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Backup · head to head

Bacula Enterprise vs Clonezilla

Bacula Enterprise logo

Bacula Enterprise

Backup

Open-source enterprise backup solution

From
$500/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Clonezilla logo

Clonezilla

Backup

Free disk cloning and imaging solution

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Clonezilla has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Bacula Enterprise pricing is not published; the vendor asks for a request rather than listing rates; Clonezilla the destination partition must be equal to or larger than the source partition
  • They diverge on capability: Bacula Enterprise covers Modular architecture, Clonezilla covers Disk/partition imaging.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bacula Enterprise and Clonezilla actually diverge.

Attributes where Bacula Enterprise and Clonezilla differ
AttributeBacula EnterpriseClonezilla
Starting price$500/yearFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, Linux, WebLinux, Windows
Founded20092004

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

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 Bacula Enterprise

  • Modular architecture
  • Plugin framework
  • Deduplication
  • Cloud storage
  • Encryption
  • Automated recovery testing
  • VMware
  • Hyper-V

Only in Clonezilla

  • Disk/partition imaging
  • Disk cloning
  • Multicast deployment
  • Multiple file systems
  • Encryption support
  • Unattended mode
  • PXE boot
  • DRBL

Both cover

  • Windows support
  • Linux support

What people use each for

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

Bacula Enterprise

  • Enterprise backup across virtual machines, databases and containersnot Clonezilla
  • Multi-cloud and hybrid backup from one systemnot Clonezilla
  • Backup where licensing by data volume would be prohibitive, since Bacula does not charge by capacitynot Clonezilla
  • Long-retention archival for regulated environmentsnot Clonezilla

Clonezilla

  • System backup and cloningnot Bacula Enterprise
  • Disk imaging and restorationnot Bacula Enterprise
  • Mass deployment scenariosnot Bacula Enterprise
  • Enterprise-scale cloning operationsnot Bacula Enterprise

Where each one falls short

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

Bacula Enterprise

  • Pricing is not published; the vendor asks for a request rather than listing rates
  • The differences between Enterprise and the open source Community edition are not set out on the product pages, so what the licence buys is unclear until you talk to sales
  • Aimed at data centre and enterprise environments rather than small deployments

Clonezilla

  • The destination partition must be equal to or larger than the source partition
  • Differential and incremental backup is not implemented
  • Online imaging and cloning is not implemented; the partition being imaged or cloned has to be unmounted first
  • The image format cannot be explored or mounted, so a single file cannot be recovered from an image
  • Recovery media spanning multiple CDs or DVDs is not implemented; the recovery ISO must fit on one disc
  • Clonezilla SE requires a DRBL server to be prepared in advance and the target machine to boot from the network
  • Runs only on x86 or x86-64 processors and needs at least 196 MB of RAM

Pricing, plan by plan

Bacula Enterprise

$500/year
  • Bacula Enterprise$500/year
    • Unlimited data
    • Plugin support
    • Enterprise support

Clonezilla

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Disk cloning
    • Multicast
    • Multiple file systems

Which should you pick?

Choose Bacula Enterprise if

  • You need modular architecture.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, Web.
  • You also want plugin framework.
Bacula Enterprise review

Choose Clonezilla if

  • You need disk/partition imaging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows.
  • You also want disk cloning.
Clonezilla review

Questions people ask

Is Bacula Enterprise or Clonezilla better?
Neither clearly leads. Bacula Enterprise starts at $500/year and Clonezilla at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bacula Enterprise or Clonezilla?
Clonezilla has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $500/year for Bacula Enterprise and Free for Clonezilla.
Does Bacula Enterprise or Clonezilla run on more platforms?
Bacula Enterprise runs on Windows, Linux, Web. Clonezilla runs on Linux, Windows.
Can I use Clonezilla for free?
Yes. Clonezilla has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Bacula Enterprise starts at $500/year.
What is Bacula Enterprise best used for?
Bacula Enterprise is most often used for enterprise backup across virtual machines, databases and containers, multi-cloud and hybrid backup from one system, backup where licensing by data volume would be prohibitive, since bacula does not charge by capacity, long-retention archival for regulated environments. Of those, enterprise backup across virtual machines, databases and containers and multi-cloud and hybrid backup from one system are not what Clonezilla is typically brought in for.
What can Bacula Enterprise do that Clonezilla cannot?
Bacula Enterprise covers Modular architecture, Plugin framework, Deduplication, Cloud storage. Clonezilla covers Disk/partition imaging, Disk cloning, Multicast deployment, Multiple file systems. Both handle Windows support, Linux support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bacula Enterprise: Does Bacula Enterprise offer a trial?

Yes. Bacula offers a trial that provides 'a streamlined version of Bacula Enterprise' with 'rapid access to an online, hosted environment'. However, no specific trial period duration is stated on the page.

Source
Clonezilla: Is Clonezilla free?

Yes, Clonezilla is completely free and open-source software licensed under GNU General Public License version 2. There are no paid versions, premium features, or subscription costs.

Source
Bacula Enterprise: Is there a free trial available, or does it require contacting sales?

The trial is available directly online without needing to contact sales first. The page provides streamlined access to test the service with Global Endpoint Deduplication and cloud storage capabilities.

Source
Clonezilla: What Clonezilla editions are available at no cost?

All three editions are free: Clonezilla Live for individual machine backups, Clonezilla Lite Server for mass deployment, and Clonezilla SE for large-scale enterprise cloning operations.

Source
Bacula Enterprise: Does Bacula charge by data volume?

No. One customer testimonial states 'we are not charged by data volume or hardware', indicating that Bacula does not use capacity-based pricing like some competitors.

Source
Clonezilla: Can I use Clonezilla commercially?

Yes, Clonezilla's GPL v2 license allows free commercial use. The software is open-source and requires no licensing fees for any deployment scenario.

Bacula Enterprise: How can I get Bacula pricing information?

Bacula directs interested parties to Request Pricing through their contact page rather than displaying rates publicly.

Source
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