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Backup · head to head

Borg Backup vs Commvault Complete Data Protection

Borg Backup logo

Borg Backup

Backup

Deduplicating archiver with compression and encryption

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Commvault Complete Data Protection logo

Commvault Complete Data Protection

Backup

Enterprise-grade intelligent data management

From
On request
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: Borg Backup linux, macOS and BSD only; Windows is not a supported platform; Commvault Complete Data Protection requires specialized knowledge to optimize configurations for cost-effectiveness
  • They diverge on capability: Borg Backup covers Content-defined chunking, Commvault Complete Data Protection covers Unified data protection.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Borg Backup and Commvault Complete Data Protection actually diverge.

Attributes where Borg Backup and Commvault Complete Data Protection differ
AttributeBorg BackupCommvault Complete Data Protection
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreeUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, MacCloud, On-Premises, Hybrid
Founded20151988

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 Borg Backup

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

Only in Commvault Complete Data Protection

  • Unified data protection
  • Automated recovery orchestration
  • AI-driven insights
  • Cloud mobility
  • Ransomware detection
  • Compliance management
  • AWS
  • Azure

Both cover

  • Linux support

What people use each for

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

Borg Backup

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

Commvault Complete Data Protection

  • Data protectionnot Borg Backup
  • Disaster recoverynot Borg Backup
  • Business continuitynot Borg Backup
  • Ransomware protectionnot Borg Backup
  • Compliancenot Borg Backup

Where each one falls short

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

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

Commvault Complete Data Protection

  • Requires specialized knowledge to optimize configurations for cost-effectiveness
  • Integration with certain legacy systems can be challenging

Pricing, plan by plan

Borg Backup

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Deduplication
    • Compression
    • Encryption

Commvault Complete Data Protection

On request
  • Microsoft 365 Backup$1.7/per user per month
    • Cloud-based backup
  • Endpoint Backup$7.5/per user per month
    • User endpoints backup
  • Database Backup$90/per TB per month
    • Database protection
  • File and Object Backup$58.5/per TB per month
    • Storage backup

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Commvault Complete Data Protection if

  • You need unified data protection.
  • You work on Cloud, On-Premises, Hybrid.
  • You also want automated recovery orchestration.
Commvault Complete Data Protection review

Questions people ask

Is Borg Backup or Commvault Complete Data Protection better?
Neither clearly leads. Borg Backup starts at Free and Commvault Complete Data Protection at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Borg Backup or Commvault Complete Data Protection?
Borg Backup has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Borg Backup and On request for Commvault Complete Data Protection.
Does Borg Backup or Commvault Complete Data Protection run on more platforms?
Borg Backup runs on Linux, Mac. Commvault Complete Data Protection runs on Cloud, On-Premises, Hybrid.
Can I use Borg Backup for free?
Yes. Borg Backup has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Commvault Complete Data Protection starts at On request.
What is Borg Backup best used for?
Borg Backup is most often used for deduplicated backups where daily full snapshots would otherwise be expensive, encrypted backup to a server you do not fully trust, since the server never sees plaintext, browsing previous versions by mounting an archive over fuse, scripted server backups with no agent or daemon to run. Of those, deduplicated backups where daily full snapshots would otherwise be expensive and encrypted backup to a server you do not fully trust, since the server never sees plaintext are not what Commvault Complete Data Protection is typically brought in for.
What can Borg Backup do that Commvault Complete Data Protection cannot?
Borg Backup covers Content-defined chunking, Deduplication, Compression, Authenticated encryption. Commvault Complete Data Protection covers Unified data protection, Automated recovery orchestration, AI-driven insights, Cloud mobility. Both handle Linux support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Borg Backup: What is the cost of BorgBackup?

BorgBackup is completely free and open source under the BSD license with no mandatory costs for the core software.

Source
Commvault Complete Data Protection: What does Commvault protect?

Commvault protects workloads across on-premises data centers, virtual machines, cloud-native applications, SaaS platforms, and AI data pipelines, offering backup and disaster recovery for diverse environments.

Source
Borg Backup: Are there paid services available for BorgBackup?

Yes, optional third-party services are available: BorgBase for specialized Borg repository hosting, Hetzner Storage Box with Borg support, and rsync.net cloud storage integration.

Source
Commvault Complete Data Protection: Does Commvault work with AWS and Azure?

Yes, Commvault integrates natively with AWS (EC2, RDS, S3, Glacier) and Microsoft Azure (managed and non-managed VMs), with agentless protection via Virtual Server Agent.

Source
Borg Backup: How can I support the BorgBackup project?

BorgBackup accepts voluntary contributions through Open Collective, GitHub Sponsors, Liberapay, and PayPal, though donations are optional.

Source
Commvault Complete Data Protection: What are Commvault's pricing tiers?

Commvault offers Silver (foundational protection and recovery), Gold (automated validation and live replication), and Platinum (data risk visibility and security posture management) packages, with usage-based pricing per workload type.

Source
Commvault Complete Data Protection: Does Commvault support compliance standards?

Yes, Commvault helps organizations meet GDPR, HIPAA, CCPA and other compliance standards, and is ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certified for information security management.

Source
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