Veeam alternative for small teams: server backup without a backup server
Veeam is the right choice for VMs, disk images and bare metal, and it is free for up to 10 workloads.
Arkame does one thing: backs up server files straight to your S3 bucket, with no backup server in between.
If you need both, use both. Below are the facts, with sources, and where each one stops.
Side by side
| Fact | Arkame | Veeam |
|---|---|---|
| Price to start | US$ 5 per server per month (R$ 25 in Brazil). 14-day trial, no card.source: arkame.app/termos | Free with Community Edition, limited to 10 workloads.source: veeam.com |
| Beyond the free tier | The same price per server.source: arkame.app/termos | Veeam Data Platform Essentials: US$ 95 per license per year (MSRP), sold in packs of 5, minimum of 5 licenses, up to 50 workloads.source: veeam.com |
| What it protects | Files and folders on Linux (Docker or native install), Windows and macOS servers.source: arkame.app/docs | Proxmox VE, VMware, Hyper-V, Windows and Linux servers, laptops, NAS and more.source: veeam.com |
| VM and hypervisor backup | No. | Yes: Proxmox VE, VMware and Hyper-V.source: veeam.com |
| Disk image and bare metal | No. Files only.source: arkame.app/#faq | Yes, in Veeam Agent for Linux Free: image-based backup, bare-metal restore and bootable recovery media.source: veeam.com |
| Volume snapshot | No. The agent reads files without a snapshot; VSS and LVM are on the roadmap.source: arkame.app/#faq | Yes, with a kernel module and changed block tracking (CBT).source: veeam.com |
| Granular restore of Microsoft applications | No. | Yes, with Veeam Explorers.source: veeam.com |
| Bootable copies for disaster recovery | No. | Yes: onsite or offsite copies of workloads, for migration and disaster recovery.source: veeam.com |
| Direct backup to an S3 bucket | Yes: AWS S3, Backblaze B2, Wasabi, Google Cloud Storage, OCI, MinIO and other S3-compatible storage.source: arkame.app/docs/armazenamento | Not in Veeam Agent for Linux Free: the free edition cannot back up directly to object storage.source: helpcenter.veeam.com |
| Jobs per server | Several plans per server.source: arkame.app/docs | Veeam Agent for Linux Free: one job.source: helpcenter.veeam.com |
| Restore | In the browser: by search, by folder or on a timeline. Point-in-time comes from bucket versioning.source: arkame.app/docs | Granular file and application-item restores.source: veeam.com |
| Support | By email, within 1 business day, Monday to Friday.source: arkame.app/suporte | Veeam Agent for Linux Free: no commercial support program.source: helpcenter.veeam.com |
Price to start
- Arkame
- US$ 5 per server per month (R$ 25 in Brazil). 14-day trial, no card.source: arkame.app/termos
- Veeam
- Free with Community Edition, limited to 10 workloads.source: veeam.com
Beyond the free tier
- Arkame
- The same price per server.source: arkame.app/termos
- Veeam
- Veeam Data Platform Essentials: US$ 95 per license per year (MSRP), sold in packs of 5, minimum of 5 licenses, up to 50 workloads.source: veeam.com
What it protects
- Arkame
- Files and folders on Linux (Docker or native install), Windows and macOS servers.source: arkame.app/docs
- Veeam
- Proxmox VE, VMware, Hyper-V, Windows and Linux servers, laptops, NAS and more.source: veeam.com
VM and hypervisor backup
- Arkame
- No.
- Veeam
- Yes: Proxmox VE, VMware and Hyper-V.source: veeam.com
Disk image and bare metal
- Arkame
- No. Files only.source: arkame.app/#faq
- Veeam
- Yes, in Veeam Agent for Linux Free: image-based backup, bare-metal restore and bootable recovery media.source: veeam.com
Volume snapshot
- Arkame
- No. The agent reads files without a snapshot; VSS and LVM are on the roadmap.source: arkame.app/#faq
- Veeam
- Yes, with a kernel module and changed block tracking (CBT).source: veeam.com
Granular restore of Microsoft applications
- Arkame
- No.
- Veeam
- Yes, with Veeam Explorers.source: veeam.com
Bootable copies for disaster recovery
- Arkame
- No.
- Veeam
- Yes: onsite or offsite copies of workloads, for migration and disaster recovery.source: veeam.com
Direct backup to an S3 bucket
- Arkame
- Yes: AWS S3, Backblaze B2, Wasabi, Google Cloud Storage, OCI, MinIO and other S3-compatible storage.source: arkame.app/docs/armazenamento
- Veeam
- Not in Veeam Agent for Linux Free: the free edition cannot back up directly to object storage.source: helpcenter.veeam.com
Jobs per server
- Arkame
- Several plans per server.source: arkame.app/docs
- Veeam
- Veeam Agent for Linux Free: one job.source: helpcenter.veeam.com
Restore
- Arkame
- In the browser: by search, by folder or on a timeline. Point-in-time comes from bucket versioning.source: arkame.app/docs
- Veeam
- Granular file and application-item restores.source: veeam.com
Support
- Arkame
- By email, within 1 business day, Monday to Friday.source: arkame.app/suporte
- Veeam
- Veeam Agent for Linux Free: no commercial support program.source: helpcenter.veeam.com
Sources checked on October 4, 2026. Other products’ prices in US dollars, as shown on their official pages.
When to choose Veeam
In many cases Veeam is the answer. Choose Veeam if:
- You need VM or hypervisor backup (Proxmox VE, VMware, Hyper-V). Arkame does not back up VMs.
- You want to restore the whole machine: disk image, bare metal, boot media. Arkame backs up files only.
- You need volume snapshots to copy open files consistently. Arkame does not use VSS or LVM yet.
- You need consistent database backups without a dump. With Arkame, a database goes in as a dump (pg_dump, mysqldump, mongodump), and in Docker the before and after commands do not run: the dump lives in a cron job on the server.
- You restore Microsoft application items or need bootable copies for disaster recovery.
- You have up to 10 workloads and do not want to pay for a license. Community Edition is free; Arkame charges per server after the trial.
When to choose Arkame
Arkame makes sense when what matters is the server’s files:
- You want server files (configs, uploads, documents, database dumps) in a bucket you own, without installing and maintaining a backup server.
- You want a published per-server price, the same for Linux, Windows and macOS, and you pay for storage directly to the provider.
- You want ransomware protection in the bucket itself: versioning and Object Lock in Compliance mode, with the agent warning you if something is off.
- Whoever restores is not a specialist: they search for the file by name or pick a point on the timeline, in the browser.
- You look after several servers, or several clients, in one panel, in English, Portuguese or Spanish.
- You want to read the code that runs on your server: the agent is open source (Apache 2.0) and releases are signed with cosign.
How to start without losing what you have
You do not need to turn anything off to try it. Many teams keep Veeam for VMs and use Arkame for files, with an offsite copy.
Create a bucket with versioning and Object Lock at the provider you prefer. The storage guide walks through Backblaze B2, Wasabi and AWS.
Install the agent on the server. The panel shows the ready-made command, with that server’s code.
Create a plan with the folders that matter. If there is a database, include the folder where the dump is written.
Click "Run now" and restore a test file before you trust the plan.
Only then decide what changes in Veeam. If it protects VMs or images, keep it.
FAQ
Does Arkame replace Veeam?
For server file backup, yes. For VMs, disk images, bare metal and granular application restores, no: Arkame does none of that.
Do I need a backup server?
No. The agent sends the server’s files straight to your bucket. The panel keeps only the index (names, sizes and dates), never the content, and the bucket key never leaves the server.
What about databases?
Arkame copies files. For Postgres, MySQL or MongoDB, create a dump and include its folder in the plan. On a native install, the "before backup" command creates the dump and cancels the backup if it fails. In Docker those commands do not run: schedule the dump in the server’s cron.
How much does it cost to protect 10 servers?
With Arkame, 10 times the per-server price (US$ 5 per month, R$ 25 in Brazil), plus storage, which you pay directly to the provider. With up to 10 workloads, Veeam Community Edition is free. If zero cost is the criterion, and you have someone to run Veeam, Veeam wins.
Can I use both?
Yes. They do not compete for anything on the server. A common setup: Veeam for VMs and images, Arkame for files, in a bucket with Object Lock at another provider.
Try it on your server
14 days free, no card. Backups go to your bucket, with your keys.