Softwr

Backup · head to head

Cohesity vs StorageCraft ShadowProtect

Cohesity logo

Cohesity

Backup

Protect, secure, and gain insights into your enterprise data

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
StorageCraft ShadowProtect logo

StorageCraft ShadowProtect

Backup

Fast and reliable image-based backup

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Cohesity no pricing details published on website; StorageCraft ShadowProtect host-based backup requires Windows Server 2016 or above on the Hyper-V host, and desktop, client and Pro editions are not supported
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cohesity and StorageCraft ShadowProtect actually diverge.

Attributes where Cohesity and StorageCraft ShadowProtect differ
AttributeCohesityStorageCraft ShadowProtect
Starting priceOn request$15/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWebWindows, Linux, Web
FoundedUnknown2003

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 StorageCraft ShadowProtect does not also cover.

Only in StorageCraft ShadowProtect

  • Image-based backup
  • VirtualBoot
  • Bare metal recovery
  • Hardware-independent restore
  • Incremental imaging
  • ShadowStream replication
  • VMware
  • Hyper-V

What people use each for

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

Cohesity

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

StorageCraft ShadowProtect

  • Backup and disaster recovery (legacy)not Cohesity
  • System image backup and recoverynot 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

StorageCraft ShadowProtect

  • Host-based backup requires Windows Server 2016 or above on the Hyper-V host, and desktop, client and Pro editions are not supported
  • Host-based and agent-based backup are mutually exclusive installation modes in ShadowProtect 8.0; one machine cannot run both
  • Switching from agent-based to host-based requires a clean reinstall rather than an in-place upgrade
  • Host-based backups are not compatible with VirtualBoot
  • Granular file and folder recovery is not available for host-based backups; the whole backup must be restored to a .vhd or .vhdx first
  • Host-based backup jobs do not report status to ShadowControl
  • Advanced Verification in ImageManager 8.1 is not supported for host-based backups
  • All host-based backups go into a single folder by default, so separating them per VM means creating a separate backup job for each
  • Host-based licence keys are generated only through the Arcserve MSP portal

Pricing, plan by plan

Cohesity

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Cohesity review.

StorageCraft ShadowProtect

$15/month
  • ShadowProtect SPX$15/month
    • Image-based backup
    • VirtualBoot
    • Bare metal recovery

Which should you pick?

Choose Cohesity if

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

Cohesity review

Choose StorageCraft ShadowProtect if

  • You need image-based backup.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, Web.
  • You also want virtualboot.
StorageCraft ShadowProtect review

Questions people ask

Is Cohesity or StorageCraft ShadowProtect better?
Neither clearly leads. Cohesity starts at On request and StorageCraft ShadowProtect at $15/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cohesity or StorageCraft ShadowProtect?
Cohesity starts at On request and StorageCraft ShadowProtect at $15/month.
Does Cohesity or StorageCraft ShadowProtect run on more platforms?
Cohesity runs on Web. StorageCraft ShadowProtect runs on Windows, Linux, Web.
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 StorageCraft ShadowProtect is typically brought in for.
What can Cohesity do that StorageCraft ShadowProtect cannot?
StorageCraft ShadowProtect covers Image-based backup, VirtualBoot, Bare metal recovery, Hardware-independent restore.

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
StorageCraft ShadowProtect: How much does StorageCraft ShadowProtect cost?

StorageCraft no longer maintains independent product pricing. The domain redirects to ArcServe, and ArcServe does not publish specific pricing on its homepage. Prospective customers must request a trial, demo, or contact sales.

Source
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
StorageCraft ShadowProtect: Where can I find StorageCraft pricing?

StorageCraft's website (storagecraft.com) now redirects to ArcServe.com. ArcServe does not publish pricing publicly. To obtain pricing information, users can start a trial, request a demo, or contact ArcServe's sales team.

Source
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
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
Share

Related pages

More on Cohesity

More on StorageCraft ShadowProtect

Keep looking

Other head to heads