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File Storage · head to head

Arq Backup vs Nasuni

Arq Backup logo

Arq Backup

File Storage

Mac and Windows backup to your own cloud storage

From
$50/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Nasuni logo

Nasuni

File Storage

Cloud file storage that keeps the authoritative copy in object storage and caches it at each site

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Arq Backup runs on Mac and Windows only; Nasuni subscription is based on managed capacity, so cold data that would cost almost nothing in an archive tier keeps paying the full platform rate, and there is limited incentive structure to delete.
  • They diverge on capability: Arq Backup covers Client-side encryption, Nasuni covers Edge caching appliances.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Arq Backup and Nasuni differ
AttributeArq BackupNasuni
Starting price$50/yearOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWindows, MacWeb, Windows, VMware, Hyper-V, AWS, Azure
Founded2009Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (File Storage).

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 Nasuni

  • Edge caching appliances
  • Object storage back end
  • Continuous versioning
  • Global file lock
  • Rapid site recovery
  • Ransomware detection

What people use each for

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

Arq Backup

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

Nasuni

  • Consolidating file servers across many branch offices onto one namespace without shipping data between sitesnot Arq Backup
  • Replacing a NAS plus backup plus offsite replication stack with a single recovery modelnot Arq Backup
  • Engineering or media teams in different regions who need to work on the same large project filesnot Arq Backup
  • An organisation that has been hit by ransomware on file shares and needs version level rollback rather than tape restoresnot 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

Nasuni

  • Subscription is based on managed capacity, so cold data that would cost almost nothing in an archive tier keeps paying the full platform rate, and there is limited incentive structure to delete.
  • Every site needs an appliance, virtual or physical, which is a footprint and a patching obligation at locations that previously had only a file server or nothing.
  • A read that misses the local cache is fetched from object storage, so the first access to a cold large file is at cloud latency and users experience it as the system being slow at random.
  • Global file lock serialises access across regions, so genuinely collaborative editing of the same large files still involves waiting for another site to release the lock rather than merging.
  • The object storage underneath is your contract, so API transaction and egress charges from Azure or AWS land on your cloud bill and are not covered by the Nasuni subscription you were quoted against.

Pricing, plan by plan

Arq Backup

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

Nasuni

On request
  • Nasuni File Data Platform$undefined/year
    • Subscription based on managed capacity
    • Edge appliances at each site
    • Continuous versioning and rapid recovery

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 Nasuni if

  • You need edge caching appliances.
  • You work on Web, Windows, VMware, Hyper-V, AWS, Azure.
  • You also want object storage back end.
Nasuni review

Questions people ask

Is Arq Backup or Nasuni better?
Neither clearly leads. Arq Backup starts at $50/year and Nasuni at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Arq Backup or Nasuni?
Arq Backup starts at $50/year and Nasuni at On request.
Does Arq Backup or Nasuni run on more platforms?
Arq Backup runs on Windows, Mac. Nasuni runs on Web, Windows, VMware, Hyper-V, AWS, Azure.
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 Nasuni is typically brought in for.
What can Arq Backup do that Nasuni cannot?
Arq Backup covers Client-side encryption, Hourly backups, Network backup, Deduplication. Nasuni covers Edge caching appliances, Object storage back end, Continuous versioning, Global file lock.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Arq Backup: What are the different licensing models for Arq?

Arq 7 is a perpetual license with a one-time purchase and 1 year of free updates, then $25/year for continued updates. Arq Premium is a subscription model covering up to 5 computers with 1TB of included cloud storage.

Source
Nasuni: Do I still need a backup product?

That is the pitch: continuous versioning in object storage replaces the backup schedule for file data. Databases and virtual machines still need their own tooling.

Arq Backup: Is there a trial period before purchasing Arq?

Yes, Arq 7 includes a 30-day free trial.

Source
Nasuni: Who owns the storage account?

You do. Nasuni writes into object storage you contract for, which also means the cloud provider bills you directly for it.

Arq Backup: What are the storage costs beyond the included 1TB with Arq Premium?

Additional storage is billed at $0.0059/GB per month beyond the 1TB included with Arq Premium.

Source
Nasuni: How fast is recovery of a whole site?

An appliance can be serving files within hours because data is pulled on demand, but performance stays degraded while the cache refills.

Arq Backup: Can I access my backup data directly or is it in a proprietary format?

Arq uses open and documented backup formats with transparent storage, allowing users direct access to encrypted backup data.

Source
Nasuni: Is pricing published?

No. Nasuni sells through quotes based on managed capacity and site count, so comparisons need a real proposal rather than a list price.

Arq Backup: Are perpetual licenses from earlier Arq versions still compatible?

Yes, perpetual licenses from Arq 5 and earlier remain compatible with Arq 7.

Source
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