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Backup · head to head

UrBackup vs VictoriaMetrics

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
VictoriaMetrics logo

VictoriaMetrics

Cloud

Fast, cost-effective time series database for metrics

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.; VictoriaMetrics promQL compatibility is very close but not identical, and MetricsQL extensions do not port back
  • They diverge on capability: UrBackup covers Windows image backups, VictoriaMetrics covers PromQL compatible.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which UrBackup and VictoriaMetrics actually diverge.

Attributes where UrBackup and VictoriaMetrics differ
AttributeUrBackupVictoriaMetrics
PlatformsLinux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSDLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted
CategoryBackupCloud

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), 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 VictoriaMetrics

  • PromQL compatible
  • Low resource use
  • Single binary or cluster
  • Remote write target

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 VictoriaMetrics
  • Schools and labs where machines are re-imaged often and a known good image must be recoverablenot VictoriaMetrics
  • Backing up a mixed fleet to one server on premises with a web interface non specialists can usenot VictoriaMetrics
  • Replacing an expiring commercial endpoint backup licence where the budget is the constraintnot VictoriaMetrics

VictoriaMetrics

  • Keeping months or years of Prometheus metrics without the memory costnot UrBackup
  • High-cardinality metrics where Prometheus strugglesnot UrBackup
  • Consolidating metrics from many Prometheus instances into one queryable storenot 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.

VictoriaMetrics

  • PromQL compatibility is very close but not identical, and MetricsQL extensions do not port back
  • Smaller community than Prometheus, so fewer guides and third-party integrations
  • The clustered version has meaningfully more moving parts than the single binary suggests
  • Some enterprise features sit outside the open-source offering

Pricing, plan by plan

UrBackup

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

VictoriaMetrics

Free
  • VictoriaMetricsFree
    • Full functionality
    • No data limits
    • Community support

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 VictoriaMetrics if

  • You need promql compatible.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
  • You also want low resource use.
VictoriaMetrics review

Questions people ask

Is UrBackup or VictoriaMetrics better?
Neither clearly leads. UrBackup starts at Free and VictoriaMetrics at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, UrBackup or VictoriaMetrics?
UrBackup starts at Free and VictoriaMetrics at Free.
Does UrBackup or VictoriaMetrics run on more platforms?
UrBackup runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD. VictoriaMetrics runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
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 VictoriaMetrics is typically brought in for.
What can UrBackup do that VictoriaMetrics cannot?
UrBackup covers Windows image backups, File backups, Web interface, Client discovery. VictoriaMetrics covers PromQL compatible, Low resource use, Single binary or cluster, Remote write target.

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.

VictoriaMetrics: Is VictoriaMetrics free?

The open-source version is free with no data limits. An enterprise edition and cloud service are paid.

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.

VictoriaMetrics: Does it replace Prometheus?

It can, but most teams keep Prometheus for scraping and use VictoriaMetrics as the long-term store behind 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.

VictoriaMetrics: Is PromQL fully supported?

Very nearly. It implements PromQL and extends it with MetricsQL, though a small number of edge-case behaviours differ.

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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