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Arq Backup vs Vagrant

Arq Backup logo

Arq Backup

Software

Mac and Windows backup to your own cloud storage

From
$50/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Vagrant logo

Vagrant

Software

Development environments made easy

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Vagrant has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Arq Backup runs on Mac and Windows only; Vagrant vagrant 2.4.3 and later is licensed under the Business Source License 1.1 with IBM Corporation as licensor, not an OSI open source licence
  • They diverge on capability: Arq Backup covers Client-side encryption, Vagrant covers Box management.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Arq Backup and Vagrant differ
AttributeArq BackupVagrant
Starting price$50/yearFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, MacLinux, Windows, Mac
Founded20092010

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 Vagrant

  • Box management
  • Provider support
  • Multi-machine setups
  • Provisioners
  • Networking
  • Synced folders
  • Snapshots
  • Plugins

Both cover

  • Windows support

What people use each for

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

Arq Backup

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

Vagrant

  • Reproducible local development environments defined in a Vagrantfilenot Arq Backup
  • Provisioning identical VMs across VirtualBox, VMware and Hyper-V for a teamnot Arq Backup
  • Sandboxing multi-machine setups on a developer laptopnot 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

Vagrant

  • Vagrant 2.4.3 and later is licensed under the Business Source License 1.1 with IBM Corporation as licensor, not an OSI open source licence
  • The Additional Use Grant forbids offering Vagrant to third parties on a hosted or embedded basis in a paid product that competes with IBM's paid versions of Vagrant
  • Each version converts to the MPL 2.0 Change License only four years after that version is first published
  • Uses that fall outside the Additional Use Grant require a separately negotiated licence from the licensor

Pricing, plan by plan

Arq Backup

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

Vagrant

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Development environment provisioning
    • Multiple providers
    • Provisioner support

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 Vagrant if

  • You need box management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Mac.
  • You also want provider support.
Vagrant review

Questions people ask

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