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Backup · head to head

Kopia vs NAKIVO Backup & Replication

Kopia logo

Kopia

Backup

Open source deduplicating backup with client side encryption and a repository on almost any storage

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
NAKIVO Backup & Replication logo

NAKIVO Backup & Replication

Backup

Fast and affordable VM backup solution

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Kopia space is only reclaimed when maintenance runs, and in a shared repository full maintenance is owned by one client, so if that machine goes away the repository grows for ever while every backup still reports success.; NAKIVO Backup & Replication no macOS support and limited Linux support due to absence of native Linux agent
  • They diverge on capability: Kopia covers Content defined chunking, NAKIVO Backup & Replication covers Instant VM recovery.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kopia and NAKIVO Backup & Replication actually diverge.

Attributes where Kopia and NAKIVO Backup & Replication differ
AttributeKopiaNAKIVO Backup & Replication
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeUnknown
PlatformsLinux, macOS, Windows, DockerWindows, Linux, Cloud, On-premise
FoundedUnknown2012

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Kopia

  • Content defined chunking
  • Pack blobs
  • Client side encryption
  • Desktop and command line
  • Repository verification

Only in NAKIVO Backup & Replication

  • Instant VM recovery
  • Site recovery
  • Network acceleration
  • Multi-tenancy
  • Self-service portal
  • VMware
  • Hyper-V
  • Nutanix

Both cover

  • Global deduplication

What people use each for

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

Kopia

  • Backing up laptops and workstations to cheap object storage with a desktop interface rather than a cron jobnot NAKIVO Backup & Replication
  • Deduplicating backups of several similar machines into one repository so common content is stored oncenot NAKIVO Backup & Replication
  • Replacing a chunk based tool whose per object charges made a cheap bucket expensivenot NAKIVO Backup & Replication
  • Keeping an encrypted offsite copy where the storage provider must never be able to read the contentsnot NAKIVO Backup & Replication

NAKIVO Backup & Replication

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

Where each one falls short

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

Kopia

  • Space is only reclaimed when maintenance runs, and in a shared repository full maintenance is owned by one client, so if that machine goes away the repository grows for ever while every backup still reports success.
  • The repository format has changed across versions and mixing client versions against one repository is discouraged, so a fleet must be upgraded together rather than machine by machine.
  • There is no central orchestration or reporting for many machines, so monitoring a fleet means building your own alerting around exit codes.
  • Restoring many small files is slower than the backup was, because content must be reassembled from pack blobs, and this is rarely tested until the day it matters.
  • Encryption is client side with no escrow, so a lost repository password means the data is unrecoverable and there is no vendor to appeal to.

NAKIVO Backup & Replication

  • No macOS support and limited Linux support due to absence of native Linux agent
  • Limited SQL Server transaction log backup options restricting database protection granularity
  • Weak ITSM platform integrations - lacks tight integration with ServiceNow or Jira Service Desk
  • Encrypted VMware VMs only support crash-consistent backups in application-aware mode, limiting granular app-level recovery

Pricing, plan by plan

Kopia

Free
  • KopiaFree
    • Full functionality, no data limit
    • Desktop application included
    • Any supported storage back end

NAKIVO Backup & Replication

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the NAKIVO Backup & Replication review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Kopia if

  • You need content defined chunking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker.
  • You also want pack blobs.
Kopia review

Choose NAKIVO Backup & Replication if

  • You need instant vm recovery.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, Cloud, On-premise.
  • You also want site recovery.
NAKIVO Backup & Replication review

Questions people ask

Is Kopia or NAKIVO Backup & Replication better?
Neither clearly leads. Kopia starts at Free and NAKIVO Backup & Replication at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kopia or NAKIVO Backup & Replication?
Kopia starts at Free and NAKIVO Backup & Replication at Free.
Does Kopia or NAKIVO Backup & Replication run on more platforms?
Kopia runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker. NAKIVO Backup & Replication runs on Windows, Linux, Cloud, On-premise.
Can I use Kopia for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Kopia best used for?
Kopia is most often used for backing up laptops and workstations to cheap object storage with a desktop interface rather than a cron job, deduplicating backups of several similar machines into one repository so common content is stored once, replacing a chunk based tool whose per object charges made a cheap bucket expensive, keeping an encrypted offsite copy where the storage provider must never be able to read the contents. Of those, backing up laptops and workstations to cheap object storage with a desktop interface rather than a cron job and deduplicating backups of several similar machines into one repository so common content is stored once are not what NAKIVO Backup & Replication is typically brought in for.
What can Kopia do that NAKIVO Backup & Replication cannot?
Kopia covers Content defined chunking, Pack blobs, Client side encryption, Desktop and command line. NAKIVO Backup & Replication covers Instant VM recovery, Site recovery, Network acceleration, Multi-tenancy. Both handle Global deduplication.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Kopia: Is a partly corrupt repository still restorable?

Partly. Deduplication means one damaged pack blob affects every snapshot referencing its contents, but unaffected files still restore. Run verification regularly rather than assuming.

NAKIVO Backup & Replication: What does NAKIVO backup?

NAKIVO backs up virtual machines from VMware vSphere, Hyper-V, Nutanix AHV, and Proxmox VE, plus physical Windows and Linux servers, Amazon EC2 instances, Microsoft 365 data, databases, and NAS file shares.

Source
Kopia: How does it compare with restic?

Similar guarantees, with packing that behaves better on per operation billing, a desktop interface, and compression enabled by default.

NAKIVO Backup & Replication: What is NAKIVO's pricing structure?

NAKIVO offers subscription pricing starting at $2.45 per workload per month or perpetual licensing starting at $19 per workstation. Additional tiers include $229 per CPU socket for larger deployments. Both on-premise and SaaS deployment options are available.

Source
Kopia: Do I need to run maintenance manually?

It is scheduled automatically by default, but you must ensure the client that owns full maintenance keeps running, otherwise deleted snapshots never free space.

NAKIVO Backup & Replication: Does NAKIVO include ransomware protection?

Yes. NAKIVO includes AES-256 encryption, role-based access control, two-factor authentication, and built-in ransomware protection through immutable storage options.

Source
Kopia: Can several machines share one repository?

Yes, and that is where deduplication pays off, but they should run compatible versions and only one owns full maintenance.

NAKIVO Backup & Replication: Can NAKIVO replicate virtual machines?

Yes. NAKIVO Backup & Replication includes VM replication capabilities, disaster recovery orchestration, and automated failover for business continuity planning.

Source
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