Backup & Disaster Recovery · head to head
Windows Backup vs Datto Backup
Windows Backup
Backup & Disaster Recovery
Built-in backup and recovery for Windows
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Datto Backup
Backup & Disaster Recovery
Business continuity without compromise
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Windows Backup has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Windows Backup folder backup goes to OneDrive, and a free Microsoft account comes with only 5 GB of OneDrive storage; Datto Backup no pricing figures are shown on the product page; buyers must request a demo or contact sales, with a separate FLEXspend for Datto Backup consumption option referenced but not priced, per datto.com, August 2026
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Windows Backup and Datto Backup actually diverge.
| Attribute | Windows Backup | Datto Backup |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | free | quote |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Windows | Web |
| Founded | 1975 | Unknown |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Backup & Disaster Recovery).
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 Windows Backup
- File History
- System image backup
- OneDrive integration
- System restore points
- Reset this PC
- Recovery drive
- OneDrive
- Windows Server
Only in Datto Backup
Nothing recorded that Windows Backup does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Windows Backup
- Moving folders, settings and app list to a new Windows PCnot Datto Backup
- Basic personal file backup for a Windows home usernot Datto Backup
Datto Backup
No use cases recorded yet. See the Datto Backup review.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Windows Backup
- Folder backup goes to OneDrive, and a free Microsoft account comes with only 5 GB of OneDrive storage
- It requires signing in with a Microsoft account rather than a local Windows account
- Personalization preferences are not backed up if OneDrive storage is insufficient
- OneDrive folder syncing through Windows Backup is not available for work or school accounts, and Windows does not remember apps for those accounts
- Device settings sync for a work or school account only if the organization allows it
Datto Backup
- No pricing figures are shown on the product page; buyers must request a demo or contact sales, with a separate FLEXspend for Datto Backup consumption option referenced but not priced, per datto.com, August 2026
Pricing, plan by plan
Windows Backup
Free- Built-inFree
- File History
- System image
- OneDrive sync
Datto Backup
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Datto Backup review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Windows Backup if
- You need file history.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows.
- You also want system image backup.
Choose Datto Backup if
Nothing in the data separates Datto Backup from Windows Backup on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Questions people ask
- Is Windows Backup or Datto Backup better?
- Neither clearly leads. Windows Backup starts at Free and Datto Backup at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Windows Backup or Datto Backup?
- Windows Backup has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Windows Backup and On request for Datto Backup.
- Does Windows Backup or Datto Backup run on more platforms?
- Windows Backup runs on Windows. Datto Backup runs on Web.
- Can I use Windows Backup for free?
- Yes. Windows Backup has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Datto Backup starts at On request.
- What is Windows Backup best used for?
- Windows Backup is most often used for moving folders, settings and app list to a new windows pc, basic personal file backup for a windows home user. Of those, moving folders, settings and app list to a new windows pc and basic personal file backup for a windows home user are not what Datto Backup is typically brought in for.
- What can Windows Backup do that Datto Backup cannot?
- Windows Backup covers File History, System image backup, OneDrive integration, System restore points.