VM Backup

VM Backup protects Hyper-V, VMware and Proxmox virtual machines with backup, replication and multiple recovery options. It is best suited to administrators responsible for mixed-hypervisor Windows-hosted environments. Its combination of frequent protection and flexible recovery is compelling, though Proxmox users should note the product’s stated feature gaps.

Overview

VM Backup is Hornetsecurity’s server-focused backup and replication software, not a tool for backing up personal computers or mobile devices. A single console manages VMware, Hyper-V and Proxmox, while a separate remote management console can connect to remote installations. That breadth is useful for teams managing more than one hypervisor, without requiring separate management for each.

Automatic jobs can run as often as every five minutes, and live backups avoid downtime. Recovery ranges from full-VM restoration to individual files or Exchange items; administrators can also restore to another host or boot a VM from its backup. These options make the product practical both for full-system recovery and more targeted retrieval.

VM Backup also supports AES-256 encryption, immutable backup storage and cloud destinations including Azure, Impossible Cloud Storage, Backblaze B2, Amazon S3 and Wasabi. Its Backup Health Monitor checks storage for integrity problems and may attempt repairs during a later backup job.

Key features

• Frequent protection: Scheduled backups and CDP for Windows VMs can run as often as every five minutes. CDP and WAN-optimized replication are useful when recovery points and off-site copies matter, though the stated CDP support is for Windows VMs.
• Recovery flexibility: Full-VM, granular file and Exchange-item restores cover different recovery needs. Cross-platform restoration is described between VMware and Hyper-V; Proxmox is supported as a hypervisor, but it is not named in that restore capability.
• Integrity and security: AES-256 encryption, immutable storage and integrity checks strengthen protection against tampering and storage faults. The monitor may attempt repairs in a subsequent job, rather than promising immediate repair.
• Administration: A RESTful API and PowerShell cmdlets suit advanced users who want to integrate or automate administration; they are less relevant to teams without that expertise.

Pricing

The Free Edition costs nothing and is free forever, capped at two VMs per host. It is a useful way to protect a small environment, but that per-host ceiling rules it out as a broad deployment option. The 30-day fully featured trial costs nothing and is better for evaluating the complete feature set before choosing a license.

Subscription — Unlimited Plus uses custom pricing, billed per backed-up VM per month. Support, updates and version upgrades are included; more than 75 VMs requires a custom quote. This model suits organizations preferring recurring per-VM costs with maintenance included.

Perpetual licensing also has custom pricing and is billed per host. It allows unlimited sockets and VMs per host, across Standard, Unlimited or Unlimited Plus editions, but support, updates and upgrades require a service maintenance agreement. More than 10 hosts requires a custom quote. Its host-based licensing may suit a stable estate, but buyers should account for the separate SMA when comparing ongoing costs with the subscription.

Platforms

The supported environments are Windows hosts running Hyper-V, VMware or Proxmox. The product also has Linux, Windows, API and self-hosted platform classifications. It is a server-backup product rather than computer or mobile backup software. Proxmox LXC container backups are unsupported, and Proxmox replication and CDP were not yet available in the stated version information, making those limitations important for Proxmox-heavy deployments.

Who it's for

VM Backup is a strong fit for IT teams protecting virtualized servers across Hyper-V, VMware and Proxmox, especially where frequent recovery points, granular restores, off-site replication or cloud targets are priorities. It is less suitable when Proxmox containers or Proxmox CDP and replication are essential, or when the need is desktop or mobile backup.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Five-minute backup scheduling and Windows-VM CDP support frequent protection; full-VM, granular and alternate-host recovery give administrators several recovery paths; one console covers three hypervisors; cloud destinations, encryption, immutable storage and integrity checks add useful safeguards.
• Cons: The free edition stops at two VMs per host; Proxmox LXC backup is unsupported and Proxmox replication and CDP are unavailable in the stated version information; perpetual licensing needs an SMA for support and updates; the published plan terms do not give a fixed paid price.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison of tools built for this workload, start with Virtual Machine Backup Software. Readers focused on adjacent needs can also browse Continuous Data Protection Software, Microsoft 365 Backup Software, Email Backup Software, Email Archiving Software or Email Security Gateways.

SEP sesam is another freemium backup option, with Linux, macOS, web and Windows platforms and a Community Edition that includes a 3 TB storage pool and up to five backup clients. Proxmox Backup Server is a freemium Linux and web option whose Community plan is €560 a year for unlimited backup storage and clients. Storware Backup & Recovery offers a free license without technical support and a 60-day trial for up to 20 virtual environments.

Veeam Agent for Mac is the relevant alternative when the target is macOS rather than virtualized servers; its free edition is limited to one backup job and has no direct object-storage backup. Iperius Backup is a Windows option with a free plan supporting Windows and Windows Server. Uranium Backup is another Windows choice, with a free plan for file and folder backup and a Base plan priced at €80 a month that adds drive imaging, FTP backup, synchronization and service support.

Vinchin Backup & Recovery has a permanent free edition covering up to three virtual machines. Xen Orchestra is a free option with a Pro plan priced at $1,000 a year, a three-host minimum and business-day support.

Verdict

Choose VM Backup if you need frequent, flexible protection for virtualized servers across Hyper-V, VMware and Proxmox, with centralized management and several recovery paths. Its strongest case is the combination of five-minute protection, granular recovery and broad hypervisor coverage. Look elsewhere if Proxmox LXC backup, replication or CDP is central to your requirements, or if you need personal-device backup.