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Backup · head to head

Clonezilla vs Redstor

Clonezilla logo

Clonezilla

Backup

Free disk cloning and imaging solution

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Redstor logo

Redstor

Backup

Cloud backup for managed service providers with instant streamed recovery

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; Redstor it is sold through the channel, so you cannot buy it direct and your price and support quality depend entirely on the partner you engage.
  • They diverge on capability: Clonezilla covers Disk/partition imaging, Redstor covers InstantData.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Clonezilla and Redstor actually diverge.

Attributes where Clonezilla and Redstor differ
AttributeClonezillaRedstor
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, WindowsWindows, macOS, Linux, Web
Founded2004Unknown

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 Redstor

  • InstantData
  • Multi-tenant console
  • SaaS application backup
  • Regional data centres
  • Malware detection
  • White labelling

What people use each for

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

Clonezilla

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

Redstor

  • A UK managed service provider needing client data to stay in UK data centres for public sector contractsnot Clonezilla
  • An MSP that wants to promise a recovery time measured in minutes rather than hours for file serversnot Clonezilla
  • A business needing Microsoft 365 and accounting SaaS backup managed by its IT provider in one consolenot Clonezilla
  • An MSP consolidating several backup products across its client base onto one multi-tenant platformnot 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

Redstor

  • It is sold through the channel, so you cannot buy it direct and your price and support quality depend entirely on the partner you engage.
  • Pricing is not published at all, and because partners resell it with their own margin, comparing quotes across MSPs is comparing partner markups rather than product cost.
  • The InstantData streaming advantage depends on network bandwidth to the data centre, so sites with poor connectivity see much less benefit than the demonstrations suggest.
  • Its footprint is concentrated in the UK, Europe and South Africa, so multinational organisations needing consistent coverage in North America or Asia will find the regional story uneven.
  • Feature depth for large enterprise virtual machine estates trails Veeam and Rubrik, so it fits small and medium client workloads rather than complex data centre recovery.

Pricing, plan by plan

Clonezilla

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

Redstor

On request
  • Redstor Platform$undefined/year
    • Sold through managed service providers, priced per protected device or per user
    • Storage included in the per-unit price rather than billed separately
    • No egress or restore charges

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 Redstor if

  • You need instantdata.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, Web.
  • You also want multi-tenant console.
Redstor review

Questions people ask

Is Clonezilla or Redstor better?
Neither clearly leads. Clonezilla starts at Free and Redstor at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Clonezilla or Redstor?
Clonezilla has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Clonezilla and On request for Redstor.
Does Clonezilla or Redstor run on more platforms?
Clonezilla runs on Linux, Windows. Redstor runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Web.
Can I use Clonezilla for free?
Yes. Clonezilla has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Redstor 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 Redstor is typically brought in for.
What can Clonezilla do that Redstor cannot?
Clonezilla covers Disk/partition imaging, Disk cloning, Multicast deployment, Multiple file systems. Redstor covers InstantData, Multi-tenant console, SaaS application backup, Regional data centres.

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
Redstor: Can we buy Redstor directly?

Generally no. It is a channel product sold through managed service providers, so partner selection is part of the buying decision.

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
Redstor: Are there restore or egress charges?

Redstor includes storage and recovery in the per-unit price rather than charging separately for egress, which is the opposite of the cloud-native backup vendors.

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.

Redstor: Where is data stored?

UK and regional data centres, selectable by tenant, which is the reason UK public sector and legal clients tend to shortlist it.

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