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Backup · head to head

Apple Time Machine vs Trilio

Apple Time Machine logo

Apple Time Machine

Backup

Built-in backup for every Mac

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Trilio logo

Trilio

Backup

Backup and recovery for OpenStack, Kubernetes and Red Hat Virtualization

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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; Trilio coverage is deliberately narrow, so a mixed estate with VMware and physical servers needs a second backup product and two sets of restore procedures.
  • They diverge on capability: Apple Time Machine covers Automatic backup, Trilio covers OpenStack backup.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apple Time Machine and Trilio actually diverge.

Attributes where Apple Time Machine and Trilio differ
AttributeApple Time MachineTrilio
Pricing modelfreePer node per year
PlatformsMacLinux, Web
Founded1976Unknown

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 Apple Time Machine

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

Only in Trilio

  • OpenStack backup
  • Kubernetes backup
  • OpenShift Virtualization
  • Open format backups
  • Incremental forever
  • Self-service restore
  • Free basic edition

What people use each for

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

Apple Time Machine

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

Trilio

  • A telco running an OpenStack cloud whose incumbent backup vendor supports it only through generic agentsnot Apple Time Machine
  • An organisation migrating virtual machines from VMware to OpenShift Virtualization and needing protection on the new platform from day onenot Apple Time Machine
  • A research institution protecting tenant workloads where each tenant should restore its own data without a ticketnot Apple Time Machine
  • A platform team wanting to evaluate Kubernetes backup properly on ten nodes before committing budgetnot Apple Time Machine

Where each one falls short

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

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

Trilio

  • Coverage is deliberately narrow, so a mixed estate with VMware and physical servers needs a second backup product and two sets of restore procedures.
  • Trilio is a small vendor next to the backup incumbents, and buyers with ten year retention obligations should assess the risk of the company being acquired or wound down.
  • Enterprise pricing is per node or per virtual machine and is not published, which makes it hard to compare against per-terabyte competitors without going through sales.
  • The free basic edition stops at ten nodes with community support only, so the step from evaluation to production is a full commercial negotiation rather than a tier upgrade.
  • Restore performance depends on the object storage or NFS target you supply, and egress charges from a cloud object store during a large recovery sit outside the vendor quote entirely.

Pricing, plan by plan

Apple Time Machine

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

Trilio

Free
  • Basic EditionFree
    • Up to ten nodes
    • No time limit
    • Community support only
  • Enterprise Edition$undefined/year
    • Priced per node or per virtual machine annually
    • No scale limits
    • OpenStack, Kubernetes, OpenShift and Red Hat Virtualization

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Trilio if

  • You need openstack backup.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Web.
  • You also want kubernetes backup.
Trilio review

Questions people ask

Is Apple Time Machine or Trilio better?
Neither clearly leads. Apple Time Machine starts at Free and Trilio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apple Time Machine or Trilio?
Apple Time Machine starts at Free and Trilio at Free.
Does Apple Time Machine or Trilio run on more platforms?
Apple Time Machine runs on Mac. Trilio runs on Linux, Web.
Can I use Apple Time Machine for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Apple Time Machine best used for?
Apple Time Machine is most often used for automatic versioned local backups of a mac to an external drive, restoring a mac or migrating to a new one from a local backup history. Of those, automatic versioned local backups of a mac to an external drive and restoring a mac or migrating to a new one from a local backup history are not what Trilio is typically brought in for.
What can Apple Time Machine do that Trilio cannot?
Apple Time Machine covers Automatic backup, Hourly snapshots, Visual restore interface, Network backup. Trilio covers OpenStack backup, Kubernetes backup, OpenShift Virtualization, Open format backups.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Trilio: Is the free edition production usable?

It is functionally complete up to ten nodes with community support only. Use it to evaluate, but understand that production incidents have no vendor behind them at that tier.

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
Trilio: Does it support OpenShift Virtualization?

Yes, which is the main reason it appears on shortlists for organisations moving virtual machines off VMware.

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
Trilio: Where are backups stored?

On NFS or S3-compatible object storage you provide, in an open format rather than a proprietary vendor container.

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