Softwr

File Storage · head to head

Carbonite vs VAST Data

Carbonite logo

Carbonite

File Storage

Simple and reliable cloud backup for businesses

From
$6/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
VAST Data logo

VAST Data

File Storage

All-flash storage designed to make hard disk tiers unnecessary

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; VAST Data data reduction ratios drive the economics, and datasets that are already compressed, such as media or encrypted files, reduce poorly and destroy the cost per terabyte case.
  • They diverge on capability: Carbonite covers Automatic backup, VAST Data covers Disaggregated architecture.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Carbonite and VAST Data actually diverge.

Attributes where Carbonite and VAST Data differ
AttributeCarboniteVAST Data
Starting price$6/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWindows, Mac, WebLinux
Founded2005Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (File Storage).

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 VAST Data

  • Disaggregated architecture
  • Similarity-based reduction
  • All-flash single tier
  • Multi-protocol access
  • Wide erasure coding
  • GPU-oriented throughput
  • Snapshots and replication

What people use each for

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

Carbonite

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

VAST Data

  • A GPU training cluster where storage throughput, not compute, is the bottleneck on job completionnot Carbonite
  • A genomics group holding petabytes of sequencing output that must stay immediately readable rather than archived to tapenot Carbonite
  • A quantitative finance team running backtests over historical market data that a disk tier cannot serve fast enoughnot Carbonite
  • An organisation consolidating a fast tier and an archive tier into one system to reduce rack space and power drawnot 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

VAST Data

  • Data reduction ratios drive the economics, and datasets that are already compressed, such as media or encrypted files, reduce poorly and destroy the cost per terabyte case.
  • There is a minimum viable cluster size, so the entry cost is high and the platform is not sensible for a small footprint however attractive the architecture is.
  • Pricing is quoted against effective capacity after reduction, which means the price you signed depends on an assumption about your own data that only becomes measurable after deployment.
  • The platform has expanded into database and data catalogue functions, which broadens the roadmap but means buyers evaluating it as a file system must be careful not to be sold an adjacent product they will not use.
  • As a relatively young vendor in a market of long-lived incumbents, buyers with ten year retention requirements should press on long term support commitments and hardware availability rather than assume them.

Pricing, plan by plan

Carbonite

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

VAST Data

On request
  • VAST Data Platform$undefined/year
    • Priced per usable capacity after data reduction
    • Hardware and software sold together or via certified partners
    • Subscription and capital purchase options

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 VAST Data if

  • You need disaggregated architecture.
  • You work on Linux.
  • You also want similarity-based reduction.
VAST Data review

Questions people ask

Is Carbonite or VAST Data better?
Neither clearly leads. Carbonite starts at $6/month and VAST Data at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Carbonite or VAST Data?
Carbonite starts at $6/month and VAST Data at On request.
Does Carbonite or VAST Data run on more platforms?
Carbonite runs on Windows, Mac, Web. VAST Data runs on Linux.
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 VAST Data is typically brought in for.
What can Carbonite do that VAST Data cannot?
Carbonite covers Automatic backup, Continuous protection, Remote file access, Bare metal restore. VAST Data covers Disaggregated architecture, Similarity-based reduction, All-flash single tier, Multi-protocol access.

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
VAST Data: Do we still need an archive tier?

That is the central claim, and it holds when your data reduces well. Run a reduction assessment on your actual dataset before accepting the economics.

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
VAST Data: How is capacity priced?

On usable capacity after data reduction, quoted rather than published. That makes the reduction ratio assumption the most important number in the contract.

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
VAST Data: Is it suitable for a small deployment?

No. There is a minimum cluster size and the entry cost reflects it. Small footprints are better served elsewhere.

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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