Software · head to head
Clonezilla vs CloudAlly
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Clonezilla the destination partition must be equal to or larger than the source partition; CloudAlly pricing not transparently displayed; requires customer inquiry
- They diverge on capability: Clonezilla covers Disk/partition imaging, CloudAlly covers Automated daily backup.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Clonezilla and CloudAlly actually diverge.
| Attribute | Clonezilla | CloudAlly |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | free | subscription |
| Platforms | Linux, Windows | Web, Cloud |
| Founded | 2004 | 2011 |
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 Clonezilla
- Disk/partition imaging
- Disk cloning
- Multicast deployment
- Multiple file systems
- Encryption support
- Unattended mode
- PXE boot
- DRBL
Only in CloudAlly
- Automated daily backup
- Point-in-time recovery
- Cross-account restore
- Archive export
- Activity logs
- Multi-admin support
- Microsoft 365
- Google Workspace
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Clonezilla
- Bare metal backup and restore of a whole disk or partitionnot CloudAlly
- Mass deployment of a disk image to many PCs over the networknot CloudAlly
CloudAlly
- Data protectionnot Clonezilla
- Disaster recoverynot Clonezilla
- Business continuitynot Clonezilla
- Ransomware protectionnot Clonezilla
- Compliancenot Clonezilla
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Clonezilla
- The destination partition must be equal to or larger than the source partition
- Differential and incremental backup is not implemented
- Online imaging and cloning is not implemented; the partition being imaged or cloned has to be unmounted first
- The image format cannot be explored or mounted, so a single file cannot be recovered from an image
- Recovery media spanning multiple CDs or DVDs is not implemented; the recovery ISO must fit on one disc
- Clonezilla SE requires a DRBL server to be prepared in advance and the target machine to boot from the network
- Runs only on x86 or x86-64 processors and needs at least 196 MB of RAM
CloudAlly
- Pricing not transparently displayed; requires customer inquiry
- Limited visibility into data center locations for compliance-sensitive organizations
- Transition to OpenText Cybersecurity branding may cause confusion
Pricing, plan by plan
Clonezilla
Free- FreeFree
- Disk cloning
- Multicast
- Multiple file systems
CloudAlly
Free- CloudAlly Backup$3/month
- Daily backup
- Point-in-time restore
- Unlimited storage
Which should you pick?
Choose Clonezilla if
- You need disk/partition imaging.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Windows.
- You also want disk cloning.
Choose CloudAlly if
- You need automated daily backup.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Cloud.
- You also want point-in-time recovery.
Questions people ask
- Is Clonezilla or CloudAlly better?
- Neither clearly leads. Clonezilla starts at Free and CloudAlly at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Clonezilla or CloudAlly?
- Clonezilla starts at Free and CloudAlly at Free.
- Does Clonezilla or CloudAlly run on more platforms?
- Clonezilla runs on Linux, Windows. CloudAlly runs on Web, Cloud.
- Can I use Clonezilla for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Clonezilla best used for?
- Clonezilla is most often used for bare metal backup and restore of a whole disk or partition, mass deployment of a disk image to many pcs over the network. Of those, bare metal backup and restore of a whole disk or partition and mass deployment of a disk image to many pcs over the network are not what CloudAlly is typically brought in for.
- What can Clonezilla do that CloudAlly cannot?
- Clonezilla covers Disk/partition imaging, Disk cloning, Multicast deployment, Multiple file systems. CloudAlly covers Automated daily backup, Point-in-time recovery, Cross-account restore, Archive export.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
CloudAlly: What cloud applications can CloudAlly backup?
CloudAlly backs up Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, SharePoint/OneDrive, Salesforce, Box, and Dropbox with daily automated backups and unlimited retention.
SourceCloudAlly: How is CloudAlly data encrypted and stored?
CloudAlly stores backups on AWS servers with 128-bit SSL encryption and AES 256-bit encryption, maintaining compliance certifications including ISO 27001, HIPAA, and GDPR.
SourceCloudAlly: What recovery options does CloudAlly provide?
CloudAlly offers granular point-in-time recovery with unlimited retention, allowing three-click recovery of deleted files, and point-in-time restore capabilities for ransomware protection.
Source