Softwr

Backup · head to head

Clonezilla vs IBM Storage Protect

Clonezilla logo

Clonezilla

Backup

Free disk cloning and imaging solution

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
IBM Storage Protect logo

IBM Storage Protect

Backup

Enterprise-scale data protection platform

From
$100/month
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; IBM Storage Protect iBM United Kingdom Limited lists IBM Storage Protect for Cloud (Microsoft 365 edition) on G-Cloud 14 at £50.64 per user per year
  • They diverge on capability: Clonezilla covers Disk/partition imaging, IBM Storage Protect covers Progressive incremental backup.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Clonezilla and IBM Storage Protect actually diverge.

Attributes where Clonezilla and IBM Storage Protect differ
AttributeClonezillaIBM Storage Protect
Starting priceFree$100/month
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, WindowsWindows, Linux, Web
Founded20041911

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 IBM Storage Protect

  • Progressive incremental backup
  • Policy-based management
  • Container protection
  • Kubernetes support
  • Data deduplication
  • Instant restore
  • 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 IBM Storage Protect
  • Disk imaging and restorationnot IBM Storage Protect
  • Mass deployment scenariosnot IBM Storage Protect
  • Enterprise-scale cloning operationsnot IBM Storage Protect

IBM Storage Protect

  • 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

IBM Storage Protect

  • IBM United Kingdom Limited lists IBM Storage Protect for Cloud (Microsoft 365 edition) on G-Cloud 14 at £50.64 per user per year

Pricing, plan by plan

Clonezilla

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

IBM Storage Protect

$100/month
  • Storage Protect$100/month
    • Progressive incremental
    • Container support
    • Policy automation

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 IBM Storage Protect if

  • You need progressive incremental backup.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, Web.
  • You also want policy-based management.
IBM Storage Protect review

Questions people ask

Is Clonezilla or IBM Storage Protect better?
Neither clearly leads. Clonezilla starts at Free and IBM Storage Protect at $100/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Clonezilla or IBM Storage Protect?
Clonezilla has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Clonezilla and $100/month for IBM Storage Protect.
Does Clonezilla or IBM Storage Protect run on more platforms?
Clonezilla runs on Linux, Windows. IBM Storage Protect runs on Windows, Linux, Web.
Can I use Clonezilla for free?
Yes. Clonezilla has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. IBM Storage Protect starts at $100/month.
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 IBM Storage Protect is typically brought in for.
What can Clonezilla do that IBM Storage Protect cannot?
Clonezilla covers Disk/partition imaging, Disk cloning, Multicast deployment, Multiple file systems. IBM Storage Protect covers Progressive incremental backup, Policy-based management, Container protection, Kubernetes support. 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
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
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.

Share

Related pages

More on Clonezilla

More on IBM Storage Protect

Keep looking

Other head to heads