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UrBackup vs Veeam Backup & Replication

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
Veeam Backup & Replication logo

Veeam Backup & Replication

File Storage

Modern data protection for enterprise workloads

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Veeam Backup & Replication replication propagates corrupted data without detection, as it focuses on speed without extensive integrity checks
  • They diverge on capability: UrBackup covers Windows image backups, Veeam Backup & Replication covers Instant VM recovery.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which UrBackup and Veeam Backup & Replication actually diverge.

Attributes where UrBackup and Veeam Backup & Replication differ
AttributeUrBackupVeeam Backup & Replication
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeUnknown
PlatformsLinux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSDWindows
CategoryBackupFile Storage
FoundedUnknown2006

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 UrBackup

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

Only in Veeam Backup & Replication

  • Instant VM recovery
  • Ransomware protection
  • Immutable backups
  • Application-aware processing
  • Global deduplication
  • Continuous data protection
  • VMware vSphere
  • Microsoft Hyper-V

What people use each for

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

UrBackup

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

Veeam Backup & Replication

  • Data protectionnot UrBackup
  • Disaster recoverynot UrBackup
  • Business continuitynot UrBackup
  • Ransomware protectionnot UrBackup
  • Compliancenot UrBackup

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Veeam Backup & Replication

  • Replication propagates corrupted data without detection, as it focuses on speed without extensive integrity checks
  • Cannot use guest file indexing for snapshot-only jobs, limiting recovery options
  • Multi-factor authentication is not supported for object storage repositories
  • Scale-out backup repositories do not support rotated drives and have limited functionality

Pricing, plan by plan

UrBackup

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

Veeam Backup & Replication

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Veeam Backup & Replication review.

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Veeam Backup & Replication if

  • You need instant vm recovery.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want ransomware protection.
Veeam Backup & Replication review

Questions people ask

Is UrBackup or Veeam Backup & Replication better?
Neither clearly leads. UrBackup starts at Free and Veeam Backup & Replication at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, UrBackup or Veeam Backup & Replication?
UrBackup starts at Free and Veeam Backup & Replication at Free.
Does UrBackup or Veeam Backup & Replication run on more platforms?
UrBackup runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD. Veeam Backup & Replication runs on Windows.
Can I use UrBackup for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is UrBackup best used for?
UrBackup is most often used for a small office with windows workstations that needs bare metal restore without per seat licensing, schools and labs where machines are re-imaged often and a known good image must be recoverable, backing up a mixed fleet to one server on premises with a web interface non specialists can use, replacing an expiring commercial endpoint backup licence where the budget is the constraint. Of those, a small office with windows workstations that needs bare metal restore without per seat licensing and schools and labs where machines are re-imaged often and a known good image must be recoverable are not what Veeam Backup & Replication is typically brought in for.
What can UrBackup do that Veeam Backup & Replication cannot?
UrBackup covers Windows image backups, File backups, Web interface, Client discovery. Veeam Backup & Replication covers Instant VM recovery, Ransomware protection, Immutable backups, Application-aware processing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Veeam Backup & Replication: What is included in Veeam's free tier?

Veeam's free Community Edition supports unlimited backups and replication for up to 10 workloads with the same features as the Standard tier, with no time limit.

Source
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.

Veeam Backup & Replication: How long can Veeam retain backups?

Veeam retention depends on your storage configuration but typically supports retention of multiple backup versions for weeks to years depending on storage capacity and retention policies configured.

Source
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.

Veeam Backup & Replication: Can Veeam replicate data to cloud storage?

Yes, Veeam Backup & Replication supports replication and backup to cloud storage including AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, with support for object storage repositories and immutable backups.

Source
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.

Veeam Backup & Replication: What hypervisors does Veeam support?

Veeam natively supports VMware vSphere and Microsoft Hyper-V for VM backup and replication, with additional support for physical servers and cloud instances through complementary tools.

Source
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