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Cloud · head to head

CapRover vs Proxmox Backup Server

CapRover logo

CapRover

Cloud

Free self-hosted platform built on Docker Swarm with a dashboard and automatic certificates

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Proxmox Backup Server logo

Proxmox Backup Server

Backup

Deduplicating backup server for virtual machines, containers and Linux hosts, with verification built in

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CapRover since June 2026 one pseudonymous account wrote 97 of roughly 100 commits and the next human contributor wrote one, so there is no identifiable person or company to contract with, escalate to or hold responsible.; Proxmox Backup Server there is no Windows client, so physical Windows machines must be backed up by something else and the estate ends up with two backup products.
  • They diverge on capability: CapRover covers One-click applications, Proxmox Backup Server covers Deduplicated chunk store.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CapRover and Proxmox Backup Server actually diverge.

Attributes where CapRover and Proxmox Backup Server differ
AttributeCapRoverProxmox Backup Server
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Docker, CLI, Self-hostedLinux
CategoryCloudBackup

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 CapRover

  • One-click applications
  • Automatic certificates
  • Web dashboard
  • Multiple deploy paths
  • Docker Swarm clustering
  • Custom nginx configuration

Only in Proxmox Backup Server

  • Deduplicated chunk store
  • Incremental guest backups
  • Client side encryption
  • Verification jobs
  • Remote sync
  • Live restore and file level restore

What people use each for

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

CapRover

  • Running a personal server or homelab with several applications behind automatic certificatesnot Proxmox Backup Server
  • A two person team that wants a dashboard rather than a terminal for deployments on one boxnot Proxmox Backup Server
  • Standing up one-click databases and internal tools without writing Compose filesnot Proxmox Backup Server
  • Hosting client demos cheaply where downtime is inconvenient rather than expensivenot Proxmox Backup Server

Proxmox Backup Server

  • Backing up a Proxmox VE cluster with incremental block level backups of running guestsnot CapRover
  • Replacing a backup product whose licence is priced per socket or per terabyte on a virtualisation estatenot CapRover
  • Proving backup integrity on a schedule rather than discovering corruption during a restorenot CapRover
  • Keeping an encrypted second copy on a remote server or on tape without a third party servicenot CapRover

Where each one falls short

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

CapRover

  • Since June 2026 one pseudonymous account wrote 97 of roughly 100 commits and the next human contributor wrote one, so there is no identifiable person or company to contract with, escalate to or hold responsible.
  • Donations over the last twelve months totalled 285 US dollars and there is no commercial tier, so no paid support exists at any price and no maintenance commitment is funded.
  • The LICENSE file is Apache 2.0 with a superseding appendix that bans redistributing a paid version and refers to paid features that do not yet exist, and GitHub cannot classify it, so the terms already anticipate a commercial change of direction.
  • Releases arrive in bursts with an eleven month gap between September 2023 and August 2024 and two further gaps of about six months since, so there is no basis for assuming a security fix will land promptly.
  • The backup feature is documented as experimental, covers only the CapRover configuration directory and explicitly excludes persistent volumes and container images, so every database has to be dumped separately with its container stopped.

Proxmox Backup Server

  • There is no Windows client, so physical Windows machines must be backed up by something else and the estate ends up with two backup products.
  • The datastore is millions of small chunk files, so it needs storage with real input and output capability and performs poorly on a single spinning disk or an SMB or NFS share.
  • Deduplication is per datastore, so splitting workloads across datastores for retention or tenancy reasons multiplies the storage those workloads consume.
  • Garbage collection depends on file access time semantics on the underlying filesystem, so a datastore mounted with the wrong options can fail to reclaim space or, worse, behave unpredictably.
  • Subscriptions are priced per CPU socket per year, so a backup server consolidated onto fewer larger dual socket machines pays twice per host for the supported repository.

Pricing, plan by plan

CapRover

Free
  • CapRoverFree
    • No paid tier and no hosted offering
    • Unlimited applications, servers and users
    • Community support through Slack and GitHub

Proxmox Backup Server

Free
  • No subscriptionFree
    • Full functionality with no capacity limit
    • Community package repository
    • Community forum support
  • Subscription$undefined/year
    • Priced per CPU socket per year
    • Access to the enterprise package repository
    • Vendor support tickets

Which should you pick?

Choose CapRover if

  • You need one-click applications.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux, Docker, CLI, Self-hosted.
  • You also want automatic certificates.
CapRover review

Choose Proxmox Backup Server if

  • You need deduplicated chunk store.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux.
  • You also want incremental guest backups.
Proxmox Backup Server review

Questions people ask

Is CapRover or Proxmox Backup Server better?
Neither clearly leads. CapRover starts at Free and Proxmox Backup Server at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CapRover or Proxmox Backup Server?
CapRover starts at Free and Proxmox Backup Server at Free.
Does CapRover or Proxmox Backup Server run on more platforms?
CapRover runs on Web, Linux, Docker, CLI, Self-hosted. Proxmox Backup Server runs on Linux.
Can I use CapRover for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is CapRover best used for?
CapRover is most often used for running a personal server or homelab with several applications behind automatic certificates, a two person team that wants a dashboard rather than a terminal for deployments on one box, standing up one-click databases and internal tools without writing compose files, hosting client demos cheaply where downtime is inconvenient rather than expensive. Of those, running a personal server or homelab with several applications behind automatic certificates and a two person team that wants a dashboard rather than a terminal for deployments on one box are not what Proxmox Backup Server is typically brought in for.
What can CapRover do that Proxmox Backup Server cannot?
CapRover covers One-click applications, Automatic certificates, Web dashboard, Multiple deploy paths. Proxmox Backup Server covers Deduplicated chunk store, Incremental guest backups, Client side encryption, Verification jobs.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CapRover: Does CapRover cost anything?

No. There is no paid tier and no hosted version. The only income is donations, which came to 285 US dollars over the last twelve months.

Proxmox Backup Server: Can it back up machines that are not on Proxmox?

Linux hosts yes, through the client, at file level. Other hypervisors and physical Windows machines are outside its scope.

CapRover: Is the licence really Apache 2.0?

Not quite. The LICENSE file is Apache 2.0 plus an appendix that supersedes it in case of conflict, forbidding modification of paid features and redistribution of a paid version. GitHub does not recognise the result as a standard licence.

Proxmox Backup Server: Is a subscription required?

No. Without one you use the community repository and forum support. The subscription buys the tested enterprise repository and vendor tickets.

CapRover: Does the backup feature protect my databases?

No. It backs up the CapRover configuration directory only and explicitly excludes persistent directories and container images. You have to dump each database yourself with the container stopped.

Proxmox Backup Server: How do I know a backup will restore?

Run verification jobs. They re-read the stored chunks and mark snapshots verified or failed, which is stronger evidence than a successful backup log.

CapRover: Can I move off Docker Swarm later?

Not without rebuilding. CapRover is architecturally tied to Swarm, so outgrowing it means migrating applications to a different platform rather than switching a scheduler.

Proxmox Backup Server: What storage should the datastore be on?

Local disks, ideally with ZFS and enough input and output capacity for many small files. Network shares are supported but routinely disappointing.

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