Alternatives to Synology Active Backup for Business

A Synology NAS package that backs up PCs, Macs, servers and virtual machines from one console. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.

Replacements

Listings that take over the same core job as Synology Active Backup for Business.

  • UrBackup

    Manage file and image backups through a client-server system.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    UrBackup is free and open source under AGPL-3.0, combining file and image backup clients with central administration, but you install and maintain the server yourself.

  • Veeam Backup & Replication

    Windows backup server that protects virtual machines, physical machines, NAS shares and cloud workloads.

    FreemiumProprietaryWindows

    Veeam Backup & Replication runs its backup server on Windows instead of a NAS, covering virtual, physical, NAS and cloud workloads, with the full feature set paid.

  • NAKIVO Backup & Replication

    Backup and replication for virtual machines, physical servers and Microsoft 365.

    FreemiumProprietaryWindowsLinuxSelf-hosted

    NAKIVO Backup & Replication covers virtual machines, physical servers, NAS and Microsoft 365 from one console, with a limited free edition and per-workload licensing beyond it.

  • Comet Backup

    Backup software for MSPs and IT teams, with a central server and clients for many platforms.

    PaidProprietaryWindowsmacOSLinuxSelf-hosted

    Comet Backup is a paid MSP product with a central server and clients for Windows, macOS and Linux, storing data in Comet cloud, S3 or your own storage.

  • IDrive 360

    Endpoint cloud backup service for businesses, MSPs and IT teams, managed from a central console.

    PaidProprietaryWindowsmacOSLinuxAndroidiOSWeb

    IDrive 360 manages backups of workstations, servers and virtual machines from a central console, but storage is cloud-only on IDrive's service and it is a paid subscription.

  • Minarca

    An open-source, self-hosted backup system with desktop agents and a central server for managing backups.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxSelf-hostedCommand line

    Minarca is free and open source, backing up Windows, macOS and Linux agents to your own server with alerts and quotas, but it is file-based without full system images.

  • BackupPC

    Back up computers to a centrally managed server.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxSelf-hostedWeb

    BackupPC is free and open source under GPL-3.0, backing up computers to a central Linux server with a web interface, though setup needs Perl and transfer dependencies.

  • BURP

    Network backup and restore server with deduplication and encryption.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxSelf-hosted

    BURP is a free open-source backup server with cross-client deduplication and Windows VSS support, but setup is file based and the core has no graphical interface.

Also worth comparing

These listings name Synology Active Backup for Business as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.

  • CrashPlan

    Endpoint and server cloud backup platform for businesses, with ransomware recovery and legal hold.

    PaidProprietaryWindowsmacOSLinux

    Synology Active Backup for Business backs up PCs, Macs and servers to your own Synology NAS with no per-device licence fees.

  • Veeam Backup & Replication Community Edition

    A free edition of Veeam Backup & Replication for backing up virtual machines and physical servers.

    FreemiumProprietaryWindows

    Synology Active Backup for Business backs up VMs, servers and PCs with no per-device licence fees, but it runs only on Synology NAS hardware.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.