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Backup · head to head

HYCU vs UrBackup

HYCU logo

HYCU

Backup

Backup as a service spanning SaaS applications as well as infrastructure

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
UrBackup logo

UrBackup

Backup

Open source client server backup doing both file and whole disk image backups of Windows machines

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only UrBackup has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: HYCU pricing is quoted with different billing units for different services, so an estate spanning virtual machines, cloud and SaaS is billed three ways and annual forecasting becomes guesswork.; UrBackup backups are stored on the server without encryption at rest by default, so the backup server holds a readable copy of every machine it protects and becomes the highest value target on the network.
  • They diverge on capability: HYCU covers R-Cloud platform, UrBackup covers Windows image backups.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HYCU and UrBackup actually diverge.

Attributes where HYCU and UrBackup differ
AttributeHYCUUrBackup
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Linux, WindowsLinux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD

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 HYCU

  • R-Cloud platform
  • SaaS application backup
  • Nutanix and VMware backup
  • Cloud infrastructure backup
  • R-Graph
  • Development kit
  • Immutable backup targets

Only in UrBackup

  • Windows image backups
  • File backups
  • Web interface
  • Client discovery
  • Internet mode
  • Filesystem deduplication

What people use each for

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

HYCU

  • An organisation that has just realised its Okta, Jira and GitHub data is not covered by any backup product it ownsnot UrBackup
  • A Nutanix environment needing agentless backup that understands the platform rather than treating it as generic virtual machinesnot UrBackup
  • A mid-market IT team wanting one vendor across on premises virtual machines, cloud workloads and SaaS applicationsnot UrBackup
  • Building an immutable off-site copy with object lock to satisfy a cyber insurance requirementnot UrBackup

UrBackup

  • A small office with Windows workstations that needs bare metal restore without per seat licensingnot HYCU
  • Schools and labs where machines are re-imaged often and a known good image must be recoverablenot HYCU
  • Backing up a mixed fleet to one server on premises with a web interface non specialists can usenot HYCU
  • Replacing an expiring commercial endpoint backup licence where the budget is the constraintnot HYCU

Where each one falls short

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

HYCU

  • Pricing is quoted with different billing units for different services, so an estate spanning virtual machines, cloud and SaaS is billed three ways and annual forecasting becomes guesswork.
  • Backup storage and cloud egress on restore are billed by your cloud provider rather than by HYCU, which means the recovery cost of a large incident appears on a different invoice and is rarely modelled in advance.
  • SaaS integration depth varies considerably by application, and a source appearing on the supported list does not guarantee that every object type within it is captured; verify the specific data you need.
  • Integrations built with the development kit may come from partners rather than HYCU, so the support path for a given source is worth establishing before you rely on it.
  • The product's Nutanix heritage still shows in feature depth, and organisations with predominantly VMware or physical estates often find the incumbent backup vendors more mature for those workloads.

UrBackup

  • Backups are stored on the server without encryption at rest by default, so the backup server holds a readable copy of every machine it protects and becomes the highest value target on the network.
  • Deduplication relies on filesystem features such as hard links, btrfs or ZFS, so a server built on the wrong filesystem silently consumes far more space and the fix is a rebuild rather than a setting.
  • There is no native object storage target, so offsite copies mean replicating the server storage with another tool rather than backing up to a bucket directly.
  • Restoring a full Windows image requires booting a restore environment, which is a manual, on site procedure that needs to be rehearsed before the day it is needed.
  • A single server holds everything and there is no built in clustering, so its own failure removes every recovery point at once unless you have separately solved replication.

Pricing, plan by plan

HYCU

On request
  • HYCU R-Cloud$undefined/year
    • Consumption pricing by virtual machine, tebibyte or gibibyte depending on service
    • Different units for different data sources under one agreement
    • Cloud storage target costs billed separately by your provider

UrBackup

Free
  • UrBackupFree
    • Full functionality, unlimited clients
    • File and image backups
    • Web administration interface

Which should you pick?

Choose HYCU if

  • You need r-cloud platform.
  • You work on Web, Linux, Windows.
  • You also want saas application backup.
HYCU review

Choose UrBackup if

  • You need windows image backups.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD.
  • You also want file backups.
UrBackup review

Questions people ask

Is HYCU or UrBackup better?
Neither clearly leads. HYCU starts at On request and UrBackup at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HYCU or UrBackup?
UrBackup has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for HYCU and Free for UrBackup.
Does HYCU or UrBackup run on more platforms?
HYCU runs on Web, Linux, Windows. UrBackup runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD.
Can I use UrBackup for free?
Yes. UrBackup has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. HYCU starts at On request.
What is HYCU best used for?
HYCU is most often used for an organisation that has just realised its okta, jira and github data is not covered by any backup product it owns, a nutanix environment needing agentless backup that understands the platform rather than treating it as generic virtual machines, a mid-market it team wanting one vendor across on premises virtual machines, cloud workloads and saas applications, building an immutable off-site copy with object lock to satisfy a cyber insurance requirement. Of those, an organisation that has just realised its okta, jira and github data is not covered by any backup product it owns and a nutanix environment needing agentless backup that understands the platform rather than treating it as generic virtual machines are not what UrBackup is typically brought in for.
What can HYCU do that UrBackup cannot?
HYCU covers R-Cloud platform, SaaS application backup, Nutanix and VMware backup, Cloud infrastructure backup. UrBackup covers Windows image backups, File backups, Web interface, Client discovery.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

HYCU: Is pricing published?

No. It is consumption based by virtual machine, tebibyte or gibibyte depending on the service, and quoted. Ask specifically which unit applies to each data source in your estate.

UrBackup: Does it back up Linux servers as well?

File backups yes, image backups no. The image path is Windows only through volume shadow copy.

HYCU: Does it really back up SaaS applications?

Yes, that is the main differentiator, with a long supported source list. Confirm the depth of coverage for the specific objects you need in each application.

UrBackup: Is the data encrypted?

Transport can be encrypted, and there is optional client side file encryption, but the default server storage is not encrypted at rest. Use full disk encryption on the server.

HYCU: Who holds the encryption keys?

Ask directly and get it in writing. Key custody differs by deployment model and it determines whether you can render backup copies unreadable independently of the vendor.

UrBackup: Can I back up to Amazon S3?

Not directly. The server writes to local or mounted storage, so cloud copies are made by replicating that storage separately.

UrBackup: How many clients can one server handle?

Dozens is routine on decent hardware. The limit is usually storage input and output during overlapping backup windows rather than client count.

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