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File Storage & Backup · head to head

Carbonite vs NAKIVO Backup & Replication

Carbonite logo

Carbonite

File Storage & Backup

Simple and reliable cloud backup for businesses

From
$6/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
NAKIVO Backup & Replication logo

NAKIVO Backup & Replication

Backup & Disaster Recovery

Fast and affordable VM backup solution

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only NAKIVO Backup & Replication 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; NAKIVO Backup & Replication no macOS support and limited Linux support due to absence of native Linux agent
  • They diverge on capability: Carbonite covers Automatic backup, NAKIVO Backup & Replication covers Instant VM recovery.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Carbonite and NAKIVO Backup & Replication actually diverge.

Attributes where Carbonite and NAKIVO Backup & Replication differ
AttributeCarboniteNAKIVO Backup & Replication
Starting price$6/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, Mac, WebWindows, Linux, Cloud, On-premise
CategoryFile Storage & BackupBackup & Disaster Recovery
Founded20052012

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
  • Windows Server
  • Mac support

Only in NAKIVO Backup & Replication

  • Instant VM recovery
  • Site recovery
  • Global deduplication
  • Network acceleration
  • Multi-tenancy
  • Self-service portal
  • Nutanix
  • AWS

Both cover

  • Microsoft 365
  • VMware
  • Hyper-V
  • Windows support
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Carbonite

  • Data protection
  • Disaster recovery
  • Business continuity
  • Ransomware protection
  • Compliance

NAKIVO Backup & Replication

  • Data protection
  • Disaster recovery
  • Business continuity
  • Ransomware protection
  • Compliance

Both are used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection, compliance, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

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

NAKIVO Backup & Replication

  • No macOS support and limited Linux support due to absence of native Linux agent
  • Limited SQL Server transaction log backup options restricting database protection granularity
  • Weak ITSM platform integrations - lacks tight integration with ServiceNow or Jira Service Desk
  • Encrypted VMware VMs only support crash-consistent backups in application-aware mode, limiting granular app-level recovery

Pricing, plan by plan

Carbonite

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

NAKIVO Backup & Replication

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the NAKIVO Backup & Replication review.

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 NAKIVO Backup & Replication if

  • You need instant vm recovery.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, Cloud, On-premise.
  • You also want site recovery.
NAKIVO Backup & Replication review

Questions people ask

Is Carbonite or NAKIVO Backup & Replication better?
Neither clearly leads. Carbonite starts at $6/month and NAKIVO Backup & Replication at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Carbonite or NAKIVO Backup & Replication?
NAKIVO Backup & Replication has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $6/month for Carbonite and Free for NAKIVO Backup & Replication.
Does Carbonite or NAKIVO Backup & Replication run on more platforms?
Carbonite runs on Windows, Mac, Web. NAKIVO Backup & Replication runs on Windows, Linux, Cloud, On-premise.
Can I use NAKIVO Backup & Replication for free?
Yes. NAKIVO Backup & Replication 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.
What can Carbonite do that NAKIVO Backup & Replication cannot?
Carbonite covers Automatic backup, Continuous protection, Remote file access, Bare metal restore. NAKIVO Backup & Replication covers Instant VM recovery, Site recovery, Global deduplication, Network acceleration. Both handle Microsoft 365, VMware, Hyper-V, Windows 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
NAKIVO Backup & Replication: What does NAKIVO backup?

NAKIVO backs up virtual machines from VMware vSphere, Hyper-V, Nutanix AHV, and Proxmox VE, plus physical Windows and Linux servers, Amazon EC2 instances, Microsoft 365 data, databases, and NAS file shares.

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
NAKIVO Backup & Replication: What is NAKIVO's pricing structure?

NAKIVO offers subscription pricing starting at $2.45 per workload per month or perpetual licensing starting at $19 per workstation. Additional tiers include $229 per CPU socket for larger deployments. Both on-premise and SaaS deployment options are available.

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
NAKIVO Backup & Replication: Does NAKIVO include ransomware protection?

Yes. NAKIVO includes AES-256 encryption, role-based access control, two-factor authentication, and built-in ransomware protection through immutable storage options.

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
NAKIVO Backup & Replication: Can NAKIVO replicate virtual machines?

Yes. NAKIVO Backup & Replication includes VM replication capabilities, disaster recovery orchestration, and automated failover for business continuity planning.

Source
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