Is SST or Velero better?

Neither clearly leads. SST 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, SST or Velero?

SST starts at Free and Velero at Free.

Does SST or Velero run on more platforms?

SST runs on AWS, Cloudflare, Node.js. Velero runs on Linux.

Can I use SST for free?

Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.

What is SST best used for?

SST is most often used for deploying next.js frontends with serverless backends, managing databases and storage alongside application code, creating staging environments for feature testing. Of those, deploying next.js frontends with serverless backends and managing databases and storage alongside application code are not what Velero is typically brought in for.

What can SST do that Velero cannot?

SST covers Single config file, Resource linking, Local development, Multi-cloud support. Velero covers Cluster resource backup, Volume snapshots, File-level backup, Cross-cluster restore.

Cloud · head to head

SST vs Velero

SST

Cloud

Build full-stack apps on your own infrastructure

From: Free
Rated: -

Full review Website

Velero

Backup

Open source backup and migration for Kubernetes cluster resources

From: Free
Rated: -

Full review Website

The short version

Each has a real cost: SST primarily optimized for AWS with Cloudflare support; 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: SST covers Single config file, Velero covers Cluster resource backup.
Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which SST and Velero actually diverge.

Attributes where SST and Velero differ
Attribute	SST	Velero
Pricing model	Unknown	Open source, no licence fee
Platforms	AWS, Cloudflare, Node.js	Linux
Category	Cloud	Backup

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 SST

Single config file
Resource linking
Local development
Multi-cloud support
Multiple deployment stages
VPC tunneling

Only in Velero

Cluster resource backup
Volume snapshots
File-level backup
Cross-cluster restore
Backup hooks
Scheduled backups
Object storage targets

What people use each for

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

SST

Deploying Next.js frontends with serverless backendsnot Velero
Managing databases and storage alongside application codenot Velero
Creating staging environments for feature testingnot Velero

Velero

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

Where each one falls short

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

SST

Primarily optimized for AWS with Cloudflare support
Learning curve for developers unfamiliar with infrastructure concepts
Limited documentation for some advanced use cases

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

SST

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the SST review.

Velero

Free

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

Which should you pick?

Choose SST if

You need single config file.
You want to start without paying.
You work on AWS, Cloudflare, Node.js.
You also want resource linking.

SST 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 SST or Velero better?: Neither clearly leads. SST 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, SST or Velero?: SST starts at Free and Velero at Free.
Does SST or Velero run on more platforms?: SST runs on AWS, Cloudflare, Node.js. Velero runs on Linux.
Can I use SST for free?: Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is SST best used for?: SST is most often used for deploying next.js frontends with serverless backends, managing databases and storage alongside application code, creating staging environments for feature testing. Of those, deploying next.js frontends with serverless backends and managing databases and storage alongside application code are not what Velero is typically brought in for.
What can SST do that Velero cannot?: SST covers Single config file, Resource linking, Local development, Multi-cloud support. Velero covers Cluster resource backup, Volume snapshots, File-level backup, Cross-cluster restore.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

SST: Is SST free?

Yes, SST is open source and free. You only pay for cloud resources from AWS and other providers.

Source

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.

SST: What cloud providers does SST support?

SST supports over 150 providers through built-in AWS and Cloudflare components, plus Pulumi and Terraform providers.

Source

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.

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.

SST vs Velero

SST

Velero

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in SST

Only in Velero

What people use each for

SST

Velero

Where each one falls short

SST

Velero

Pricing, plan by plan

SST

Velero

Which should you pick?

Choose SST if

Choose Velero if

Questions people ask

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Related pages

More on SST

More on Velero

Keep looking

Other head to heads