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Arq Backup vs Pulumi

Arq Backup logo

Arq Backup

Software

Mac and Windows backup to your own cloud storage

From
$50/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Pulumi logo

Pulumi

Software

Modern infrastructure as code using programming languages

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Pulumi has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Arq Backup runs on Mac and Windows only; Pulumi the free Individual plan allows one user and one concurrent stack update
  • They diverge on capability: Arq Backup covers Client-side encryption, Pulumi covers Multi-language support.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Arq Backup and Pulumi differ
AttributeArq BackupPulumi
Starting price$50/yearFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, MacLinux, Windows, Mac, Api
Founded20092017

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Pulumi

  • Multi-language support
  • Multi-cloud
  • State management
  • Secrets management
  • RBAC
  • Stacks
  • Automation API
  • Policy as Code

Both cover

  • Azure
  • Windows support

What people use each for

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

Arq Backup

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

Pulumi

  • Defining cloud infrastructure as code in TypeScript, Python, Go, C# or Java rather than a DSLnot Arq Backup
  • Managing Pulumi state and secrets in a hosted backend instead of self-managed storagenot Arq Backup
  • Policy, drift detection and deployment workflows for platform engineering teamsnot 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

Pulumi

  • The free Individual plan allows one user and one concurrent stack update
  • The Team plan is $40 per month base including 40 credits, and caps the organisation at 10 users
  • SAML/SSO, RBAC, audit logs and drift detection require the Enterprise plan at $400 per month base
  • The per-resource rate rises from $0.1825 per resource per month on Team to $0.365 on Enterprise, so upgrading raises the unit price as well as the base fee
  • Managed secrets are billed separately at $0.50 per secret per month on Team and $0.75 on Enterprise
  • Self-hosting, SCIM user sync, audit log export and 24x7 support are only in Business Critical, which is custom priced with no published rate
  • Team includes up to 500 resources and Enterprise up to 2,000, with everything beyond billed on demand as credits

Pricing, plan by plan

Arq Backup

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

Pulumi

Free
  • Pulumi CommunityFree
    • Open source
    • Community support
    • Self-hosted
  • Pulumi Cloud$10/month
    • Hosted backend
    • Team collaboration
    • RBAC

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 Pulumi if

  • You need multi-language support.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Mac, Api.
  • You also want multi-cloud.
Pulumi review

Questions people ask

Is Arq Backup or Pulumi better?
Neither clearly leads. Arq Backup starts at $50/year and Pulumi at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Arq Backup or Pulumi?
Pulumi has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $50/year for Arq Backup and Free for Pulumi.
Does Arq Backup or Pulumi run on more platforms?
Arq Backup runs on Windows, Mac. Pulumi runs on Linux, Windows, Mac, Api.
Can I use Pulumi for free?
Yes. Pulumi 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 Pulumi is typically brought in for.
What can Arq Backup do that Pulumi cannot?
Arq Backup covers Client-side encryption, Hourly backups, Network backup, Deduplication. Pulumi covers Multi-language support, Multi-cloud, State management, Secrets management. Both handle Azure, Windows support.
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