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Backup · head to head

rustic vs StorageCraft ShadowProtect

rustic logo

rustic

Backup

Rust reimplementation of restic that reads and writes the same repository format

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
StorageCraft ShadowProtect logo

StorageCraft ShadowProtect

Backup

Fast and reliable image-based backup

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only rustic has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: rustic the project is small with a short list of active maintainers, so bus factor is a genuine consideration for software whose job is to still work in five years.; StorageCraft ShadowProtect host-based backup requires Windows Server 2016 or above on the Hyper-V host, and desktop, client and Pro editions are not supported
  • They diverge on capability: rustic covers restic format compatibility, StorageCraft ShadowProtect covers Image-based backup.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which rustic and StorageCraft ShadowProtect actually diverge.

Attributes where rustic and StorageCraft ShadowProtect differ
AttributerusticStorageCraft ShadowProtect
Starting priceFree$15/month
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, macOS, WindowsWindows, Linux, Web
FoundedUnknown2003

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 rustic

  • restic format compatibility
  • Configuration profiles
  • Deduplicated encrypted backups
  • Cold and append only storage support
  • Multiple back ends
  • Library crates

Only in StorageCraft ShadowProtect

  • Image-based backup
  • VirtualBoot
  • Bare metal recovery
  • Hardware-independent restore
  • Incremental imaging
  • ShadowStream replication
  • VMware
  • Hyper-V

What people use each for

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

rustic

  • An existing restic user who wants configuration files rather than long command lines in cronnot StorageCraft ShadowProtect
  • Backing up a memory constrained machine where the reference implementation is uncomfortably heavynot StorageCraft ShadowProtect
  • Writing to append only or cold object storage where the default tooling assumes rewritable bucketsnot StorageCraft ShadowProtect
  • Keeping a second implementation available so a long lived archive does not depend on one codebasenot StorageCraft ShadowProtect

StorageCraft ShadowProtect

  • Backup and disaster recovery (legacy)not rustic
  • System image backup and recoverynot rustic

Where each one falls short

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

rustic

  • The project is small with a short list of active maintainers, so bus factor is a genuine consideration for software whose job is to still work in five years.
  • It inherits the restic repository format, so design limits in that format, including the cost of pruning large repositories, are inherited rather than fixed.
  • Command names, flags and behaviour do not map one to one onto restic, so scripts and runbooks need rewriting rather than a binary swap.
  • Far fewer people have performed a real restore from it under pressure, and backup software is one of the few categories where being second most used is itself a risk.
  • Alternating between rustic and restic against one repository works but doubles the surface for a version incompatibility to corrupt state, so most operators should pick one and stay with it.

StorageCraft ShadowProtect

  • Host-based backup requires Windows Server 2016 or above on the Hyper-V host, and desktop, client and Pro editions are not supported
  • Host-based and agent-based backup are mutually exclusive installation modes in ShadowProtect 8.0; one machine cannot run both
  • Switching from agent-based to host-based requires a clean reinstall rather than an in-place upgrade
  • Host-based backups are not compatible with VirtualBoot
  • Granular file and folder recovery is not available for host-based backups; the whole backup must be restored to a .vhd or .vhdx first
  • Host-based backup jobs do not report status to ShadowControl
  • Advanced Verification in ImageManager 8.1 is not supported for host-based backups
  • All host-based backups go into a single folder by default, so separating them per VM means creating a separate backup job for each
  • Host-based licence keys are generated only through the Arcserve MSP portal

Pricing, plan by plan

rustic

Free
  • rusticFree
    • Full functionality, no data limit
    • All supported storage back ends
    • Community support via GitHub

StorageCraft ShadowProtect

$15/month
  • ShadowProtect SPX$15/month
    • Image-based backup
    • VirtualBoot
    • Bare metal recovery

Which should you pick?

Choose rustic if

  • You need restic format compatibility.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want configuration profiles.
rustic review

Choose StorageCraft ShadowProtect if

  • You need image-based backup.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, Web.
  • You also want virtualboot.
StorageCraft ShadowProtect review

Questions people ask

Is rustic or StorageCraft ShadowProtect better?
Neither clearly leads. rustic starts at Free and StorageCraft ShadowProtect at $15/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, rustic or StorageCraft ShadowProtect?
rustic has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for rustic and $15/month for StorageCraft ShadowProtect.
Does rustic or StorageCraft ShadowProtect run on more platforms?
rustic runs on Linux, macOS, Windows. StorageCraft ShadowProtect runs on Windows, Linux, Web.
Can I use rustic for free?
Yes. rustic has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. StorageCraft ShadowProtect starts at $15/month.
What is rustic best used for?
rustic is most often used for an existing restic user who wants configuration files rather than long command lines in cron, backing up a memory constrained machine where the reference implementation is uncomfortably heavy, writing to append only or cold object storage where the default tooling assumes rewritable buckets, keeping a second implementation available so a long lived archive does not depend on one codebase. Of those, an existing restic user who wants configuration files rather than long command lines in cron and backing up a memory constrained machine where the reference implementation is uncomfortably heavy are not what StorageCraft ShadowProtect is typically brought in for.
What can rustic do that StorageCraft ShadowProtect cannot?
rustic covers restic format compatibility, Configuration profiles, Deduplicated encrypted backups, Cold and append only storage support. StorageCraft ShadowProtect covers Image-based backup, VirtualBoot, Bare metal recovery, Hardware-independent restore.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

rustic: Can it read my existing restic repository?

Yes, that is the point of the project. Take a copy and verify before you rely on it, as with any change to backup tooling.

StorageCraft ShadowProtect: How much does StorageCraft ShadowProtect cost?

StorageCraft no longer maintains independent product pricing. The domain redirects to ArcServe, and ArcServe does not publish specific pricing on its homepage. Prospective customers must request a trial, demo, or contact sales.

Source
rustic: Should I switch from restic?

Only for a specific reason such as configuration profiles, memory use or cold storage handling. Compatibility means there is no cost to trying and no cost to going back.

StorageCraft ShadowProtect: Where can I find StorageCraft pricing?

StorageCraft's website (storagecraft.com) now redirects to ArcServe.com. ArcServe does not publish pricing publicly. To obtain pricing information, users can start a trial, request a demo, or contact ArcServe's sales team.

Source
rustic: Is it production ready?

It is used in production by a small community, but it is younger and less exercised than the implementation it is compatible with. Test restores accordingly.

rustic: Does it support the same back ends?

The common ones, including local, SFTP, S3 compatible storage and rclone. Check the current list before committing to an unusual target.

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