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File Storage · head to head

CrashPlan vs MinIO

CrashPlan logo

CrashPlan

File Storage

Endpoint backup designed for work-from-anywhere

From
$8/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
MinIO logo

MinIO

File Storage

S3-compatible object storage server you run yourself, now under AGPL with a stripped community edition

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only MinIO has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: CrashPlan initial data uploads can be noticeably slow, often taking several full days for complete system backups; MinIO the AGPL v3 licence applies copyleft over network use, so embedding MinIO in a product or hosted service obliges you to release your own source or buy a commercial licence, and legal review has removed it from several vendor stacks for this reason alone.
  • They diverge on capability: CrashPlan covers Automatic backup, MinIO covers S3 API implementation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CrashPlan and MinIO actually diverge.

Attributes where CrashPlan and MinIO differ
AttributeCrashPlanMinIO
Starting price$8/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Cloud (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace)Linux, macOS, Windows, Kubernetes, Docker
Founded2001Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (File Storage).

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 CrashPlan

  • Automatic backup
  • Continuous protection
  • Legal hold
  • Centralized administration
  • Unlimited storage
  • AES 256-bit encryption
  • Active Directory
  • LDAP

Only in MinIO

  • S3 API implementation
  • Erasure coding
  • Single binary deployment
  • Bucket replication
  • Object locking and versioning
  • Identity provider integration

What people use each for

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

CrashPlan

  • Data protectionnot MinIO
  • Disaster recoverynot MinIO
  • Business continuitynot MinIO
  • Ransomware protectionnot MinIO
  • Compliancenot MinIO

MinIO

  • Providing an S3 endpoint inside an air gapped or regulated network where a cloud bucket is not permittednot CrashPlan
  • Backing a Kubernetes platform with object storage that lives on the same hardware as the clusternot CrashPlan
  • Standing up S3 semantics in CI so tests exercise the same API path as productionnot CrashPlan
  • Fronting local disk shelves with an S3 interface so applications only ever learn one storage APInot CrashPlan

Where each one falls short

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

CrashPlan

  • Initial data uploads can be noticeably slow, often taking several full days for complete system backups
  • Occasional slow restore speeds for very large files impact recovery time objectives
  • Full system recovery requires requesting hard drive delivery instead of bare-metal restore capability
  • Difficulties reported with backing up or restoring data from external hard drives
  • Pricing is higher than some competitors like Backblaze when compared per user/month
  • Limited SIEM integration and governance reporting for enterprise environments

MinIO

  • The AGPL v3 licence applies copyleft over network use, so embedding MinIO in a product or hosted service obliges you to release your own source or buy a commercial licence, and legal review has removed it from several vendor stacks for this reason alone.
  • The community edition console was reduced in 2025 to an object browser, so user, policy, bucket and configuration management now happen through the mc command line client or through the paid product, which is a real operational regression for teams that trained staff on the UI.
  • The vendor has changed the terms of the free edition twice, so planning long lived infrastructure around the community build carries the risk that the next change removes something you depend on.
  • Erasure coded deployments cannot be grown by adding single drives; capacity is added in server pools, so expansion is a hardware purchase in units rather than an incremental one.
  • Commercial pricing is capacity based and aimed at large deployments, so a team that outgrows the community edition faces an enterprise sized quote rather than a graduated upgrade path.

Pricing, plan by plan

CrashPlan

$8/month
  • Professional (Monthly)$8/month
    • Unlimited backup capacity
    • Unlimited file versions
    • 90-day deleted file retention
  • Professional (Annual)$88/year
    • All Monthly features
    • $0.88 savings per month vs monthly billing
  • Professional (2-Year)$158/2 years
    • All features
    • Lower per-month cost vs annual

MinIO

Free
  • Community (AGPL v3)Free
    • Full server functionality
    • Erasure coding and replication
    • Object browser only in the web console
  • AIStor$undefined/year
    • Commercial licence removing AGPL obligations
    • Full management console
    • Vendor support with response commitments

Which should you pick?

Choose CrashPlan if

  • You need automatic backup.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Cloud (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace).
  • You also want continuous protection.
CrashPlan review

Choose MinIO if

  • You need s3 api implementation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Kubernetes, Docker.
  • You also want erasure coding.
MinIO review

Questions people ask

Is CrashPlan or MinIO better?
Neither clearly leads. CrashPlan starts at $8/month and MinIO at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CrashPlan or MinIO?
MinIO has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $8/month for CrashPlan and Free for MinIO.
Does CrashPlan or MinIO run on more platforms?
CrashPlan runs on Windows, macOS, Cloud (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace). MinIO runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Kubernetes, Docker.
Can I use MinIO for free?
Yes. MinIO has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. CrashPlan starts at $8/month.
What is CrashPlan best used for?
CrashPlan is most often used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection. Of those, data protection and disaster recovery are not what MinIO is typically brought in for.
What can CrashPlan do that MinIO cannot?
CrashPlan covers Automatic backup, Continuous protection, Legal hold, Centralized administration. MinIO covers S3 API implementation, Erasure coding, Single binary deployment, Bucket replication.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CrashPlan: What is CrashPlan's pricing for business backup?

CrashPlan Professional Edition costs $8 per user/month (billed monthly), $7.33 per user/month when billed annually ($88/year), or $158 per user for a 2-year commitment. This includes unlimited backup capacity, unlimited file versions, and 90-day deleted file retention.

Source
MinIO: Can I still use MinIO for free?

Yes, the AGPL v3 server remains available and functional. What changed is the console, which no longer manages users, policies or configuration in the community build.

CrashPlan: Does CrashPlan offer a free trial?

Yes, CrashPlan offers a 14-day free trial. Credit card information is required for signup, but there will be no charge if you cancel during the trial period. Your credit card will be automatically charged when the trial ends unless you cancel.

Source
MinIO: Does AGPL affect me if I only use it internally?

Internal use without offering the software over a network to third parties generally does not trigger the source obligation, but if MinIO forms part of a service you offer to others, it does. Take advice rather than a forum answer.

CrashPlan: What platforms and services does CrashPlan protect?

CrashPlan protects Windows and Mac endpoints, Microsoft 365 services (Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams), and Google Workspace (Gmail, Google Drive). The platform provides backup for endpoints, servers, and cloud applications.

Source
MinIO: What replaced the community console features?

The mc client and the server admin API. Third party UIs exist but they are not maintained by MinIO.

CrashPlan: Does CrashPlan have a free version for consumers?

No, CrashPlan discontinued its consumer personal backup tier and now focuses exclusively on commercial businesses. The platform is strictly for business and organizational use.

Source
MinIO: Is it suitable as a Veeam or restic backup target?

Yes, object locking and versioning work and both tools treat it as standard S3. Immutability depends on configuring the lock policy at bucket creation.

CrashPlan: What is CrashPlan's partnership status with Microsoft?

CrashPlan is a trusted Microsoft Partner and is co-sell eligible. The platform is available in the Microsoft Marketplace and counts toward customers' Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitment (MACC). CrashPlan is built on Microsoft Azure infrastructure.

Source
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