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File Storage · head to head

Carbonite vs Redstor

Carbonite logo

Carbonite

File Storage

Simple and reliable cloud backup for businesses

From
$6/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Redstor logo

Redstor

Backup

Cloud backup for managed service providers with instant streamed recovery

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Carbonite upload speeds are significantly slower than competitors due to lack of block-level algorithms and multithreading; Redstor it is sold through the channel, so you cannot buy it direct and your price and support quality depend entirely on the partner you engage.
  • They diverge on capability: Carbonite covers Automatic backup, Redstor covers InstantData.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Carbonite and Redstor actually diverge.

Attributes where Carbonite and Redstor differ
AttributeCarboniteRedstor
Starting price$6/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWindows, Mac, WebWindows, macOS, Linux, Web
CategoryFile StorageBackup
Founded2005Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Redstor

  • InstantData
  • Multi-tenant console
  • SaaS application backup
  • Regional data centres
  • Malware detection
  • White labelling

What people use each for

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

Carbonite

  • Data protectionnot Redstor
  • Disaster recoverynot Redstor
  • Business continuitynot Redstor
  • Ransomware protectionnot Redstor
  • Compliancenot Redstor

Redstor

  • A UK managed service provider needing client data to stay in UK data centres for public sector contractsnot Carbonite
  • An MSP that wants to promise a recovery time measured in minutes rather than hours for file serversnot Carbonite
  • A business needing Microsoft 365 and accounting SaaS backup managed by its IT provider in one consolenot Carbonite
  • An MSP consolidating several backup products across its client base onto one multi-tenant platformnot 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

Redstor

  • It is sold through the channel, so you cannot buy it direct and your price and support quality depend entirely on the partner you engage.
  • Pricing is not published at all, and because partners resell it with their own margin, comparing quotes across MSPs is comparing partner markups rather than product cost.
  • The InstantData streaming advantage depends on network bandwidth to the data centre, so sites with poor connectivity see much less benefit than the demonstrations suggest.
  • Its footprint is concentrated in the UK, Europe and South Africa, so multinational organisations needing consistent coverage in North America or Asia will find the regional story uneven.
  • Feature depth for large enterprise virtual machine estates trails Veeam and Rubrik, so it fits small and medium client workloads rather than complex data centre recovery.

Pricing, plan by plan

Carbonite

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

Redstor

On request
  • Redstor Platform$undefined/year
    • Sold through managed service providers, priced per protected device or per user
    • Storage included in the per-unit price rather than billed separately
    • No egress or restore charges

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 Redstor if

  • You need instantdata.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, Web.
  • You also want multi-tenant console.
Redstor review

Questions people ask

Is Carbonite or Redstor better?
Neither clearly leads. Carbonite starts at $6/month and Redstor at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Carbonite or Redstor?
Carbonite starts at $6/month and Redstor at On request.
Does Carbonite or Redstor run on more platforms?
Carbonite runs on Windows, Mac, Web. Redstor runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Web.
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 Redstor is typically brought in for.
What can Carbonite do that Redstor cannot?
Carbonite covers Automatic backup, Continuous protection, Remote file access, Bare metal restore. Redstor covers InstantData, Multi-tenant console, SaaS application backup, Regional data centres.

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
Redstor: Can we buy Redstor directly?

Generally no. It is a channel product sold through managed service providers, so partner selection is part of the buying decision.

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
Redstor: Are there restore or egress charges?

Redstor includes storage and recovery in the per-unit price rather than charging separately for egress, which is the opposite of the cloud-native backup vendors.

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
Redstor: Where is data stored?

UK and regional data centres, selectable by tenant, which is the reason UK public sector and legal clients tend to shortlist it.

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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