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NAKIVO Backup & Replication vs Apple Time Machine

NAKIVO Backup & Replication logo

NAKIVO Backup & Replication

Software

Fast and affordable VM backup solution

From
Free
Rated
-
Apple Time Machine logo

Apple Time Machine

Software

Built-in backup for every Mac

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: NAKIVO Backup & Replication no macOS support and limited Linux support due to absence of native Linux agent; Apple Time Machine apple states the Time Machine backup disk should be used only for Time Machine backups and not for storing other files, unless you split it into a separate APFS volume
  • They diverge on capability: NAKIVO Backup & Replication covers Instant VM recovery, Apple Time Machine covers Automatic backup.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which NAKIVO Backup & Replication and Apple Time Machine actually diverge.

Attributes where NAKIVO Backup & Replication and Apple Time Machine differ
AttributeNAKIVO Backup & ReplicationApple Time Machine
Pricing modelUnknownfree
PlatformsWindows, Linux, Cloud, On-premiseMac
Founded20121976

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 NAKIVO Backup & Replication

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

Only in Apple Time Machine

  • Automatic backup
  • Hourly snapshots
  • Visual restore interface
  • Network backup
  • Encryption
  • System restore
  • macOS
  • AirPort Time Capsule

What people use each for

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

NAKIVO Backup & Replication

  • Data protectionnot Apple Time Machine
  • Disaster recoverynot Apple Time Machine
  • Business continuitynot Apple Time Machine
  • Ransomware protectionnot Apple Time Machine
  • Compliancenot Apple Time Machine

Apple Time Machine

  • Automatic versioned local backups of a Mac to an external drivenot NAKIVO Backup & Replication
  • Restoring a Mac or migrating to a new one from a local backup historynot NAKIVO Backup & Replication

Where each one falls short

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

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

Apple Time Machine

  • Apple states the Time Machine backup disk should be used only for Time Machine backups and not for storing other files, unless you split it into a separate APFS volume
  • Apple recommends the Time Machine volume be twice the storage capacity of the Mac being backed up
  • It requires an attached external storage device or network disk; there is no built-in cloud destination
  • It backs up Macs only

Pricing, plan by plan

NAKIVO Backup & Replication

Free

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

Apple Time Machine

Free
  • Built-inFree
    • Automatic backup
    • Visual restore
    • Network backup

Which should you pick?

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.

Choose Apple Time Machine if

  • You need automatic backup.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mac.
  • You also want hourly snapshots.

Questions people ask

Is NAKIVO Backup & Replication or Apple Time Machine better?
Neither clearly leads. NAKIVO Backup & Replication starts at Free and Apple Time Machine at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, NAKIVO Backup & Replication or Apple Time Machine?
NAKIVO Backup & Replication starts at Free and Apple Time Machine at Free.
Does NAKIVO Backup & Replication or Apple Time Machine run on more platforms?
NAKIVO Backup & Replication runs on Windows, Linux, Cloud, On-premise. Apple Time Machine runs on Mac.
Can I use NAKIVO Backup & Replication for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is NAKIVO Backup & Replication best used for?
NAKIVO Backup & Replication is most often used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection. Of those, data protection and disaster recovery are not what Apple Time Machine is typically brought in for.
What can NAKIVO Backup & Replication do that Apple Time Machine cannot?
NAKIVO Backup & Replication covers Instant VM recovery, Site recovery, Global deduplication, Network acceleration. Apple Time Machine covers Automatic backup, Hourly snapshots, Visual restore interface, Network backup.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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
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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