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Backup · head to head

HYCU vs Velero

HYCU logo

HYCU

Backup

Backup as a service spanning SaaS applications as well as infrastructure

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: 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.; 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.
  • They diverge on capability: HYCU covers R-Cloud platform, Velero covers Cluster resource backup.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HYCU and Velero actually diverge.

Attributes where HYCU and Velero differ
AttributeHYCUVelero
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Linux, WindowsLinux

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 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.

HYCU

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

Velero

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

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

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

Velero

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

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 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 HYCU or Velero better?
Neither clearly leads. HYCU 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, HYCU or Velero?
Velero has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for HYCU and Free for Velero.
Does HYCU or Velero run on more platforms?
HYCU runs on Web, Linux, Windows. Velero runs on Linux.
Can I use Velero for free?
Yes. Velero 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 Velero is typically brought in for.
What can HYCU do that Velero cannot?
HYCU covers R-Cloud platform, SaaS application backup, Nutanix and VMware backup, Cloud infrastructure backup. Velero covers Cluster resource backup, Volume snapshots, File-level backup, Cross-cluster restore.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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