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File Storage & Backup · head to head

Arq Backup vs Lambda (AWS Serverless)

Arq Backup logo

Arq Backup

File Storage & Backup

Mac and Windows backup to your own cloud storage

From
$50/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lambda (AWS Serverless) logo

Lambda (AWS Serverless)

Cloud & Infrastructure

Run code without thinking about servers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Lambda (AWS Serverless) has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Arq Backup runs on Mac and Windows only; Lambda (AWS Serverless) billed on two axes at once, $0.20 per million requests plus $0.0000166667 per GB-second of duration, so memory settings change the bill as much as traffic does
  • They diverge on capability: Arq Backup covers Client-side encryption, Lambda (AWS Serverless) covers Function-as-a-Service.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Arq Backup and Lambda (AWS Serverless) actually diverge.

Attributes where Arq Backup and Lambda (AWS Serverless) differ
AttributeArq BackupLambda (AWS Serverless)
Starting price$50/yearFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionusage-based
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, MacWeb, Api
CategoryFile Storage & BackupCloud & Infrastructure
Founded20092014

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 Arq Backup

  • Client-side encryption
  • Hourly backups
  • Network backup
  • Deduplication
  • Immutable backups
  • Budget controls
  • AWS S3
  • Google Cloud

Only in Lambda (AWS Serverless)

  • Function-as-a-Service
  • Event-driven execution
  • Auto-scaling
  • Pay-per-use
  • Multiple languages
  • Concurrency limits
  • Dead Letter Queues
  • Environment variables

What people use each for

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

Arq Backup

  • Data protectionnot Lambda (AWS Serverless)
  • Disaster recoverynot Lambda (AWS Serverless)
  • Business continuitynot Lambda (AWS Serverless)
  • Ransomware protectionnot Lambda (AWS Serverless)
  • Compliancenot Lambda (AWS Serverless)

Lambda (AWS Serverless)

  • Event-driven functions without managing serversnot Arq Backup
  • API backends behind API Gatewaynot Arq Backup
  • Processing S3, DynamoDB, SQS and Kinesis eventsnot Arq Backup
  • Scheduled jobs without a always-on instancenot Arq Backup
  • Edge compute through Lambda@Edgenot Arq Backup

Where each one falls short

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

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

Lambda (AWS Serverless)

  • Billed on two axes at once, $0.20 per million requests plus $0.0000166667 per GB-second of duration, so memory settings change the bill as much as traffic does
  • Provisioned concurrency, used to avoid cold starts, is charged separately at $0.0000041667 per GB-second whether or not the function runs
  • Ephemeral storage beyond the included 512 MB is metered
  • Lambda@Edge costs $0.60 per million requests, three times the standard request rate
  • VPC use and cross-region data transfer carry EC2 charges on top

Pricing, plan by plan

Arq Backup

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

Lambda (AWS Serverless)

Free
  • Free TierFree
    • 1M free requests/month
    • 400,000 GB-seconds/month
    • Always free

Which should you pick?

Choose Arq Backup if

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

Choose Lambda (AWS Serverless) if

  • You need function-as-a-service.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want event-driven execution.
Lambda (AWS Serverless) review

Questions people ask

Is Arq Backup or Lambda (AWS Serverless) better?
Neither clearly leads. Arq Backup starts at $50/year and Lambda (AWS Serverless) at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Arq Backup or Lambda (AWS Serverless)?
Lambda (AWS Serverless) has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $50/year for Arq Backup and Free for Lambda (AWS Serverless).
Does Arq Backup or Lambda (AWS Serverless) run on more platforms?
Arq Backup runs on Windows, Mac. Lambda (AWS Serverless) runs on Web, Api.
Can I use Lambda (AWS Serverless) for free?
Yes. Lambda (AWS Serverless) has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Arq Backup starts at $50/year.
What is Arq Backup best used for?
Arq Backup is most often used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection. Of those, data protection and disaster recovery are not what Lambda (AWS Serverless) is typically brought in for.
What can Arq Backup do that Lambda (AWS Serverless) cannot?
Arq Backup covers Client-side encryption, Hourly backups, Network backup, Deduplication. Lambda (AWS Serverless) covers Function-as-a-Service, Event-driven execution, Auto-scaling, Pay-per-use.
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