Softwr

Backup · head to head

Portworx Backup vs Rubrik Cloud Data Management

Portworx Backup logo

Portworx Backup

Backup

Kubernetes application backup with a free tier up to one terabyte

From
Free
Rated
-
Rubrik Cloud Data Management logo

Rubrik Cloud Data Management

Backup

Zero trust data security for modern enterprises

From
$100/varies
Rated
-

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.; Rubrik Cloud Data Management requires substantial upfront investment with enterprise pricing models
  • They diverge on capability: Portworx Backup covers Application-level backup, Rubrik Cloud Data Management covers Zero trust data security.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Portworx Backup and Rubrik Cloud Data Management actually diverge.

Attributes where Portworx Backup and Rubrik Cloud Data Management differ
AttributePortworx BackupRubrik Cloud Data Management
Starting priceFree$100/varies
Pricing modelPer node hourUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, LinuxCloud, On-Premises, Hybrid
FoundedUnknown2014

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 Rubrik Cloud Data Management

  • Zero trust data security
  • Instant recovery
  • Ransomware detection
  • Data classification
  • Compliance automation
  • API-first architecture
  • VMware
  • AWS

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 Rubrik Cloud Data Management
  • Protecting Kubernetes applications across EKS, GKE and on premises clusters under one policy setnot Rubrik Cloud Data Management
  • Restoring a namespace into a different cloud provider as a disaster recovery testnot Rubrik Cloud Data Management
  • A small team that wants real Kubernetes backup within the free one terabyte tier before committing budgetnot Rubrik Cloud Data Management

Rubrik Cloud Data Management

  • Data protectionnot Portworx Backup
  • Disaster recoverynot Portworx Backup
  • Business continuitynot Portworx Backup
  • Ransomware protectionnot Portworx Backup
  • Compliancenot 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.

Rubrik Cloud Data Management

  • Requires substantial upfront investment with enterprise pricing models
  • Complex implementation and integration with existing infrastructure
  • Complex configuration with many options for policies, bulk operations limits, and error handling
  • Limited built-in analytics compared to some competitors

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

Rubrik Cloud Data Management

$100/varies

No published plan breakdown. See the Rubrik Cloud Data Management review.

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.

Choose Rubrik Cloud Data Management if

  • You need zero trust data security.
  • You work on Cloud, On-Premises, Hybrid.
  • You also want instant recovery.

Questions people ask

Is Portworx Backup or Rubrik Cloud Data Management better?
Neither clearly leads. Portworx Backup starts at Free and Rubrik Cloud Data Management at $100/varies, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Portworx Backup or Rubrik Cloud Data Management?
Portworx Backup has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Portworx Backup and $100/varies for Rubrik Cloud Data Management.
Does Portworx Backup or Rubrik Cloud Data Management run on more platforms?
Portworx Backup runs on Web, Linux. Rubrik Cloud Data Management runs on Cloud, On-Premises, Hybrid.
Can I use Portworx Backup for free?
Yes. Portworx Backup has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Rubrik Cloud Data Management starts at $100/varies.
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 Rubrik Cloud Data Management is typically brought in for.
What can Portworx Backup do that Rubrik Cloud Data Management cannot?
Portworx Backup covers Application-level backup, Any CSI provider, Cross-cluster restore, Namespace and label selection. Rubrik Cloud Data Management covers Zero trust data security, Instant recovery, Ransomware detection, Data classification.

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.

Rubrik Cloud Data Management: What ransomware protection does Rubrik offer?

Rubrik offers immutable backups that cannot be altered or deleted, providing zero trust data security. Enterprise customers receive a $10M ransomware recovery warranty for both on-premises and Rubrik managed cloud environments.

Source
Portworx Backup: Does it only protect Portworx volumes?

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

Rubrik Cloud Data Management: How quickly can Rubrik recover from data loss?

Rubrik enables near-instantaneous recovery of virtual machines and databases, minimizing downtime. Global Real-Time Search provides Google-like search across all backups to quickly locate and restore specific files.

Source
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.

Rubrik Cloud Data Management: What cloud platforms does Rubrik support?

Rubrik supports cloud mobility across AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, enabling data migration and replication to various cloud platforms.

Source
Rubrik Cloud Data Management: Does Rubrik reduce storage requirements?

Yes, Rubrik uses global deduplication to eliminate redundant data across all backups, significantly reducing storage requirements and optimizing storage efficiency.

Source
Share

Related pages

Other head to heads