Softwr

Backup · head to head

Clonezilla vs Cohesity DataProtect

Clonezilla logo

Clonezilla

Backup

Free disk cloning and imaging solution

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Cohesity DataProtect logo

Cohesity DataProtect

Backup

Hyperconverged secondary data protection

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Clonezilla has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Clonezilla the destination partition must be equal to or larger than the source partition; Cohesity DataProtect primarily focused on enterprise customers; less suitable for small businesses
  • They diverge on capability: Clonezilla covers Disk/partition imaging, Cohesity DataProtect covers Hyperconverged architecture.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Clonezilla and Cohesity DataProtect actually diverge.

Attributes where Clonezilla and Cohesity DataProtect differ
AttributeClonezillaCohesity DataProtect
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreeUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, WindowsOn-premises, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud
Founded20042013

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Backup).

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 Cohesity DataProtect

  • Hyperconverged architecture
  • Instant mass restore
  • Global deduplication
  • Global search
  • Ransomware protection
  • Cloud tiering
  • VMware
  • Hyper-V

Both cover

  • Linux support
  • Windows support

What people use each for

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

Clonezilla

  • System backup and cloningnot Cohesity DataProtect
  • Disk imaging and restorationnot Cohesity DataProtect
  • Mass deployment scenariosnot Cohesity DataProtect
  • Enterprise-scale cloning operationsnot Cohesity DataProtect

Cohesity DataProtect

  • 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

Cohesity DataProtect

  • Primarily focused on enterprise customers; less suitable for small businesses
  • Requires significant IT expertise to optimize deduplication and retention policies
  • High upfront infrastructure costs for on-premises deployment

Pricing, plan by plan

Clonezilla

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Disk cloning
    • Multicast
    • Multiple file systems

Cohesity DataProtect

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Cohesity DataProtect review.

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.
Clonezilla review

Choose Cohesity DataProtect if

  • You need hyperconverged architecture.
  • You work on On-premises, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud.
  • You also want instant mass restore.
Cohesity DataProtect review

Questions people ask

Is Clonezilla or Cohesity DataProtect better?
Neither clearly leads. Clonezilla starts at Free and Cohesity DataProtect at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Clonezilla or Cohesity DataProtect?
Clonezilla has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Clonezilla and On request for Cohesity DataProtect.
Does Clonezilla or Cohesity DataProtect run on more platforms?
Clonezilla runs on Linux, Windows. Cohesity DataProtect runs on On-premises, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud.
Can I use Clonezilla for free?
Yes. Clonezilla has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cohesity DataProtect starts at On request.
What is Clonezilla best used for?
Clonezilla is most often used for system backup and cloning, disk imaging and restoration, mass deployment scenarios, enterprise-scale cloning operations. Of those, system backup and cloning and disk imaging and restoration are not what Cohesity DataProtect is typically brought in for.
What can Clonezilla do that Cohesity DataProtect cannot?
Clonezilla covers Disk/partition imaging, Disk cloning, Multicast deployment, Multiple file systems. Cohesity DataProtect covers Hyperconverged architecture, Instant mass restore, Global deduplication, Global search. Both handle Linux support, Windows support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Clonezilla: Is Clonezilla free?

Yes, Clonezilla is completely free and open-source software licensed under GNU General Public License version 2. There are no paid versions, premium features, or subscription costs.

Source
Cohesity DataProtect: What is the main benefit of Cohesity DataProtect's instant recovery?

Cohesity uniquely reduces downtime by enabling instant mass restoration of any number of VMs, large volumes of unstructured data, and Oracle databases to any point in time.

Source
Clonezilla: What Clonezilla editions are available at no cost?

All three editions are free: Clonezilla Live for individual machine backups, Clonezilla Lite Server for mass deployment, and Clonezilla SE for large-scale enterprise cloning operations.

Source
Cohesity DataProtect: How much can Cohesity reduce data protection costs?

Cohesity DataProtect reduces data protection costs by 70% or more through unified management and deduplication.

Source
Clonezilla: Can I use Clonezilla commercially?

Yes, Clonezilla's GPL v2 license allows free commercial use. The software is open-source and requires no licensing fees for any deployment scenario.

Cohesity DataProtect: What platforms and workloads does Cohesity DataProtect support?

Cohesity DataProtect protects on-premises systems, multiple cloud environments, and SaaS applications through a single unified platform.

Source
Cohesity DataProtect: Does Cohesity use security best practices for backup protection?

Yes. Cohesity DataProtect uses multilayered security architecture designed to minimize the risk of backups becoming a ransomware target.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Clonezilla

More on Cohesity DataProtect

Keep looking

Other head to heads