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File Storage & Backup · head to head

Carbonite vs Hetzner Cloud

Carbonite logo

Carbonite

File Storage & Backup

Simple and reliable cloud backup for businesses

From
$6/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Hetzner Cloud logo

Hetzner Cloud

Cloud & Infrastructure

Affordable cloud servers in Europe

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Hetzner Cloud has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Carbonite upload speeds are significantly slower than competitors due to lack of block-level algorithms and multithreading; Hetzner Cloud cost-Optimized plans are shown as currently unavailable
  • They diverge on capability: Carbonite covers Automatic backup, Hetzner Cloud covers Cloud servers.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Carbonite and Hetzner Cloud actually diverge.

Attributes where Carbonite and Hetzner Cloud differ
AttributeCarboniteHetzner Cloud
Starting price$6/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionusage-based
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, Mac, WebWeb, Api, Cli
CategoryFile Storage & BackupCloud & Infrastructure
Founded20051997

Identical on both: 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 Carbonite

  • Automatic backup
  • Continuous protection
  • Remote file access
  • Bare metal restore
  • Encryption
  • Compliance support
  • Microsoft 365
  • Windows Server

Only in Hetzner Cloud

  • Cloud servers
  • Block storage
  • Object storage
  • Load balancers
  • Networks
  • Firewalls
  • Floating IPs
  • Backups

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Carbonite

  • Data protectionnot Hetzner Cloud
  • Disaster recoverynot Hetzner Cloud
  • Business continuitynot Hetzner Cloud
  • Ransomware protectionnot Hetzner Cloud
  • Compliancenot Hetzner Cloud

Hetzner Cloud

  • Low-cost virtual servers for development and testingnot Carbonite
  • European hosting with data held in Germany or Finlandnot Carbonite
  • Workloads with heavy egress, where included traffic mattersnot Carbonite
  • Self-hosting applications away from the hyperscalersnot Carbonite

Where each one falls short

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

Carbonite

  • Upload speeds are significantly slower than competitors due to lack of block-level algorithms and multithreading
  • Bandwidth throttling control is limited, preventing users from managing full bandwidth allocation
  • Mobile apps and web access are more limited than sync-first services like Dropbox or Google Drive
  • Uses AES-128 encryption instead of industry-standard AES-256
  • Hybrid backup support is restricted to professional plans, unavailable for personal users

Hetzner Cloud

  • Cost-Optimized plans are shown as currently unavailable
  • The shared-resource tiers are positioned for variable usage and development rather than sustained production workloads
  • Regions are limited to Germany, Finland, the United States and Singapore, so latency to other markets is a real constraint
  • The uptime guarantee is 99.9 percent, below what the large hyperscalers offer on comparable services
  • Support is 24/7 by email, without a phone channel

Pricing, plan by plan

Carbonite

$6/month
  • Basic$6/month
    • Automatic backup
    • Unlimited cloud storage
    • Easy restore

Hetzner Cloud

Free
  • CX11$3.29/month
    • 1 vCPU
    • 1GB RAM
    • 25GB SSD
  • CX21$6.59/month
    • 2 vCPU
    • 4GB RAM
    • 40GB SSD

Which should you pick?

Choose Carbonite if

  • You need automatic backup.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, Web.
  • You also want continuous protection.
Carbonite review

Choose Hetzner Cloud if

  • You need cloud servers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api, Cli.
  • You also want block storage.
Hetzner Cloud review

Questions people ask

Is Carbonite or Hetzner Cloud better?
Neither clearly leads. Carbonite starts at $6/month and Hetzner Cloud at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Carbonite or Hetzner Cloud?
Hetzner Cloud has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $6/month for Carbonite and Free for Hetzner Cloud.
Does Carbonite or Hetzner Cloud run on more platforms?
Carbonite runs on Windows, Mac, Web. Hetzner Cloud runs on Web, Api, Cli.
Can I use Hetzner Cloud for free?
Yes. Hetzner Cloud has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Carbonite starts at $6/month.
What is Carbonite best used for?
Carbonite is most often used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection. Of those, data protection and disaster recovery are not what Hetzner Cloud is typically brought in for.
What can Carbonite do that Hetzner Cloud cannot?
Carbonite covers Automatic backup, Continuous protection, Remote file access, Bare metal restore. Hetzner Cloud covers Cloud servers, Block storage, Object storage, Load balancers. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Carbonite: Does Carbonite offer unlimited storage?

Yes, Carbonite's personal plans (Safe Basic through Safe Server Ultimate) offer unlimited cloud storage, though business plans have tiered storage starting at 250 GB.

Source
Carbonite: What is Carbonite's pricing?

Personal plans range from $4.91 to $83.33 per month with annual billing. Business plans start around $50-$75 per endpoint annually, with volume discounts available for multi-year contracts.

Source
Carbonite: How fast are Carbonite's upload speeds?

Carbonite's upload speeds are notably slow and are consistently identified as the platform's main weakness. The lack of block-level algorithms and multithreading contributes to these speed limitations.

Source
Carbonite: What encryption does Carbonite use?

Carbonite uses AES-128 encryption at rest, which is an unusual choice in 2026 when AES-256 is the industry standard.

Source
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