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Software · head to head

CrashPlan vs Unitrends Backup

CrashPlan logo

CrashPlan

Software

Endpoint backup designed for work-from-anywhere

From
$8/month
Rated
-
Unitrends Backup logo

Unitrends Backup

Software

All-in-one backup and recovery appliance

From
$55/month
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CrashPlan initial data uploads can be noticeably slow, often taking several full days for complete system backups; Unitrends Backup pricing is not transparent and requires contacting the company directly for a custom quote
  • They diverge on capability: CrashPlan covers Automatic backup, Unitrends Backup covers Predictive analytics.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CrashPlan and Unitrends Backup actually diverge.

Attributes where CrashPlan and Unitrends Backup differ
AttributeCrashPlanUnitrends Backup
Starting price$8/month$55/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Cloud (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace)On-premises, Cloud, Hybrid
Founded20011989

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Unitrends Backup

  • Predictive analytics
  • Automated recovery testing
  • Instant recovery
  • Ransomware detection
  • Adaptive deduplication
  • Cloud integration
  • VMware
  • Hyper-V

Both cover

  • Windows support
  • Linux support
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

CrashPlan

  • Data protection
  • Disaster recovery
  • Business continuity
  • Ransomware protection
  • Compliance

Unitrends Backup

  • Data protection
  • Disaster recovery
  • Business continuity
  • Ransomware protection
  • Compliance

Both are used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection, compliance, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

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

Unitrends Backup

  • Pricing is not transparent and requires contacting the company directly for a custom quote
  • Minimum pricing starts at approximately $995, limiting accessibility for very small deployments
  • Unified pricing approach means less flexibility for scaling individual components

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

Unitrends Backup

$55/month
  • Recovery Series$55/month
    • Predictive analytics
    • Instant recovery
    • Ransomware detection

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.

Choose Unitrends Backup if

  • You need predictive analytics.
  • You work on On-premises, Cloud, Hybrid.
  • You also want automated recovery testing.

Questions people ask

Is CrashPlan or Unitrends Backup better?
Neither clearly leads. CrashPlan starts at $8/month and Unitrends Backup at $55/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CrashPlan or Unitrends Backup?
CrashPlan starts at $8/month and Unitrends Backup at $55/month.
Does CrashPlan or Unitrends Backup run on more platforms?
CrashPlan runs on Windows, macOS, Cloud (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace). Unitrends Backup runs on On-premises, Cloud, Hybrid.
What is CrashPlan best used for?
CrashPlan is most often used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection.
What can CrashPlan do that Unitrends Backup cannot?
CrashPlan covers Automatic backup, Continuous protection, Legal hold, Centralized administration. Unitrends Backup covers Predictive analytics, Automated recovery testing, Instant recovery, Ransomware detection. Both handle Windows support, Linux support, Web support.

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
Unitrends Backup: What does Unitrends Backup include in its pricing?

Unitrends offers all-in-one backup and disaster recovery with a single flat rate including installation, storage, VIP support, and recoveries, plus two DR tests per year and a 5-year warranty.

Source
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
Unitrends Backup: What are Unitrends' key disaster recovery features?

Unitrends provides instant recovery, automated recovery assurance, automatic testing capabilities to measure recovery time and points, ransomware protection with behavioral analysis, and bare metal recovery to dissimilar hardware.

Source
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
Unitrends Backup: How long has Unitrends been in the backup market?

Unitrends was founded in 1989 and has over three decades of experience in backup and disaster recovery solutions, pioneering the first hardware-based backup appliance in 2002.

Source
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
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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