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Backup & Disaster Recovery · head to head

Cohesity vs Apple Time Machine

C

Cohesity

Backup & Disaster Recovery

Protect, secure, and gain insights into your enterprise data

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Apple Time Machine logo

Apple Time Machine

Backup & Disaster Recovery

Built-in backup for every Mac

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Apple Time Machine has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cohesity no prices are shown for the Core, Enterprise or Advanced editions; buyers get a 30 day trial or must contact sales for a quote, per cohesity.com, August 2026; Apple Time Machine apple states the Time Machine backup disk should be used only for Time Machine backups and not for storing other files, unless you split it into a separate APFS volume

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cohesity and Apple Time Machine actually diverge.

Attributes where Cohesity and Apple Time Machine differ
AttributeCohesityApple Time Machine
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebMac
FoundedUnknown1976

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Backup & Disaster Recovery).

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

Nothing recorded that Apple Time Machine does not also cover.

Only in Apple Time Machine

  • Automatic backup
  • Hourly snapshots
  • Visual restore interface
  • Network backup
  • Encryption
  • System restore
  • macOS
  • AirPort Time Capsule

What people use each for

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

Cohesity

No use cases recorded yet. See the Cohesity review.

Apple Time Machine

  • Automatic versioned local backups of a Mac to an external drivenot Cohesity
  • Restoring a Mac or migrating to a new one from a local backup historynot Cohesity

Where each one falls short

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

Cohesity

  • No prices are shown for the Core, Enterprise or Advanced editions; buyers get a 30 day trial or must contact sales for a quote, per cohesity.com, August 2026

Apple Time Machine

  • Apple states the Time Machine backup disk should be used only for Time Machine backups and not for storing other files, unless you split it into a separate APFS volume
  • Apple recommends the Time Machine volume be twice the storage capacity of the Mac being backed up
  • It requires an attached external storage device or network disk; there is no built-in cloud destination
  • It backs up Macs only

Pricing, plan by plan

Cohesity

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Cohesity review.

Apple Time Machine

Free
  • Built-inFree
    • Automatic backup
    • Visual restore
    • Network backup

Which should you pick?

Choose Cohesity if

Nothing in the data separates Cohesity from Apple Time Machine on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Cohesity review

Choose Apple Time Machine if

  • You need automatic backup.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mac.
  • You also want hourly snapshots.
Apple Time Machine review

Questions people ask

Is Cohesity or Apple Time Machine better?
Neither clearly leads. Cohesity starts at On request and Apple Time Machine at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cohesity or Apple Time Machine?
Apple Time Machine has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Cohesity and Free for Apple Time Machine.
Does Cohesity or Apple Time Machine run on more platforms?
Cohesity runs on Web. Apple Time Machine runs on Mac.
Can I use Apple Time Machine for free?
Yes. Apple Time Machine has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cohesity starts at On request.
What can Cohesity do that Apple Time Machine cannot?
Apple Time Machine covers Automatic backup, Hourly snapshots, Visual restore interface, Network backup.
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