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Backup · head to head

Redstor vs UrBackup

Redstor logo

Redstor

Backup

Cloud backup for managed service providers with instant streamed recovery

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
UrBackup logo

UrBackup

Backup

Open source client server backup doing both file and whole disk image backups of Windows machines

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only UrBackup has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Redstor it is sold through the channel, so you cannot buy it direct and your price and support quality depend entirely on the partner you engage.; UrBackup backups are stored on the server without encryption at rest by default, so the backup server holds a readable copy of every machine it protects and becomes the highest value target on the network.
  • They diverge on capability: Redstor covers InstantData, UrBackup covers Windows image backups.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Redstor and UrBackup actually diverge.

Attributes where Redstor and UrBackup differ
AttributeRedstorUrBackup
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux, WebLinux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD

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 Redstor

  • InstantData
  • Multi-tenant console
  • SaaS application backup
  • Regional data centres
  • Malware detection
  • White labelling

Only in UrBackup

  • Windows image backups
  • File backups
  • Web interface
  • Client discovery
  • Internet mode
  • Filesystem deduplication

What people use each for

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

Redstor

  • A UK managed service provider needing client data to stay in UK data centres for public sector contractsnot UrBackup
  • An MSP that wants to promise a recovery time measured in minutes rather than hours for file serversnot UrBackup
  • A business needing Microsoft 365 and accounting SaaS backup managed by its IT provider in one consolenot UrBackup
  • An MSP consolidating several backup products across its client base onto one multi-tenant platformnot UrBackup

UrBackup

  • A small office with Windows workstations that needs bare metal restore without per seat licensingnot Redstor
  • Schools and labs where machines are re-imaged often and a known good image must be recoverablenot Redstor
  • Backing up a mixed fleet to one server on premises with a web interface non specialists can usenot Redstor
  • Replacing an expiring commercial endpoint backup licence where the budget is the constraintnot Redstor

Where each one falls short

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

Redstor

  • It is sold through the channel, so you cannot buy it direct and your price and support quality depend entirely on the partner you engage.
  • Pricing is not published at all, and because partners resell it with their own margin, comparing quotes across MSPs is comparing partner markups rather than product cost.
  • The InstantData streaming advantage depends on network bandwidth to the data centre, so sites with poor connectivity see much less benefit than the demonstrations suggest.
  • Its footprint is concentrated in the UK, Europe and South Africa, so multinational organisations needing consistent coverage in North America or Asia will find the regional story uneven.
  • Feature depth for large enterprise virtual machine estates trails Veeam and Rubrik, so it fits small and medium client workloads rather than complex data centre recovery.

UrBackup

  • Backups are stored on the server without encryption at rest by default, so the backup server holds a readable copy of every machine it protects and becomes the highest value target on the network.
  • Deduplication relies on filesystem features such as hard links, btrfs or ZFS, so a server built on the wrong filesystem silently consumes far more space and the fix is a rebuild rather than a setting.
  • There is no native object storage target, so offsite copies mean replicating the server storage with another tool rather than backing up to a bucket directly.
  • Restoring a full Windows image requires booting a restore environment, which is a manual, on site procedure that needs to be rehearsed before the day it is needed.
  • A single server holds everything and there is no built in clustering, so its own failure removes every recovery point at once unless you have separately solved replication.

Pricing, plan by plan

Redstor

On request
  • Redstor Platform$undefined/year
    • Sold through managed service providers, priced per protected device or per user
    • Storage included in the per-unit price rather than billed separately
    • No egress or restore charges

UrBackup

Free
  • UrBackupFree
    • Full functionality, unlimited clients
    • File and image backups
    • Web administration interface

Which should you pick?

Choose Redstor if

  • You need instantdata.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, Web.
  • You also want multi-tenant console.
Redstor review

Choose UrBackup if

  • You need windows image backups.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD.
  • You also want file backups.
UrBackup review

Questions people ask

Is Redstor or UrBackup better?
Neither clearly leads. Redstor starts at On request and UrBackup at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Redstor or UrBackup?
UrBackup has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Redstor and Free for UrBackup.
Does Redstor or UrBackup run on more platforms?
Redstor runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Web. UrBackup runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD.
Can I use UrBackup for free?
Yes. UrBackup has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Redstor starts at On request.
What is Redstor best used for?
Redstor is most often used for a uk managed service provider needing client data to stay in uk data centres for public sector contracts, an msp that wants to promise a recovery time measured in minutes rather than hours for file servers, a business needing microsoft 365 and accounting saas backup managed by its it provider in one console, an msp consolidating several backup products across its client base onto one multi-tenant platform. Of those, a uk managed service provider needing client data to stay in uk data centres for public sector contracts and an msp that wants to promise a recovery time measured in minutes rather than hours for file servers are not what UrBackup is typically brought in for.
What can Redstor do that UrBackup cannot?
Redstor covers InstantData, Multi-tenant console, SaaS application backup, Regional data centres. UrBackup covers Windows image backups, File backups, Web interface, Client discovery.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Redstor: Can we buy Redstor directly?

Generally no. It is a channel product sold through managed service providers, so partner selection is part of the buying decision.

UrBackup: Does it back up Linux servers as well?

File backups yes, image backups no. The image path is Windows only through volume shadow copy.

Redstor: Are there restore or egress charges?

Redstor includes storage and recovery in the per-unit price rather than charging separately for egress, which is the opposite of the cloud-native backup vendors.

UrBackup: Is the data encrypted?

Transport can be encrypted, and there is optional client side file encryption, but the default server storage is not encrypted at rest. Use full disk encryption on the server.

Redstor: Where is data stored?

UK and regional data centres, selectable by tenant, which is the reason UK public sector and legal clients tend to shortlist it.

UrBackup: Can I back up to Amazon S3?

Not directly. The server writes to local or mounted storage, so cloud copies are made by replicating that storage separately.

UrBackup: How many clients can one server handle?

Dozens is routine on decent hardware. The limit is usually storage input and output during overlapping backup windows rather than client count.

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