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Backup · head to head

Kopia vs Quest NetVault Backup

Kopia logo

Kopia

Backup

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Quest NetVault Backup logo

Quest NetVault Backup

Backup

Cross-platform enterprise backup solution

From
$50/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Kopia has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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.; Quest NetVault Backup as of a 15 December 2019 archived capture, Quest NetVault Backup pricing is available only on request, sold either by front-end storage capacity or by component, with component-based licensing requiring separate purchase of each module needed rather than a single bundled price
  • They diverge on capability: Kopia covers Content defined chunking, Quest NetVault Backup covers Cross-platform support.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kopia and Quest NetVault Backup actually diverge.

Attributes where Kopia and Quest NetVault Backup differ
AttributeKopiaQuest NetVault Backup
Starting priceFree$50/month
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, macOS, Windows, DockerWindows, Linux, Web
FoundedUnknown1987

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 Kopia

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

Only in Quest NetVault Backup

  • Cross-platform support
  • Application-aware backup
  • Inline deduplication
  • Built-in scheduling
  • VMware integration
  • Bare metal recovery
  • VMware
  • Hyper-V

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 Quest NetVault Backup
  • Deduplicating backups of several similar machines into one repository so common content is stored oncenot Quest NetVault Backup
  • Replacing a chunk based tool whose per object charges made a cheap bucket expensivenot Quest NetVault Backup
  • Keeping an encrypted offsite copy where the storage provider must never be able to read the contentsnot Quest NetVault Backup

Quest NetVault Backup

  • 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.

Quest NetVault Backup

  • As of a 15 December 2019 archived capture, Quest NetVault Backup pricing is available only on request, sold either by front-end storage capacity or by component, with component-based licensing requiring separate purchase of each module needed rather than a single bundled price

Pricing, plan by plan

Kopia

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

Quest NetVault Backup

$50/month
  • NetVault Backup$50/month
    • Cross-platform
    • Application support
    • Deduplication

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 global deduplication.
Kopia review

Choose Quest NetVault Backup if

  • You need cross-platform support.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, Web.
  • You also want application-aware backup.
Quest NetVault Backup review

Questions people ask

Is Kopia or Quest NetVault Backup better?
Neither clearly leads. Kopia starts at Free and Quest NetVault Backup at $50/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kopia or Quest NetVault Backup?
Kopia has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Kopia and $50/month for Quest NetVault Backup.
Does Kopia or Quest NetVault Backup run on more platforms?
Kopia runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker. Quest NetVault Backup runs on Windows, Linux, Web.
Can I use Kopia for free?
Yes. Kopia has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Quest NetVault Backup starts at $50/month.
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 Quest NetVault Backup is typically brought in for.
What can Kopia do that Quest NetVault Backup cannot?
Kopia covers Content defined chunking, Global deduplication, Pack blobs, Client side encryption. Quest NetVault Backup covers Cross-platform support, Application-aware backup, Inline deduplication, Built-in scheduling.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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