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Backup · head to head

Portworx Backup vs Velero

Portworx Backup logo

Portworx Backup

Backup

Kubernetes application backup with a free tier up to one terabyte

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Velero logo

Velero

Backup

Open source backup and migration for Kubernetes cluster resources

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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.; Velero there is no vendor support contract from the project itself, so a failed restore during an outage is resolved by your team reading source code and GitHub issues.
  • They diverge on capability: Portworx Backup covers Application-level backup, Velero covers Cluster resource backup.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Portworx Backup and Velero differ
AttributePortworx BackupVelero
Pricing modelPer node hourOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWeb, LinuxLinux

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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
  • Namespace and label selection
  • Scheduled policies
  • Role-based access
  • Free tier

Only in Velero

  • Cluster resource backup
  • Volume snapshots
  • File-level backup
  • Backup hooks
  • Scheduled backups
  • Object storage targets

Both cover

  • Cross-cluster restore

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

Velero

  • A platform team needing namespace-level restore after an accidental deletion, with no budget for a backup productnot Portworx Backup
  • Migrating workloads between Kubernetes clusters or between cloud providers using backup and restorenot Portworx Backup
  • Capturing cluster configuration before a risky upgrade so the previous state can be reinstatednot Portworx Backup
  • An organisation proving a Kubernetes recovery capability to an auditor before deciding whether to buy a commercial productnot 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.

Velero

  • There is no vendor support contract from the project itself, so a failed restore during an outage is resolved by your team reading source code and GitHub issues.
  • Application consistency depends on backup hooks you write and maintain, and a database backed up without a correct hook restores to a state that may not be usable.
  • Restore ordering across dependent resources such as custom resource definitions and operators needs manual attention, and complex applications frequently need a documented runbook rather than a single restore command.
  • Corporate engineering investment became uncertain after Broadcom acquired VMware, which is a real consideration for anyone building a long retention policy on the project.
  • Object storage egress charges apply on restore and are billed by your cloud provider, so a full cluster recovery from another region carries a cost discovered during the incident rather than during planning.

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

Velero

Free
  • VeleroFree
    • Apache 2.0 licensed
    • No cluster or capacity limits
    • Community support via Kubernetes Slack and GitHub

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 Velero if

  • You need cluster resource backup.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux.
  • You also want volume snapshots.
Velero review

Questions people ask

Is Portworx Backup or Velero better?
Neither clearly leads. Portworx Backup starts at Free and Velero at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Portworx Backup or Velero?
Portworx Backup starts at Free and Velero at Free.
Does Portworx Backup or Velero run on more platforms?
Portworx Backup runs on Web, Linux. Velero runs on Linux.
Can I use Portworx Backup for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Velero is typically brought in for.
What can Portworx Backup do that Velero cannot?
Portworx Backup covers Application-level backup, Any CSI provider, Namespace and label selection, Scheduled policies. Velero covers Cluster resource backup, Volume snapshots, File-level backup, Backup hooks. Both handle Cross-cluster restore.

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.

Velero: Can we buy support for Velero?

Not from the project. Several commercial Kubernetes backup products package or extend it and sell support, which is the practical route to an accountable vendor.

Portworx Backup: Does it only protect Portworx volumes?

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

Velero: Does it back up persistent volume data?

Yes, through cloud or Container Storage Interface snapshots, or through file-level upload where snapshots are not available.

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.

Velero: What does it cost?

Nothing to licence. You pay for object storage capacity and for egress on restore, both billed by your cloud provider.

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