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Chef vs IDrive

Chef logo

Chef

Software

Infrastructure automation and management

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
IDrive logo

IDrive

Software

Affordable online backup with multiple device support

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Chef priced per node per year, at $59 on Business and $189 on Enterprise, so cost scales with fleet size rather than with team size; IDrive the advertised annual rates are first year introductory prices, with standard pricing applying from the second year onward
  • They diverge on capability: Chef covers Recipes, IDrive covers Multiple device backup.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Chef and IDrive actually diverge.

Attributes where Chef and IDrive differ
AttributeChefIDrive
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
PlatformsLinux, Windows, Mac, ApiWindows, Mac, Linux, Web
Founded20091995

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Chef

  • Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • Roles
  • Data bags
  • Attributes
  • Chef Server
  • Chef Infra
  • Chef Compliance

Only in IDrive

  • Multiple device backup
  • True archiving
  • Continuous protection
  • IDrive Express
  • Snapshots
  • File sharing
  • iOS
  • Android

Both cover

  • Linux support
  • Windows support
  • Mac support

What people use each for

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

Chef

  • Configuration management and infrastructure automation across server fleetsnot IDrive
  • Enforcing compliance and audit policy on managed nodesnot IDrive

IDrive

  • Online backup for computers, servers and mobile devicesnot Chef
  • Backing up multiple machines under one accountnot Chef

Where each one falls short

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

Chef

  • Priced per node per year, at $59 on Business and $189 on Enterprise, so cost scales with fleet size rather than with team size
  • Tripling the price between the two published tiers puts compliance and audit features well above basic automation
  • Enterprise Plus and every self managed deployment are custom quoted with no published price

IDrive

  • The advertised annual rates are first year introductory prices, with standard pricing applying from the second year onward
  • The two year offer discounts only the first year, so the second year reverts to the full rate
  • Team plans tie user and computer counts to the storage tier, so 10 TB means exactly 10 computers
  • Business storage costs far more per terabyte than Personal, at $719.88 a year for 1.25 TB against $143.88 for 5 TB

Pricing, plan by plan

Chef

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Chef Infra
    • Community support
    • Full functionality
  • Chef Automate$4000/year
    • Chef Infra
    • Compliance automation
    • Insights

IDrive

Free
  • Personal$4/month
    • 5TB storage
    • Unlimited devices
    • IDrive Express

Which should you pick?

Choose Chef if

  • You need recipes.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Mac, Api.
  • You also want cookbooks.
Chef review

Choose IDrive if

  • You need multiple device backup.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, Linux, Web.
  • You also want true archiving.
IDrive review

Questions people ask

Is Chef or IDrive better?
Neither clearly leads. Chef starts at Free and IDrive at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Chef or IDrive?
Chef starts at Free and IDrive at Free.
Does Chef or IDrive run on more platforms?
Chef runs on Linux, Windows, Mac, Api. IDrive runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Web.
Can I use Chef for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Chef best used for?
Chef is most often used for configuration management and infrastructure automation across server fleets, enforcing compliance and audit policy on managed nodes. Of those, configuration management and infrastructure automation across server fleets and enforcing compliance and audit policy on managed nodes are not what IDrive is typically brought in for.
What can Chef do that IDrive cannot?
Chef covers Recipes, Cookbooks, Roles, Data bags. IDrive covers Multiple device backup, True archiving, Continuous protection, IDrive Express. Both handle Linux support, Windows support, Mac support.
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