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Backup · head to head

N-able Backup vs StorageCraft ShadowProtect

N-able Backup logo

N-able Backup

Backup

Cloud-first backup built for MSPs

From
$20/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
StorageCraft ShadowProtect logo

StorageCraft ShadowProtect

Backup

Fast and reliable image-based backup

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: N-able Backup limited availability for non-Windows environments compared to competitors; StorageCraft ShadowProtect host-based backup requires Windows Server 2016 or above on the Hyper-V host, and desktop, client and Pro editions are not supported
  • They diverge on capability: N-able Backup covers Direct-to-cloud backup, StorageCraft ShadowProtect covers Image-based backup.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which N-able Backup and StorageCraft ShadowProtect actually diverge.

Attributes where N-able Backup and StorageCraft ShadowProtect differ
AttributeN-able BackupStorageCraft ShadowProtect
Starting price$20/month$15/month
PlatformsWindows, WebWindows, Linux, Web
Founded20212003

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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 N-able Backup

  • Direct-to-cloud backup
  • Standby image
  • LocalSpeedVault
  • TrueDelta incremental
  • Documents protection
  • Microsoft 365
  • N-able RMM
  • N-central

Only in StorageCraft ShadowProtect

  • Image-based backup
  • VirtualBoot
  • Hardware-independent restore
  • Incremental imaging
  • ShadowStream replication
  • Windows Server
  • Linux Server

Both cover

  • Bare metal recovery
  • VMware
  • Hyper-V
  • Windows support
  • Linux support
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

N-able Backup

  • Data protectionnot StorageCraft ShadowProtect
  • Disaster recoverynot StorageCraft ShadowProtect
  • Business continuitynot StorageCraft ShadowProtect
  • Ransomware protectionnot StorageCraft ShadowProtect
  • Compliancenot StorageCraft ShadowProtect

StorageCraft ShadowProtect

  • Backup and disaster recovery (legacy)not N-able Backup
  • System image backup and recoverynot N-able Backup

Where each one falls short

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

N-able Backup

  • Limited availability for non-Windows environments compared to competitors
  • MSP-focused product may include features unnecessary for smaller organizations

StorageCraft ShadowProtect

  • Host-based backup requires Windows Server 2016 or above on the Hyper-V host, and desktop, client and Pro editions are not supported
  • Host-based and agent-based backup are mutually exclusive installation modes in ShadowProtect 8.0; one machine cannot run both
  • Switching from agent-based to host-based requires a clean reinstall rather than an in-place upgrade
  • Host-based backups are not compatible with VirtualBoot
  • Granular file and folder recovery is not available for host-based backups; the whole backup must be restored to a .vhd or .vhdx first
  • Host-based backup jobs do not report status to ShadowControl
  • Advanced Verification in ImageManager 8.1 is not supported for host-based backups
  • All host-based backups go into a single folder by default, so separating them per VM means creating a separate backup job for each
  • Host-based licence keys are generated only through the Arcserve MSP portal

Pricing, plan by plan

N-able Backup

$20/month
  • Backup$20/month
    • Direct-to-cloud
    • Standby image
    • Multi-tenant

StorageCraft ShadowProtect

$15/month
  • ShadowProtect SPX$15/month
    • Image-based backup
    • VirtualBoot
    • Bare metal recovery

Which should you pick?

Choose N-able Backup if

  • You need direct-to-cloud backup.
  • You work on Windows, Web.
  • You also want standby image.
N-able Backup review

Choose StorageCraft ShadowProtect if

  • You need image-based backup.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, Web.
  • You also want virtualboot.
StorageCraft ShadowProtect review

Questions people ask

Is N-able Backup or StorageCraft ShadowProtect better?
Neither clearly leads. N-able Backup starts at $20/month and StorageCraft ShadowProtect at $15/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, N-able Backup or StorageCraft ShadowProtect?
N-able Backup starts at $20/month and StorageCraft ShadowProtect at $15/month.
Does N-able Backup or StorageCraft ShadowProtect run on more platforms?
N-able Backup runs on Windows, Web. StorageCraft ShadowProtect runs on Windows, Linux, Web.
What is N-able Backup best used for?
N-able Backup is most often used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection. Of those, data protection and disaster recovery are not what StorageCraft ShadowProtect is typically brought in for.
What can N-able Backup do that StorageCraft ShadowProtect cannot?
N-able Backup covers Direct-to-cloud backup, Standby image, LocalSpeedVault, TrueDelta incremental. StorageCraft ShadowProtect covers Image-based backup, VirtualBoot, Hardware-independent restore, Incremental imaging. Both handle Bare metal recovery, VMware, Hyper-V, Windows support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

N-able Backup: What does Cove Data Protection cover?

Cove Data Protection provides unified backup, security, and disaster recovery for servers, workstations, and Microsoft 365, with cloud-native architecture and automatic updates.

Source
StorageCraft ShadowProtect: How much does StorageCraft ShadowProtect cost?

StorageCraft no longer maintains independent product pricing. The domain redirects to ArcServe, and ArcServe does not publish specific pricing on its homepage. Prospective customers must request a trial, demo, or contact sales.

Source
N-able Backup: Is hardware required for N-able Backup?

No, Cove Data Protection is fully SaaS-based with no appliances or hardware required. It offers a cloud management console accessible from anywhere with no upfront hardware investment.

Source
StorageCraft ShadowProtect: Where can I find StorageCraft pricing?

StorageCraft's website (storagecraft.com) now redirects to ArcServe.com. ArcServe does not publish pricing publicly. To obtain pricing information, users can start a trial, request a demo, or contact ArcServe's sales team.

Source
N-able Backup: How often can backups be scheduled with Cove?

Cove's TrueDelta technology enables backups as frequently as every 15 minutes, eliminating redundancies and ensuring minimal data loss windows.

Source
N-able Backup: Does Cove offer ransomware protection?

Yes, Cove includes ransomware resilience through immutable backup copies and isolated backups kept separate by default, providing protection against encryption attacks.

Source
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