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Backup · head to head

Bacula vs Cohesity

Bacula logo

Bacula

Backup

The best open source backup software for Linux

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Cohesity logo

Cohesity

Backup

Protect, secure, and gain insights into your enterprise data

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Bacula has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Bacula the community edition has no vendor support contract; bacula.org directs support and paid deployments toward the separate commercial Bacula Enterprise product instead.; Cohesity no pricing details published on website
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bacula and Cohesity actually diverge.

Attributes where Bacula and Cohesity differ
AttributeBaculaCohesity
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelopen-sourcequote
Free tierYesNo

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

What people use each for

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

Bacula

  • Linux, Windows, and macOS network backup at scalenot Cohesity
  • VMware, KVM, Hyper-V virtual machine backupnot Cohesity
  • MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL database backupnot Cohesity
  • Microsoft Exchange Server backupnot Cohesity
  • Tape backup and enterprise data retentionnot Cohesity

Cohesity

  • Data protection and ransomware defensenot Bacula
  • Cloud backup and recovery across hybrid environmentsnot Bacula
  • Instant recovery from 1,000 VMs simultaneouslynot Bacula
  • Multi-cloud data management and securitynot Bacula
  • AI-powered threat detection and anomaly detectionnot Bacula

Where each one falls short

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

Bacula

  • The community edition has no vendor support contract; bacula.org directs support and paid deployments toward the separate commercial Bacula Enterprise product instead.

Cohesity

  • No pricing details published on website
  • Advanced edition status listed as coming soon
  • Requires contacting sales team for quotes
  • No self-service pricing tiers or calculator available

Pricing, plan by plan

Bacula

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Bacula review.

Cohesity

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Cohesity review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Bacula if

  • You want to start without paying.
Bacula review

Choose Cohesity if

Nothing in the data separates Cohesity from Bacula on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Cohesity review

Questions people ask

Is Bacula or Cohesity better?
Neither clearly leads. Bacula starts at Free and Cohesity at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bacula or Cohesity?
Bacula has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Bacula and On request for Cohesity.
Does Bacula or Cohesity run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Bacula for free?
Yes. Bacula has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cohesity starts at On request.
What is Bacula best used for?
Bacula is most often used for linux, windows, and macos network backup at scale, vmware, kvm, hyper-v virtual machine backup, mysql, oracle, postgresql database backup, microsoft exchange server backup. Of those, linux, windows, and macos network backup at scale and vmware, kvm, hyper-v virtual machine backup are not what Cohesity is typically brought in for.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bacula: How much does Bacula cost?

Bacula Community Edition is free and open source. Bacula Enterprise is a commercial offering with a free trial available, but specific pricing is not listed on the main website.

Source
Cohesity: How much does Cohesity cost?

Cohesity does not publish specific pricing on their website. Customers must request a demo, contact the sales team, or initiate a 30-day free trial to discuss pricing options.

Source
Bacula: Is Bacula free?

Bacula Community Edition is fully free and open source. Enterprise Edition is commercial but offers a free trial to evaluate features before purchasing.

Source
Cohesity: What editions does Cohesity offer?

Cohesity Data Cloud offers three editions: Core for entry-level, Enterprise for mid-tier, and Advanced (coming soon). Each includes varying Data Insights, Security, Protection, and Platform capabilities.

Source
Cohesity: Is there a free trial for Cohesity?

Yes, Cohesity offers a 30-day free trial without requiring a credit card. No credit card is needed to get started with the trial.

Source
Cohesity: What performance benefits does Cohesity claim?

Cohesity claims 18x faster backups, 2x faster restores, instant recovery of 1000 VMs, and 50% lower total cost of ownership to secure and manage data.

Source
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