Softwr

File Storage & Backup · head to head

Arq Backup vs Contabo

Arq Backup logo

Arq Backup

File Storage & Backup

Mac and Windows backup to your own cloud storage

From
$50/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Contabo logo

Contabo

Cloud & Infrastructure

Affordable high-performance VPS hosting

From
€4.5/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Arq Backup runs on Mac and Windows only; Contabo fully unmanaged infrastructure requires all setup and maintenance by customer
  • They diverge on capability: Arq Backup covers Client-side encryption, Contabo covers VPS Hosting.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Arq Backup and Contabo actually diverge.

Attributes where Arq Backup and Contabo differ
AttributeArq BackupContabo
Starting price$50/year€4.5/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWindows, MacLinux, Windows
CategoryFile Storage & BackupCloud & Infrastructure
Founded20092003

Identical on both: 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 Arq Backup

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

Only in Contabo

  • VPS Hosting
  • Dedicated Servers
  • Object Storage
  • Snapshots
  • DDoS Protection
  • Custom ISO
  • Multiple Locations
  • SSD Storage

What people use each for

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

Arq Backup

  • Data protectionnot Contabo
  • Disaster recoverynot Contabo
  • Business continuitynot Contabo
  • Ransomware protectionnot Contabo
  • Compliancenot Contabo

Contabo

  • Web hostingnot Arq Backup
  • Game serversnot Arq Backup
  • Development environmentsnot Arq Backup
  • VPN serversnot 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

Contabo

  • Fully unmanaged infrastructure requires all setup and maintenance by customer
  • No formal SLA with financial compensation for downtime violations

Pricing, plan by plan

Arq Backup

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

Contabo

€4.5/month
  • Cloud VPS$4.5/month
    • 4 vCPU
    • 8 GB RAM
    • 100 GB SSD
  • Cloud VDS$39/month
    • Dedicated cores
    • 24 GB RAM
    • 180 GB NVMe
  • Dedicated Server$149/month
    • AMD CPU
    • 64 GB RAM
    • 1 TB NVMe

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 Contabo if

  • You need vps hosting.
  • You work on Linux, Windows.
  • You also want dedicated servers.
Contabo review

Questions people ask

Is Arq Backup or Contabo better?
Neither clearly leads. Arq Backup starts at $50/year and Contabo at €4.5/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Arq Backup or Contabo?
Arq Backup starts at $50/year and Contabo at €4.5/month.
Does Arq Backup or Contabo run on more platforms?
Arq Backup runs on Windows, Mac. Contabo runs on Linux, Windows.
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 Contabo is typically brought in for.
What can Arq Backup do that Contabo cannot?
Arq Backup covers Client-side encryption, Hourly backups, Network backup, Deduplication. Contabo covers VPS Hosting, Dedicated Servers, Object Storage, Snapshots.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Contabo: What is the base pricing for Contabo VPS?

Contabo Cloud VPS starts at EUR 4.50 per month (approximately $4.95 USD) with 4 vCPU cores and 8 GB RAM. Prices scale up to EUR 39+ per month for dedicated performance VPS with higher specs.

Source
Contabo: Does Contabo raise prices at renewal?

No. Unlike many hosting providers, Contabo does not increase renewal prices. The promotional price you get at sign-up is locked in for future renewals.

Source
Contabo: What data center locations does Contabo offer?

Contabo operates 9 global data center regions including multiple EU locations, US East/Central/West Coast, United Kingdom, India, Singapore, Japan, and Australia.

Source
Contabo: Does Contabo provide managed services?

No. Contabo VPS is fully unmanaged. You handle all setup, security patching, and system maintenance. Managed hosting adds 2 hours per month of dedicated support for a fee.

Source
Contabo: What is Contabo's uptime guarantee?

Contabo maintains a 99.996% uptime guarantee across all plans. The platform includes unlimited traffic and free DDoS protection.

Source
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Related pages

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