: How much does Zmanda Pro backup software cost?

Zmanda pricing starts at $5.99/month per device for the Business plan and $6.99/month per device for Business Plus with 24/7 support. Enterprise plans are custom-priced. Pricing estimator available at zmanda.com/pricing to calculate costs based on workload count and storage. Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20241128003646/https://www.zmanda.com/pricing/

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
Amanda Enterprise: Is Zmanda's licensing model flexible?

Yes, Zmanda's licensing is flexible, you can change your server or client license midway if your backup environment changes and only pay the difference. Additional professional services cost $200/hour for consulting.

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
Amanda Enterprise: What payment options does Zmanda accept?

Zmanda offers multiple payment options including electronic fund transfers (EFTs), wire transfers, and credit card payments with flexible 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year license periods available.

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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