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Backup · head to head

Cohesity DataProtect vs Proxmox Backup Server

Cohesity DataProtect logo

Cohesity DataProtect

Backup

Hyperconverged secondary data protection

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Proxmox Backup Server logo

Proxmox Backup Server

Backup

Deduplicating backup server for virtual machines, containers and Linux hosts, with verification built in

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Proxmox Backup Server has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cohesity DataProtect primarily focused on enterprise customers; less suitable for small businesses; Proxmox Backup Server there is no Windows client, so physical Windows machines must be backed up by something else and the estate ends up with two backup products.
  • They diverge on capability: Cohesity DataProtect covers Hyperconverged architecture, Proxmox Backup Server covers Deduplicated chunk store.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cohesity DataProtect and Proxmox Backup Server actually diverge.

Attributes where Cohesity DataProtect and Proxmox Backup Server differ
AttributeCohesity DataProtectProxmox Backup Server
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelUnknownOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsOn-premises, AWS, Azure, Google CloudLinux
Founded2013Unknown

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 Cohesity DataProtect

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

Only in Proxmox Backup Server

  • Deduplicated chunk store
  • Incremental guest backups
  • Client side encryption
  • Verification jobs
  • Remote sync
  • Live restore and file level restore

What people use each for

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

Cohesity DataProtect

  • Data protectionnot Proxmox Backup Server
  • Disaster recoverynot Proxmox Backup Server
  • Business continuitynot Proxmox Backup Server
  • Ransomware protectionnot Proxmox Backup Server
  • Compliancenot Proxmox Backup Server

Proxmox Backup Server

  • Backing up a Proxmox VE cluster with incremental block level backups of running guestsnot Cohesity DataProtect
  • Replacing a backup product whose licence is priced per socket or per terabyte on a virtualisation estatenot Cohesity DataProtect
  • Proving backup integrity on a schedule rather than discovering corruption during a restorenot Cohesity DataProtect
  • Keeping an encrypted second copy on a remote server or on tape without a third party servicenot Cohesity DataProtect

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

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

Proxmox Backup Server

  • There is no Windows client, so physical Windows machines must be backed up by something else and the estate ends up with two backup products.
  • The datastore is millions of small chunk files, so it needs storage with real input and output capability and performs poorly on a single spinning disk or an SMB or NFS share.
  • Deduplication is per datastore, so splitting workloads across datastores for retention or tenancy reasons multiplies the storage those workloads consume.
  • Garbage collection depends on file access time semantics on the underlying filesystem, so a datastore mounted with the wrong options can fail to reclaim space or, worse, behave unpredictably.
  • Subscriptions are priced per CPU socket per year, so a backup server consolidated onto fewer larger dual socket machines pays twice per host for the supported repository.

Pricing, plan by plan

Cohesity DataProtect

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Cohesity DataProtect review.

Proxmox Backup Server

Free
  • No subscriptionFree
    • Full functionality with no capacity limit
    • Community package repository
    • Community forum support
  • Subscription$undefined/year
    • Priced per CPU socket per year
    • Access to the enterprise package repository
    • Vendor support tickets

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Proxmox Backup Server if

  • You need deduplicated chunk store.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux.
  • You also want incremental guest backups.
Proxmox Backup Server review

Questions people ask

Is Cohesity DataProtect or Proxmox Backup Server better?
Neither clearly leads. Cohesity DataProtect starts at On request and Proxmox Backup Server at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cohesity DataProtect or Proxmox Backup Server?
Proxmox Backup Server has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Cohesity DataProtect and Free for Proxmox Backup Server.
Does Cohesity DataProtect or Proxmox Backup Server run on more platforms?
Cohesity DataProtect runs on On-premises, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud. Proxmox Backup Server runs on Linux.
Can I use Proxmox Backup Server for free?
Yes. Proxmox Backup Server has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cohesity DataProtect starts at On request.
What is Cohesity DataProtect best used for?
Cohesity DataProtect is most often used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection. Of those, data protection and disaster recovery are not what Proxmox Backup Server is typically brought in for.
What can Cohesity DataProtect do that Proxmox Backup Server cannot?
Cohesity DataProtect covers Hyperconverged architecture, Instant mass restore, Global deduplication, Global search. Proxmox Backup Server covers Deduplicated chunk store, Incremental guest backups, Client side encryption, Verification jobs.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Proxmox Backup Server: Can it back up machines that are not on Proxmox?

Linux hosts yes, through the client, at file level. Other hypervisors and physical Windows machines are outside its scope.

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
Proxmox Backup Server: Is a subscription required?

No. Without one you use the community repository and forum support. The subscription buys the tested enterprise repository and vendor tickets.

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
Proxmox Backup Server: How do I know a backup will restore?

Run verification jobs. They re-read the stored chunks and mark snapshots verified or failed, which is stronger evidence than a successful backup log.

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
Proxmox Backup Server: What storage should the datastore be on?

Local disks, ideally with ZFS and enough input and output capacity for many small files. Network shares are supported but routinely disappointing.

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