Our verdict
Choose Acronis if you want one agent for backup and endpoint protection across laptops and servers. Choose Veeam if virtual machines and Microsoft 365 are your priority, especially with its free Community Edition.
Acronis and Veeam are two of the best-known names in business backup. Acronis Cyber Protect combines backup with anti-malware and endpoint management in one agent, popular with MSPs and small businesses. Veeam is the reference product for backing up virtual machines and servers, with a free Community Edition and strong Microsoft 365 backup.
Choose Acronis Cyber Protect if…
- You want backup and endpoint security in one product
- You back up laptops and desktops as well as servers
- You buy through an MSP that standardises on Acronis
- You want cloud backup storage from the same vendor
Choose Veeam Data Platform if…
- You run VMware, Hyper-V or Proxmox virtual machines
- You want a free edition for up to 10 workloads
- Microsoft 365 backup is a priority
- You have IT staff comfortable managing backup infrastructure
Side by side
| Criterion | Acronis Cyber Protect | Veeam Data Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 8.5 / 10 | 8.5 / 10 |
| Features & fit | 9.2 | 9.2 |
| Ease of use | 7.6 | 7.0 |
| Value for money | 7.8 | 7.8 |
| Support & reliability | 7.6 | 8.2 |
| Security & privacy | 9.0 | 9.2 |
| Integrations & ecosystem | 7.8 | 8.6 |
| Starting price (indicative) | Per-workload pricing; editions vary — check Acronis | Free Community Edition; paid by quote / per workload |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Full-image backup | Businesses with servers or VMs |
Feature by feature
| Feature | Acronis Cyber Protect | Veeam Data Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Free option | Trial | Community Edition (up to 10 workloads) |
| Pricing model | Per workload, editions vary | Per workload / quote |
| Integrated anti-malware | Yes | Malware detection in backups |
| VM backup | Yes | Yes, market leader |
| Endpoint backup | Yes, strong | Agents available |
| Microsoft 365 backup | Yes | Yes, strong |
| Immutable / ransomware-resilient storage | Yes | Yes |
| Best fit | SMBs and MSPs wanting one agent | Virtualised environments with IT staff |
Pricing compared
Acronis Cyber Protect
| Plan | Indicative price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cyber Protect editions | Custom quote | Per-workload pricing; editions vary |
Veeam Data Platform
| Plan | Indicative price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Community Edition | Free | Up to 10 workloads |
| Foundation | Custom quote | Quote |
| Advanced | Custom quote | Quote |
Indicative USD list prices; excludes tax, add-ons and promotions. Confirm on each vendor’s site.
Scope
Acronis integrates backup, anti-malware, vulnerability assessment and patch management. Veeam focuses on backup and recovery, especially for virtualised and cloud workloads.
Pricing
Acronis prices per workload with editions that vary by features and storage. Veeam offers a free Community Edition for up to 10 workloads, then quote-based or per-workload paid editions.
Virtualisation
Veeam is the leader for image-based VM backup, fast restores and instant recovery. Acronis supports VMs too, but Veeam is the specialist.
Endpoints
Acronis is strong for backing up end-user devices. Veeam has an agent for Windows, Linux and Mac, but endpoints are not its focus.
Microsoft 365
Both back up Microsoft 365. Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365 is widely used; Acronis offers cloud-to-cloud backup in its platform.
Pros & cons
Acronis Cyber Protect
- Image-level backup
- Integrated anti-malware
- SaaS backup available
- Complex licensing
- Learning curve
Veeam Data Platform
- Mature and widely supported
- Immutable backups
- Instant recovery
- Technical to deploy
- Quote-based pricing
Key features of each
Acronis Cyber Protect
- Full-image backup. Restore entire machines.
- Anti-ransomware. Behaviour-based protection.
- M365 / Workspace backup. Protect SaaS data.
- Disaster recovery. Failover options on advanced tiers.
Integrates with: Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, VMware, Hyper-V.
Veeam Data Platform
- VM & server backup. VMware, Hyper-V and physical servers.
- Immutability. Protect against ransomware deletion.
- Instant recovery. Run VMs from backup.
- Microsoft 365. Backup for Exchange, SharePoint and Teams.
Integrates with: VMware, Hyper-V, AWS, Azure, Backblaze B2, Wasabi.
Who should avoid each
Skip Acronis Cyber Protect if…
- Users wanting very simple backup only
Best for: Full-image backup; Server and workstation recovery; SaaS backup in one console.
Skip Veeam Data Platform if…
- Laptop-only teams
- Non-technical owners
Best for: Businesses with servers or VMs; MSPs; Microsoft 365 backup at scale.
Switching between Acronis Cyber Protect and Veeam Data Platform
Migration difficulty: Hard
Backups cannot usually be converted between vendors. Keep the old system for its retention period while new backups build history.
- Document workloads, schedules and retention requirements.
- Deploy the new product and run full backups of every workload.
- Test restores of files, VMs and mailboxes.
- Keep the old system read-only until its retention period ends.
- Update your recovery runbook and contacts.
Weigh it your way
Adjust the weights to your priorities to see which tool comes out ahead for you. Print or export the result for your team.
| Tool | Features | Ease | Value | Support | Security | Integrations | Your score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Veeam Data Platform | 9.2 | 7.0 | 7.8 | 8.2 | 9.2 | 8.6 | 8.53 |
| 2. Acronis Cyber Protect | 9.2 | 7.6 | 7.8 | 7.6 | 9.0 | 7.8 | 8.46 |
Drag the sliders to match your priorities. Scores are our editorial sub-scores; weights start at the values we publish on the methodology page. Nothing you change is stored or sent anywhere.
How our scores and weights work · Add a third tool side by side
Frequently asked questions
Is Veeam free?
Veeam Community Edition is free for up to 10 workloads. Larger deployments need paid licences.
Does Acronis include antivirus?
Acronis Cyber Protect includes anti-malware and security features alongside backup, depending on edition.
Which is better for Microsoft 365 backup?
Both work; Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365 is especially popular. Remember that Microsoft's retention is not the same as backup.
Can I use them with an MSP?
Yes. Both are widely used by managed service providers.
Does Acronis Cyber Protect or Veeam Data Platform have a free plan?
Acronis Cyber Protect has a free trial but no permanent free plan; Veeam Data Platform has a free plan. Indicative starting prices: Acronis Cyber Protect — Per-workload pricing; editions vary — check Acronis; Veeam Data Platform — Free Community Edition; paid by quote / per workload.
Which scores higher in our review, Acronis Cyber Protect or Veeam Data Platform?
Acronis Cyber Protect scores 8.5/10 and Veeam Data Platform 8.5/10 on our weighted rubric. Acronis Cyber Protect leads on 1 of six criteria. A higher score does not make it right for every buyer — see the “choose if” lists above.
