Software · head to head
CloudAlly vs Arcserve UDP
The short version
- Only CloudAlly has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: CloudAlly pricing not transparently displayed; requires customer inquiry; Arcserve UDP multiple security vulnerabilities documented in 2025-2026 including authentication bypass and buffer overflow issues
- They diverge on capability: CloudAlly covers Automated daily backup, Arcserve UDP covers Assured recovery testing.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which CloudAlly and Arcserve UDP actually diverge.
| Attribute | CloudAlly | Arcserve UDP |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $25/month |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, Cloud | Windows, Linux |
| Founded | 2011 | 1983 |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 CloudAlly
- Automated daily backup
- Point-in-time recovery
- Cross-account restore
- Archive export
- Activity logs
- Multi-admin support
- Microsoft 365
- Google Workspace
Only in Arcserve UDP
- Assured recovery testing
- Instant VM recovery
- Deep application support
- Ransomware protection
- Tape backup
- Hardware snapshots
- VMware
- Hyper-V
Both cover
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
CloudAlly
- Data protection
- Disaster recovery
- Business continuity
- Ransomware protection
- Compliance
Arcserve UDP
- Data protection
- Disaster recovery
- Business continuity
- Ransomware protection
- Compliance
Both are used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection, compliance, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Arcserve UDP
- Multiple security vulnerabilities documented in 2025-2026 including authentication bypass and buffer overflow issues
- Slow restore speeds for large backup tasks and recovery operations
- Requires full backup when changing drive sizes, causing extended backup windows
Pricing, plan by plan
CloudAlly
Free- CloudAlly Backup$3/month
- Daily backup
- Point-in-time restore
- Unlimited storage
Arcserve UDP
$25/month- UDP Premium$25/month
- Assured recovery
- Instant VM
- Tape support
Which should you pick?
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.
Choose Arcserve UDP if
- You need assured recovery testing.
- You work on Windows, Linux.
- You also want instant vm recovery.
Questions people ask
- Is CloudAlly or Arcserve UDP better?
- Neither clearly leads. CloudAlly starts at Free and Arcserve UDP at $25/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, CloudAlly or Arcserve UDP?
- CloudAlly has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for CloudAlly and $25/month for Arcserve UDP.
- Does CloudAlly or Arcserve UDP run on more platforms?
- CloudAlly runs on Web, Cloud. Arcserve UDP runs on Windows, Linux.
- Can I use CloudAlly for free?
- Yes. CloudAlly has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Arcserve UDP starts at $25/month.
- What is CloudAlly best used for?
- CloudAlly is most often used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection.
- What can CloudAlly do that Arcserve UDP cannot?
- CloudAlly covers Automated daily backup, Point-in-time recovery, Cross-account restore, Archive export. Arcserve UDP covers Assured recovery testing, Instant VM recovery, Deep application support, Ransomware protection. Both handle Web support.
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.
SourceArcserve UDP: What licensing model does Arcserve UDP use?
Arcserve UDP uses a capacity-based subscription model (Managed Capacity Program) where you license based on total front-end terabytes of protected data rather than per-device. Available in Standard, Advanced, and Premium editions.
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.
SourceArcserve UDP: Does Arcserve UDP support cloud backup?
Yes. Arcserve UDP integrates with multiple cloud providers including AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and Wasabi for offsite backup and disaster recovery storage.
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.
SourceArcserve UDP: What hypervisors does Arcserve UDP support?
Arcserve UDP supports multiple hypervisors including VMware vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V, KVM, and others, allowing granular recovery at the VM level with instant boot capabilities.
Source