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File Storage · head to head

Barracuda Backup vs Cloudflare R2

Barracuda Backup logo

Barracuda Backup

File Storage

Complete backup solution with built-in ransomware protection

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Cloudflare R2 logo

Cloudflare R2

File Storage

S3-compatible object storage that charges nothing for egress to the internet

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Cloudflare R2 has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Barracuda Backup requires subscription commitment per terabyte of data; Cloudflare R2 there is no archive tier below Infrequent Access, so genuinely cold data costs roughly ten to fifteen times what it would cost in a deep archive class and there is nowhere cheaper to lifecycle it to.
  • They diverge on capability: Barracuda Backup covers Unlimited cloud storage, Cloudflare R2 covers Zero egress billing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Barracuda Backup and Cloudflare R2 actually diverge.

Attributes where Barracuda Backup and Cloudflare R2 differ
AttributeBarracuda BackupCloudflare R2
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionPer gigabyte stored per month
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, Linux, macOS, VMware, Hyper-VWeb, API
Founded2003Unknown

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

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 Barracuda Backup

  • Unlimited cloud storage
  • LiveBoot instant recovery
  • Instant replacement
  • Ransomware protection
  • Deduplication
  • Site-to-site replication
  • VMware
  • Hyper-V

Only in Cloudflare R2

  • Zero egress billing
  • S3 API compatibility
  • Worker binding
  • Jurisdictional restriction
  • Infrequent Access tier
  • Custom domain serving

What people use each for

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

Barracuda Backup

  • Enterprise data protection across physical and virtual environmentsnot Cloudflare R2
  • Ransomware recovery and data resiliencenot Cloudflare R2
  • Multi-location backup and replicationnot Cloudflare R2
  • Compliance reporting for regulated industriesnot Cloudflare R2

Cloudflare R2

  • Serving a large media or asset library to the public where transfer out, not storage, is the dominant costnot Barracuda Backup
  • Hosting a container or artefact registry that thousands of CI runners pull from every daynot Barracuda Backup
  • Distributing model weights or open datasets that are downloaded far more often than they are updatednot Barracuda Backup
  • Moving off S3 specifically to stop paying data transfer charges on a read heavy bucketnot Barracuda Backup

Where each one falls short

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

Barracuda Backup

  • Requires subscription commitment per terabyte of data
  • Complex appliance-based architecture

Cloudflare R2

  • There is no archive tier below Infrequent Access, so genuinely cold data costs roughly ten to fifteen times what it would cost in a deep archive class and there is nowhere cheaper to lifecycle it to.
  • Class A operations are billed at 4.50 USD per million, so a workload that writes millions of small objects can spend more on operations than on the storage those objects occupy.
  • Infrequent Access carries both a retrieval fee and a thirty day minimum storage duration, so data that is deleted or re-read sooner ends up more expensive than if it had stayed on Standard.
  • You choose a location hint rather than a region, so you cannot prove to an auditor which datacentre holds an object unless you use a jurisdiction restricted bucket, and jurisdictions are limited.
  • Support level follows your Cloudflare account plan rather than the storage spend, so a team on a low tier account gets ticket support with no storage specific SLA, and an R2 incident is a Cloudflare incident you cannot fail over from because the free egress only exists inside Cloudflare.

Pricing, plan by plan

Barracuda Backup

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Barracuda Backup review.

Cloudflare R2

Free
  • Free tierFree
    • 10 GB stored per month
    • 1 million Class A operations
    • 10 million Class B operations
  • Standard$0.015/month
    • Per gigabyte stored per month
    • 4.50 USD per million Class A operations
    • 0.36 USD per million Class B operations
  • Infrequent Access$0.01/month
    • Per gigabyte stored per month
    • Per gigabyte data retrieval fee
    • Thirty day minimum storage duration

Which should you pick?

Choose Barracuda Backup if

  • You need unlimited cloud storage.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, macOS, VMware, Hyper-V.
  • You also want liveboot instant recovery.
Barracuda Backup review

Choose Cloudflare R2 if

  • You need zero egress billing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want s3 api compatibility.
Cloudflare R2 review

Questions people ask

Is Barracuda Backup or Cloudflare R2 better?
Neither clearly leads. Barracuda Backup starts at On request and Cloudflare R2 at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Barracuda Backup or Cloudflare R2?
Cloudflare R2 has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Barracuda Backup and Free for Cloudflare R2.
Does Barracuda Backup or Cloudflare R2 run on more platforms?
Barracuda Backup runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, VMware, Hyper-V. Cloudflare R2 runs on Web, API.
Can I use Cloudflare R2 for free?
Yes. Cloudflare R2 has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Barracuda Backup starts at On request.
What is Barracuda Backup best used for?
Barracuda Backup is most often used for enterprise data protection across physical and virtual environments, ransomware recovery and data resilience, multi-location backup and replication, compliance reporting for regulated industries. Of those, enterprise data protection across physical and virtual environments and ransomware recovery and data resilience are not what Cloudflare R2 is typically brought in for.
What can Barracuda Backup do that Cloudflare R2 cannot?
Barracuda Backup covers Unlimited cloud storage, LiveBoot instant recovery, Instant replacement, Ransomware protection. Cloudflare R2 covers Zero egress billing, S3 API compatibility, Worker binding, Jurisdictional restriction.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Barracuda Backup: How is Barracuda Backup licensed?

Barracuda uses a 'capacity-based, all-inclusive subscription model' based on a 'per-terabyte subscription model'. You 'pay for only what you need to protect today'.

Source
Cloudflare R2: Is egress really free, with no hidden transfer charge?

Yes for data served out of R2 to the internet. You still pay per operation for the requests that serve it, and if you pull data into R2 from another provider you pay that provider the egress on the way in.

Barracuda Backup: What is included in the subscription cost?

The subscription covers appliance hardware, software, support, Barracuda Cloud Storage, and Barracuda's Instant Replacement service with no hidden fees mentioned.

Source
Cloudflare R2: How does the total cost compare with S3 for a public download bucket?

Storage is more expensive per terabyte than S3 Infrequent Access, but S3 charges roughly 90 USD per terabyte served. Any bucket that serves more than about a fifth of its stored volume each month is cheaper on R2.

Barracuda Backup: Can I add more storage later without replacing equipment?

Yes. You can 'easily add extra TBs as your needs expand' without replacing hardware or shipping new appliances.

Source
Cloudflare R2: Can I use R2 without using the rest of Cloudflare?

Yes, it works through the plain S3 API from anywhere. You lose the Worker binding and the free CDN caching in front of it, which is where a lot of the practical benefit sits.

Barracuda Backup: Does Barracuda offer a free trial?

Yes, Free Trials are available. However, specific trial duration is not detailed on the pricing page. Use the Build and Price tool or contact sales for trial details.

Source
Cloudflare R2: Does R2 have a cold archive class like Glacier?

No. Infrequent Access is the coldest tier, at two thirds of the Standard rate plus retrieval fees.

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