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File Storage · head to head

Nasuni vs Portworx Backup

Nasuni logo

Nasuni

File Storage

Cloud file storage that keeps the authoritative copy in object storage and caches it at each site

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Portworx Backup logo

Portworx Backup

Backup

Kubernetes application backup with a free tier up to one terabyte

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Portworx Backup has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Nasuni subscription is based on managed capacity, so cold data that would cost almost nothing in an archive tier keeps paying the full platform rate, and there is limited incentive structure to delete.; Portworx Backup the paid tier carries a 1,000 node hour monthly minimum, so a cluster that only needs occasional protection still pays a floor.
  • They diverge on capability: Nasuni covers Edge caching appliances, Portworx Backup covers Application-level backup.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Nasuni and Portworx Backup actually diverge.

Attributes where Nasuni and Portworx Backup differ
AttributeNasuniPortworx Backup
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotePer node hour
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Windows, VMware, Hyper-V, AWS, AzureWeb, Linux
CategoryFile StorageBackup

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Nasuni

  • Edge caching appliances
  • Object storage back end
  • Continuous versioning
  • Global file lock
  • Rapid site recovery
  • Ransomware detection

Only in Portworx Backup

  • Application-level backup
  • Any CSI provider
  • Cross-cluster restore
  • Namespace and label selection
  • Scheduled policies
  • Role-based access
  • Free tier

What people use each for

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

Nasuni

  • Consolidating file servers across many branch offices onto one namespace without shipping data between sitesnot Portworx Backup
  • Replacing a NAS plus backup plus offsite replication stack with a single recovery modelnot Portworx Backup
  • Engineering or media teams in different regions who need to work on the same large project filesnot Portworx Backup
  • An organisation that has been hit by ransomware on file shares and needs version level rollback rather than tape restoresnot Portworx Backup

Portworx Backup

  • A platform team running Velero that needs an accountable vendor for restore failuresnot Nasuni
  • Protecting Kubernetes applications across EKS, GKE and on premises clusters under one policy setnot Nasuni
  • Restoring a namespace into a different cloud provider as a disaster recovery testnot Nasuni
  • A small team that wants real Kubernetes backup within the free one terabyte tier before committing budgetnot Nasuni

Where each one falls short

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

Nasuni

  • Subscription is based on managed capacity, so cold data that would cost almost nothing in an archive tier keeps paying the full platform rate, and there is limited incentive structure to delete.
  • Every site needs an appliance, virtual or physical, which is a footprint and a patching obligation at locations that previously had only a file server or nothing.
  • A read that misses the local cache is fetched from object storage, so the first access to a cold large file is at cloud latency and users experience it as the system being slow at random.
  • Global file lock serialises access across regions, so genuinely collaborative editing of the same large files still involves waiting for another site to release the lock rather than merging.
  • The object storage underneath is your contract, so API transaction and egress charges from Azure or AWS land on your cloud bill and are not covered by the Nasuni subscription you were quoted against.

Portworx Backup

  • The paid tier carries a 1,000 node hour monthly minimum, so a cluster that only needs occasional protection still pays a floor.
  • It is licensed separately from Portworx Enterprise, so organisations that assumed storage and backup came together find a second subscription in the quote.
  • The free tier caps at one terabyte of protected data, which is quickly exceeded by any database of consequence and forces a jump straight to the minimum commitment.
  • Backup targets are object stores you provide, so restore egress charges from your cloud provider are outside the vendor price and appear during a recovery rather than in procurement.
  • Application-consistent backup of databases still depends on correct pre and post hooks, so the product does not remove the requirement to understand and rehearse your own restore ordering.

Pricing, plan by plan

Nasuni

On request
  • Nasuni File Data Platform$undefined/year
    • Subscription based on managed capacity
    • Edge appliances at each site
    • Continuous versioning and rapid recovery

Portworx Backup

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to one terabyte of protected data
    • No feature restrictions
    • Fully managed service
  • Portworx Backup$0.2/node hour
    • Minimum 1,000 node hours per month
    • Unlimited protected capacity
    • Any Container Storage Interface provider

Which should you pick?

Choose Nasuni if

  • You need edge caching appliances.
  • You work on Web, Windows, VMware, Hyper-V, AWS, Azure.
  • You also want object storage back end.
Nasuni review

Choose Portworx Backup if

  • You need application-level backup.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux.
  • You also want any csi provider.
Portworx Backup review

Questions people ask

Is Nasuni or Portworx Backup better?
Neither clearly leads. Nasuni starts at On request and Portworx Backup at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Nasuni or Portworx Backup?
Portworx Backup has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Nasuni and Free for Portworx Backup.
Does Nasuni or Portworx Backup run on more platforms?
Nasuni runs on Web, Windows, VMware, Hyper-V, AWS, Azure. Portworx Backup runs on Web, Linux.
Can I use Portworx Backup for free?
Yes. Portworx Backup has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Nasuni starts at On request.
What is Nasuni best used for?
Nasuni is most often used for consolidating file servers across many branch offices onto one namespace without shipping data between sites, replacing a nas plus backup plus offsite replication stack with a single recovery model, engineering or media teams in different regions who need to work on the same large project files, an organisation that has been hit by ransomware on file shares and needs version level rollback rather than tape restores. Of those, consolidating file servers across many branch offices onto one namespace without shipping data between sites and replacing a nas plus backup plus offsite replication stack with a single recovery model are not what Portworx Backup is typically brought in for.
What can Nasuni do that Portworx Backup cannot?
Nasuni covers Edge caching appliances, Object storage back end, Continuous versioning, Global file lock. Portworx Backup covers Application-level backup, Any CSI provider, Cross-cluster restore, Namespace and label selection.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Nasuni: Do I still need a backup product?

That is the pitch: continuous versioning in object storage replaces the backup schedule for file data. Databases and virtual machines still need their own tooling.

Portworx Backup: Is the free tier real?

Yes, up to one terabyte of protected data with no feature restrictions as a managed service. It is a usable production tier for small footprints, not a trial.

Nasuni: Who owns the storage account?

You do. Nasuni writes into object storage you contract for, which also means the cloud provider bills you directly for it.

Portworx Backup: Does it only protect Portworx volumes?

No. It works across Container Storage Interface providers, including cloud provider storage and other vendors' drivers.

Nasuni: How fast is recovery of a whole site?

An appliance can be serving files within hours because data is pulled on demand, but performance stays degraded while the cache refills.

Portworx Backup: Is it included with Portworx Enterprise?

No. It is a separate licence at 0.20 USD per node hour with its own minimum.

Nasuni: Is pricing published?

No. Nasuni sells through quotes based on managed capacity and site count, so comparisons need a real proposal rather than a list price.

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