Software · head to head
CloudAlly vs Borg Backup
Borg Backup
Software
Deduplicating archiver with compression and encryption
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: CloudAlly pricing not transparently displayed; requires customer inquiry; Borg Backup linux, macOS and BSD only; Windows is not a supported platform
- They diverge on capability: CloudAlly covers Automated daily backup, Borg Backup covers Content-defined chunking.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which CloudAlly and Borg Backup actually diverge.
| Attribute | CloudAlly | Borg Backup |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | subscription | free |
| Platforms | Web, Cloud | Linux, Mac |
| Founded | 2011 | 2015 |
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 CloudAlly
- Automated daily backup
- Point-in-time recovery
- Cross-account restore
- Archive export
- Activity logs
- Multi-admin support
- Microsoft 365
- Google Workspace
Only in Borg Backup
- Content-defined chunking
- Deduplication
- Compression
- Authenticated encryption
- Pruning
- Mount archives
- SSH
- BorgBase
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
CloudAlly
- Data protectionnot Borg Backup
- Disaster recoverynot Borg Backup
- Business continuitynot Borg Backup
- Ransomware protectionnot Borg Backup
- Compliancenot Borg Backup
Borg Backup
- Deduplicated backups where daily full snapshots would otherwise be expensivenot CloudAlly
- Encrypted backup to a server you do not fully trust, since the server never sees plaintextnot CloudAlly
- Browsing previous versions by mounting an archive over FUSEnot CloudAlly
- Scripted server backups with no agent or daemon to runnot CloudAlly
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
Borg Backup
- Linux, macOS and BSD only; Windows is not a supported platform
- Command-line only, with no graphical interface in the project itself
- Version 2.0 is still in beta, so production use means staying on the 1.4 line
- Restoring requires the Borg tooling, since archives are a deduplicated chunk store rather than plain files
Pricing, plan by plan
CloudAlly
Free- CloudAlly Backup$3/month
- Daily backup
- Point-in-time restore
- Unlimited storage
Borg Backup
Free- FreeFree
- Deduplication
- Compression
- Encryption
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 Borg Backup if
- You need content-defined chunking.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Mac.
- You also want deduplication.
Questions people ask
- Is CloudAlly or Borg Backup better?
- Neither clearly leads. CloudAlly starts at Free and Borg Backup at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, CloudAlly or Borg Backup?
- CloudAlly starts at Free and Borg Backup at Free.
- Does CloudAlly or Borg Backup run on more platforms?
- CloudAlly runs on Web, Cloud. Borg Backup runs on Linux, Mac.
- Can I use CloudAlly for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is CloudAlly best used for?
- CloudAlly is most often used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection. Of those, data protection and disaster recovery are not what Borg Backup is typically brought in for.
- What can CloudAlly do that Borg Backup cannot?
- CloudAlly covers Automated daily backup, Point-in-time recovery, Cross-account restore, Archive export. Borg Backup covers Content-defined chunking, Deduplication, Compression, Authenticated encryption.
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