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Backup · head to head

Cohesity vs Kopia

Cohesity logo

Cohesity

Backup

Protect, secure, and gain insights into your enterprise data

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kopia logo

Kopia

Backup

Open source deduplicating backup with client side encryption and a repository on almost any storage

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Kopia has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cohesity no pricing details published on website; Kopia space is only reclaimed when maintenance runs, and in a shared repository full maintenance is owned by one client, so if that machine goes away the repository grows for ever while every backup still reports success.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cohesity and Kopia actually diverge.

Attributes where Cohesity and Kopia differ
AttributeCohesityKopia
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebLinux, macOS, Windows, Docker

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

Nothing recorded that Kopia does not also cover.

Only in Kopia

  • Content defined chunking
  • Global deduplication
  • Pack blobs
  • Client side encryption
  • Desktop and command line
  • Repository verification

What people use each for

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

Cohesity

  • Data protection and ransomware defensenot Kopia
  • Cloud backup and recovery across hybrid environmentsnot Kopia
  • Instant recovery from 1,000 VMs simultaneouslynot Kopia
  • Multi-cloud data management and securitynot Kopia
  • AI-powered threat detection and anomaly detectionnot Kopia

Kopia

  • Backing up laptops and workstations to cheap object storage with a desktop interface rather than a cron jobnot Cohesity
  • Deduplicating backups of several similar machines into one repository so common content is stored oncenot Cohesity
  • Replacing a chunk based tool whose per object charges made a cheap bucket expensivenot Cohesity
  • Keeping an encrypted offsite copy where the storage provider must never be able to read the contentsnot Cohesity

Where each one falls short

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

Cohesity

  • No pricing details published on website
  • Advanced edition status listed as coming soon
  • Requires contacting sales team for quotes
  • No self-service pricing tiers or calculator available

Kopia

  • Space is only reclaimed when maintenance runs, and in a shared repository full maintenance is owned by one client, so if that machine goes away the repository grows for ever while every backup still reports success.
  • The repository format has changed across versions and mixing client versions against one repository is discouraged, so a fleet must be upgraded together rather than machine by machine.
  • There is no central orchestration or reporting for many machines, so monitoring a fleet means building your own alerting around exit codes.
  • Restoring many small files is slower than the backup was, because content must be reassembled from pack blobs, and this is rarely tested until the day it matters.
  • Encryption is client side with no escrow, so a lost repository password means the data is unrecoverable and there is no vendor to appeal to.

Pricing, plan by plan

Cohesity

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Cohesity review.

Kopia

Free
  • KopiaFree
    • Full functionality, no data limit
    • Desktop application included
    • Any supported storage back end

Which should you pick?

Choose Cohesity if

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

Cohesity review

Choose Kopia if

  • You need content defined chunking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker.
  • You also want global deduplication.
Kopia review

Questions people ask

Is Cohesity or Kopia better?
Neither clearly leads. Cohesity starts at On request and Kopia at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cohesity or Kopia?
Kopia has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Cohesity and Free for Kopia.
Does Cohesity or Kopia run on more platforms?
Cohesity runs on Web. Kopia runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker.
Can I use Kopia for free?
Yes. Kopia has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cohesity starts at On request.
What is Cohesity best used for?
Cohesity is most often used for data protection and ransomware defense, cloud backup and recovery across hybrid environments, instant recovery from 1,000 vms simultaneously, multi-cloud data management and security. Of those, data protection and ransomware defense and cloud backup and recovery across hybrid environments are not what Kopia is typically brought in for.
What can Cohesity do that Kopia cannot?
Kopia covers Content defined chunking, Global deduplication, Pack blobs, Client side encryption.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cohesity: How much does Cohesity cost?

Cohesity does not publish specific pricing on their website. Customers must request a demo, contact the sales team, or initiate a 30-day free trial to discuss pricing options.

Source
Kopia: Is a partly corrupt repository still restorable?

Partly. Deduplication means one damaged pack blob affects every snapshot referencing its contents, but unaffected files still restore. Run verification regularly rather than assuming.

Cohesity: What editions does Cohesity offer?

Cohesity Data Cloud offers three editions: Core for entry-level, Enterprise for mid-tier, and Advanced (coming soon). Each includes varying Data Insights, Security, Protection, and Platform capabilities.

Source
Kopia: How does it compare with restic?

Similar guarantees, with packing that behaves better on per operation billing, a desktop interface, and compression enabled by default.

Cohesity: Is there a free trial for Cohesity?

Yes, Cohesity offers a 30-day free trial without requiring a credit card. No credit card is needed to get started with the trial.

Source
Kopia: Do I need to run maintenance manually?

It is scheduled automatically by default, but you must ensure the client that owns full maintenance keeps running, otherwise deleted snapshots never free space.

Cohesity: What performance benefits does Cohesity claim?

Cohesity claims 18x faster backups, 2x faster restores, instant recovery of 1000 VMs, and 50% lower total cost of ownership to secure and manage data.

Source
Kopia: Can several machines share one repository?

Yes, and that is where deduplication pays off, but they should run compatible versions and only one owns full maintenance.

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