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Backup · head to head

Portworx Backup vs Redstor

Portworx Backup logo

Portworx Backup

Backup

Kubernetes application backup with a free tier up to one terabyte

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Redstor logo

Redstor

Backup

Cloud backup for managed service providers with instant streamed recovery

From
On request
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: 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.; Redstor it is sold through the channel, so you cannot buy it direct and your price and support quality depend entirely on the partner you engage.
  • They diverge on capability: Portworx Backup covers Application-level backup, Redstor covers InstantData.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Portworx Backup and Redstor differ
AttributePortworx BackupRedstor
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelPer node hourquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, LinuxWindows, macOS, Linux, Web

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 Portworx Backup

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

Only in Redstor

  • InstantData
  • Multi-tenant console
  • SaaS application backup
  • Regional data centres
  • Malware detection
  • White labelling

What people use each for

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

Portworx Backup

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

Redstor

  • A UK managed service provider needing client data to stay in UK data centres for public sector contractsnot Portworx Backup
  • An MSP that wants to promise a recovery time measured in minutes rather than hours for file serversnot Portworx Backup
  • A business needing Microsoft 365 and accounting SaaS backup managed by its IT provider in one consolenot Portworx Backup
  • An MSP consolidating several backup products across its client base onto one multi-tenant platformnot Portworx Backup

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Redstor

  • It is sold through the channel, so you cannot buy it direct and your price and support quality depend entirely on the partner you engage.
  • Pricing is not published at all, and because partners resell it with their own margin, comparing quotes across MSPs is comparing partner markups rather than product cost.
  • The InstantData streaming advantage depends on network bandwidth to the data centre, so sites with poor connectivity see much less benefit than the demonstrations suggest.
  • Its footprint is concentrated in the UK, Europe and South Africa, so multinational organisations needing consistent coverage in North America or Asia will find the regional story uneven.
  • Feature depth for large enterprise virtual machine estates trails Veeam and Rubrik, so it fits small and medium client workloads rather than complex data centre recovery.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Redstor

On request
  • Redstor Platform$undefined/year
    • Sold through managed service providers, priced per protected device or per user
    • Storage included in the per-unit price rather than billed separately
    • No egress or restore charges

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Redstor if

  • You need instantdata.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, Web.
  • You also want multi-tenant console.
Redstor review

Questions people ask

Is Portworx Backup or Redstor better?
Neither clearly leads. Portworx Backup starts at Free and Redstor at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Portworx Backup or Redstor?
Portworx Backup has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Portworx Backup and On request for Redstor.
Does Portworx Backup or Redstor run on more platforms?
Portworx Backup runs on Web, Linux. Redstor runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Web.
Can I use Portworx Backup for free?
Yes. Portworx Backup has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Redstor starts at On request.
What is Portworx Backup best used for?
Portworx Backup is most often used for a platform team running velero that needs an accountable vendor for restore failures, protecting kubernetes applications across eks, gke and on premises clusters under one policy set, restoring a namespace into a different cloud provider as a disaster recovery test, a small team that wants real kubernetes backup within the free one terabyte tier before committing budget. Of those, a platform team running velero that needs an accountable vendor for restore failures and protecting kubernetes applications across eks, gke and on premises clusters under one policy set are not what Redstor is typically brought in for.
What can Portworx Backup do that Redstor cannot?
Portworx Backup covers Application-level backup, Any CSI provider, Cross-cluster restore, Namespace and label selection. Redstor covers InstantData, Multi-tenant console, SaaS application backup, Regional data centres.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Redstor: Can we buy Redstor directly?

Generally no. It is a channel product sold through managed service providers, so partner selection is part of the buying decision.

Portworx Backup: Does it only protect Portworx volumes?

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

Redstor: Are there restore or egress charges?

Redstor includes storage and recovery in the per-unit price rather than charging separately for egress, which is the opposite of the cloud-native backup vendors.

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.

Redstor: Where is data stored?

UK and regional data centres, selectable by tenant, which is the reason UK public sector and legal clients tend to shortlist it.

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