Softwr

Software · head to head

Borg Backup vs Dell EMC NetWorker

Borg Backup logo

Borg Backup

Software

Deduplicating archiver with compression and encryption

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Dell EMC NetWorker logo

Dell EMC NetWorker

Software

Unified data protection for the enterprise

From
$80/month
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; Dell EMC NetWorker the Internet Archive's capture of Dell's NetWorker page on 9 December 2023 confirmed the product is sold only through direct enterprise sales engagement, with no price figure published on the page.
  • They diverge on capability: Borg Backup covers Content-defined chunking, Dell EMC NetWorker covers ProtectPoint integration.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Borg Backup and Dell EMC NetWorker actually diverge.

Attributes where Borg Backup and Dell EMC NetWorker differ
AttributeBorg BackupDell EMC NetWorker
Starting priceFree$80/month
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, MacWindows, Linux, Web
Founded20151984

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

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 Dell EMC NetWorker

  • ProtectPoint integration
  • Instant access
  • Cloud tiering
  • Federated deduplication
  • Block-based backup
  • Virtual synthetic full
  • VMware
  • Hyper-V

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 Dell EMC NetWorker
  • Encrypted backup to a server you do not fully trust, since the server never sees plaintextnot Dell EMC NetWorker
  • Browsing previous versions by mounting an archive over FUSEnot Dell EMC NetWorker
  • Scripted server backups with no agent or daemon to runnot Dell EMC NetWorker

Dell EMC NetWorker

  • 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

Dell EMC NetWorker

  • The Internet Archive's capture of Dell's NetWorker page on 9 December 2023 confirmed the product is sold only through direct enterprise sales engagement, with no price figure published on the page.

Pricing, plan by plan

Borg Backup

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Deduplication
    • Compression
    • Encryption

Dell EMC NetWorker

$80/month
  • NetWorker$80/month
    • ProtectPoint
    • Instant access
    • Cloud tiering

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 Dell EMC NetWorker if

  • You need protectpoint integration.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, Web.
  • You also want instant access.
Dell EMC NetWorker review

Questions people ask

Is Borg Backup or Dell EMC NetWorker better?
Neither clearly leads. Borg Backup starts at Free and Dell EMC NetWorker at $80/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Borg Backup or Dell EMC NetWorker?
Borg Backup has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Borg Backup and $80/month for Dell EMC NetWorker.
Does Borg Backup or Dell EMC NetWorker run on more platforms?
Borg Backup runs on Linux, Mac. Dell EMC NetWorker runs on Windows, Linux, Web.
Can I use Borg Backup for free?
Yes. Borg Backup has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Dell EMC NetWorker starts at $80/month.
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 Dell EMC NetWorker is typically brought in for.
What can Borg Backup do that Dell EMC NetWorker cannot?
Borg Backup covers Content-defined chunking, Deduplication, Compression, Authenticated encryption. Dell EMC NetWorker covers ProtectPoint integration, Instant access, Cloud tiering, Federated deduplication. Both handle Linux support.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Borg Backup

More on Dell EMC NetWorker

Keep looking

Other head to heads