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Backup · head to head

Proxmox Backup Server vs Rubrik Cloud Data Management

Proxmox Backup Server logo

Proxmox Backup Server

Backup

Deduplicating backup server for virtual machines, containers and Linux hosts, with verification built in

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Rubrik Cloud Data Management logo

Rubrik Cloud Data Management

Backup

Zero trust data security for modern enterprises

From
$100/varies
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Proxmox Backup Server has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Proxmox Backup Server there is no Windows client, so physical Windows machines must be backed up by something else and the estate ends up with two backup products.; Rubrik Cloud Data Management requires substantial upfront investment with enterprise pricing models
  • They diverge on capability: Proxmox Backup Server covers Deduplicated chunk store, Rubrik Cloud Data Management covers Zero trust data security.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Proxmox Backup Server and Rubrik Cloud Data Management differ
AttributeProxmox Backup ServerRubrik Cloud Data Management
Starting priceFree$100/varies
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinuxCloud, 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 Proxmox Backup Server

  • Deduplicated chunk store
  • Incremental guest backups
  • Client side encryption
  • Verification jobs
  • Remote sync
  • Live restore and file level restore

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.

Proxmox Backup Server

  • Backing up a Proxmox VE cluster with incremental block level backups of running guestsnot Rubrik Cloud Data Management
  • Replacing a backup product whose licence is priced per socket or per terabyte on a virtualisation estatenot Rubrik Cloud Data Management
  • Proving backup integrity on a schedule rather than discovering corruption during a restorenot Rubrik Cloud Data Management
  • Keeping an encrypted second copy on a remote server or on tape without a third party servicenot Rubrik Cloud Data Management

Rubrik Cloud Data Management

  • Data protectionnot Proxmox Backup Server
  • Disaster recoverynot Proxmox Backup Server
  • Business continuitynot Proxmox Backup Server
  • Ransomware protectionnot Proxmox Backup Server
  • Compliancenot Proxmox Backup Server

Where each one falls short

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

Proxmox Backup Server

  • There is no Windows client, so physical Windows machines must be backed up by something else and the estate ends up with two backup products.
  • The datastore is millions of small chunk files, so it needs storage with real input and output capability and performs poorly on a single spinning disk or an SMB or NFS share.
  • Deduplication is per datastore, so splitting workloads across datastores for retention or tenancy reasons multiplies the storage those workloads consume.
  • Garbage collection depends on file access time semantics on the underlying filesystem, so a datastore mounted with the wrong options can fail to reclaim space or, worse, behave unpredictably.
  • Subscriptions are priced per CPU socket per year, so a backup server consolidated onto fewer larger dual socket machines pays twice per host for the supported repository.

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

Proxmox Backup Server

Free
  • No subscriptionFree
    • Full functionality with no capacity limit
    • Community package repository
    • Community forum support
  • Subscription$undefined/year
    • Priced per CPU socket per year
    • Access to the enterprise package repository
    • Vendor support tickets

Rubrik Cloud Data Management

$100/varies

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Proxmox Backup Server if

  • You need deduplicated chunk store.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux.
  • You also want incremental guest backups.
Proxmox Backup Server review

Choose Rubrik Cloud Data Management if

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

Questions people ask

Is Proxmox Backup Server or Rubrik Cloud Data Management better?
Neither clearly leads. Proxmox Backup Server 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, Proxmox Backup Server or Rubrik Cloud Data Management?
Proxmox Backup Server has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Proxmox Backup Server and $100/varies for Rubrik Cloud Data Management.
Does Proxmox Backup Server or Rubrik Cloud Data Management run on more platforms?
Proxmox Backup Server runs on Linux. Rubrik Cloud Data Management runs on Cloud, On-Premises, Hybrid.
Can I use Proxmox Backup Server for free?
Yes. Proxmox Backup Server has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Rubrik Cloud Data Management starts at $100/varies.
What is Proxmox Backup Server best used for?
Proxmox Backup Server is most often used for backing up a proxmox ve cluster with incremental block level backups of running guests, replacing a backup product whose licence is priced per socket or per terabyte on a virtualisation estate, proving backup integrity on a schedule rather than discovering corruption during a restore, keeping an encrypted second copy on a remote server or on tape without a third party service. Of those, backing up a proxmox ve cluster with incremental block level backups of running guests and replacing a backup product whose licence is priced per socket or per terabyte on a virtualisation estate are not what Rubrik Cloud Data Management is typically brought in for.
What can Proxmox Backup Server do that Rubrik Cloud Data Management cannot?
Proxmox Backup Server covers Deduplicated chunk store, Incremental guest backups, Client side encryption, Verification jobs. Rubrik Cloud Data Management covers Zero trust data security, Instant recovery, Ransomware detection, Data classification.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Proxmox Backup Server: Can it back up machines that are not on Proxmox?

Linux hosts yes, through the client, at file level. Other hypervisors and physical Windows machines are outside its scope.

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
Proxmox Backup Server: Is a subscription required?

No. Without one you use the community repository and forum support. The subscription buys the tested enterprise repository and vendor tickets.

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
Proxmox Backup Server: How do I know a backup will restore?

Run verification jobs. They re-read the stored chunks and mark snapshots verified or failed, which is stronger evidence than a successful backup log.

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
Proxmox Backup Server: What storage should the datastore be on?

Local disks, ideally with ZFS and enough input and output capacity for many small files. Network shares are supported but routinely disappointing.

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
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