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Backup · head to head

Cohesity vs Velero

Cohesity logo

Cohesity

Backup

Protect, secure, and gain insights into your enterprise data

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Velero logo

Velero

Backup

Open source backup and migration for Kubernetes cluster resources

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Velero has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cohesity no pricing details published on website; Velero there is no vendor support contract from the project itself, so a failed restore during an outage is resolved by your team reading source code and GitHub issues.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cohesity and Velero actually diverge.

Attributes where Cohesity and Velero differ
AttributeCohesityVelero
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebLinux

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 Velero does not also cover.

Only in Velero

  • Cluster resource backup
  • Volume snapshots
  • File-level backup
  • Cross-cluster restore
  • Backup hooks
  • Scheduled backups
  • Object storage targets

What people use each for

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

Cohesity

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

Velero

  • A platform team needing namespace-level restore after an accidental deletion, with no budget for a backup productnot Cohesity
  • Migrating workloads between Kubernetes clusters or between cloud providers using backup and restorenot Cohesity
  • Capturing cluster configuration before a risky upgrade so the previous state can be reinstatednot Cohesity
  • An organisation proving a Kubernetes recovery capability to an auditor before deciding whether to buy a commercial productnot 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

Velero

  • There is no vendor support contract from the project itself, so a failed restore during an outage is resolved by your team reading source code and GitHub issues.
  • Application consistency depends on backup hooks you write and maintain, and a database backed up without a correct hook restores to a state that may not be usable.
  • Restore ordering across dependent resources such as custom resource definitions and operators needs manual attention, and complex applications frequently need a documented runbook rather than a single restore command.
  • Corporate engineering investment became uncertain after Broadcom acquired VMware, which is a real consideration for anyone building a long retention policy on the project.
  • Object storage egress charges apply on restore and are billed by your cloud provider, so a full cluster recovery from another region carries a cost discovered during the incident rather than during planning.

Pricing, plan by plan

Cohesity

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Cohesity review.

Velero

Free
  • VeleroFree
    • Apache 2.0 licensed
    • No cluster or capacity limits
    • Community support via Kubernetes Slack and GitHub

Which should you pick?

Choose Cohesity if

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

Cohesity review

Choose Velero if

  • You need cluster resource backup.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux.
  • You also want volume snapshots.
Velero review

Questions people ask

Is Cohesity or Velero better?
Neither clearly leads. Cohesity starts at On request and Velero at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cohesity or Velero?
Velero has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Cohesity and Free for Velero.
Does Cohesity or Velero run on more platforms?
Cohesity runs on Web. Velero runs on Linux.
Can I use Velero for free?
Yes. Velero 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 Velero is typically brought in for.
What can Cohesity do that Velero cannot?
Velero covers Cluster resource backup, Volume snapshots, File-level backup, Cross-cluster 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
Velero: Can we buy support for Velero?

Not from the project. Several commercial Kubernetes backup products package or extend it and sell support, which is the practical route to an accountable vendor.

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
Velero: Does it back up persistent volume data?

Yes, through cloud or Container Storage Interface snapshots, or through file-level upload where snapshots are not available.

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
Velero: What does it cost?

Nothing to licence. You pay for object storage capacity and for egress on restore, both billed by your cloud provider.

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
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