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File Storage & Backup · head to head

Backblaze vs Borg Backup

Backblaze logo

Backblaze

File Storage & Backup

Unlimited cloud backup at an affordable price

From
$9/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Borg Backup logo

Borg Backup

Backup & Disaster Recovery

Deduplicating archiver with compression and encryption

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Borg Backup has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Backblaze personal Backup is $99 a year billed annually, with no monthly option; Borg Backup linux, macOS and BSD only; Windows is not a supported platform
  • They diverge on capability: Backblaze covers Unlimited backup, Borg Backup covers Content-defined chunking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Backblaze and Borg Backup actually diverge.

Attributes where Backblaze and Borg Backup differ
AttributeBackblazeBorg Backup
Starting price$9/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownfree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, macOS, WebLinux, Mac
CategoryFile Storage & BackupBackup & Disaster Recovery
Founded20072015

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 Backblaze

  • Unlimited backup
  • Continuous backup
  • Version history
  • Private encryption key
  • Restore by mail
  • Mobile apps
  • macOS
  • Windows

Only in Borg Backup

  • Content-defined chunking
  • Deduplication
  • Compression
  • Authenticated encryption
  • Pruning
  • Mount archives
  • SSH
  • BorgBase

Both cover

  • Mac support

What people use each for

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

Backblaze

  • Unlimited backup of a personal computer and external drivesnot Borg Backup
  • Restoring files from anywhere through the webnot Borg Backup
  • Mailed hard drive restore for large recoveriesnot Borg Backup
  • Private encryption key control for sensitive datanot Borg Backup

Borg Backup

  • Deduplicated backups where daily full snapshots would otherwise be expensivenot Backblaze
  • Encrypted backup to a server you do not fully trust, since the server never sees plaintextnot Backblaze
  • Browsing previous versions by mounting an archive over FUSEnot Backblaze
  • Scripted server backups with no agent or daemon to runnot Backblaze

Where each one falls short

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

Backblaze

  • Personal Backup is $99 a year billed annually, with no monthly option
  • Web restores are capped at 500GB per request
  • Forever version history is a Business tier add-on rather than included
  • Administrative controls and SSO are Business features
  • Backs up user data from a computer and attached drives, so NAS and server backup are not covered by the personal plan

Borg Backup

  • Linux, macOS and BSD only; Windows is not a supported platform
  • Command-line only, with no graphical interface in the project itself
  • Version 2.0 is still in beta, so production use means staying on the 1.4 line
  • Restoring requires the Borg tooling, since archives are a deduplicated chunk store rather than plain files

Pricing, plan by plan

Backblaze

$9/month
  • Personal Backup$9/month
    • Unlimited storage for single computer
    • Unlimited version history
    • 30-day trial
  • B2 Cloud Storage$6/TB/month
    • S3-compatible storage
    • Pay-as-you-go model

Borg Backup

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Deduplication
    • Compression
    • Encryption

Which should you pick?

Choose Backblaze if

  • You need unlimited backup.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Web.
  • You also want continuous backup.
Backblaze review

Choose Borg Backup if

  • You need content-defined chunking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Mac.
  • You also want deduplication.
Borg Backup review

Questions people ask

Is Backblaze or Borg Backup better?
Neither clearly leads. Backblaze starts at $9/month and Borg Backup at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Backblaze or Borg Backup?
Borg Backup has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $9/month for Backblaze and Free for Borg Backup.
Does Backblaze or Borg Backup run on more platforms?
Backblaze runs on Windows, macOS, Web. Borg Backup runs on Linux, Mac.
Can I use Borg Backup for free?
Yes. Borg Backup has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Backblaze starts at $9/month.
What is Backblaze best used for?
Backblaze is most often used for unlimited backup of a personal computer and external drives, restoring files from anywhere through the web, mailed hard drive restore for large recoveries, private encryption key control for sensitive data. Of those, unlimited backup of a personal computer and external drives and restoring files from anywhere through the web are not what Borg Backup is typically brought in for.
What can Backblaze do that Borg Backup cannot?
Backblaze covers Unlimited backup, Continuous backup, Version history, Private encryption key. Borg Backup covers Content-defined chunking, Deduplication, Compression, Authenticated encryption. Both handle Mac support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Backblaze: What is the pricing for Backblaze Personal Backup?

Backblaze Personal Backup costs $9/month on monthly billing or $8.25/month when billed annually, providing unlimited storage for a single computer.

Source
Backblaze: What storage options does Backblaze B2 offer?

Backblaze B2 Cloud Storage is priced at $6/TB per month with a pay-as-you-go model, and is S3 compatible for flexible cloud storage.

Source
Backblaze: Does Backblaze support Linux systems?

No. Backblaze does not support Linux operating systems, limiting it to Windows, macOS, and web access only.

Source
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Related pages

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