Overview

VM Backup is Hornetsecurity’s server backup and replication software for Hyper-V, VMware and Proxmox virtual machines. It best suits administrators protecting Windows-hosted virtual environments, particularly where multiple hypervisors need to be managed together. Frequent protection and flexible recovery make it capable, though Proxmox users face specific feature gaps.

A shared console covers all three hypervisors, with a separate remote management console for remote installations. That is useful for mixed environments; this is not a general-purpose personal computer or mobile backup tool.

Compare it with other Virtual Machine Backup Software when choosing a VM protection platform.

Key features

Frequent backups without downtime: Scheduled jobs can run as often as every five minutes, and live backups do not require downtime. CDP is also listed for Windows VMs at five-minute intervals, giving administrators a way to narrow potential data loss between conventional jobs.
Several recovery routes: Administrators can restore full VMs, retrieve individual files or Exchange items, restore to another host, or boot a VM from backup. This range serves both whole-system recovery and targeted recovery of data.
Replication and cross-hypervisor recovery: WAN-optimized replication is supported, and VMware backups can be restored to Hyper-V and vice versa. The stated cross-platform restore capability names those two hypervisors; Proxmox support is not described as part of that route.
Storage choices and safeguards: Cloud destinations include Microsoft Azure, Impossible Cloud Storage, Backblaze B2, Amazon S3 and Wasabi. AES-256 encryption, immutable backup storage and a Backup Health Monitor are also included; the monitor checks storage integrity and may try repairs in a later backup job.
Administration and automation: A RESTful API is available for advanced users familiar with REST APIs and PowerShell cmdlets. This offers an automation path for technical teams, but is less relevant to buyers seeking a simple desktop backup utility.

Proxmox support has important boundaries: LXC container backups are unsupported, and Proxmox replication and CDP are identified as unavailable in the product version information. Teams relying on those Proxmox workloads or capabilities should weigh those gaps before choosing it.

Pricing

Free Edition: 0.00 USD per free, free forever, limited to two VMs per host. It is a practical entry point for small environments or evaluation, but the per-host cap restricts broader deployment.
30-day fully featured trial: 0.00 USD per free for 30 days. This suits teams that need to assess the full feature set before committing.
Subscription — Unlimited Plus: Custom pricing, billed per backed-up VM per month. Support, updates and version upgrades are included. More than 75 VMs requires a custom quote, so this tier suits teams preferring a recurring per-VM model and bundled maintenance.
Perpetual: Custom pricing, billed per host, with unlimited sockets and VMs per host. Standard, Unlimited or Unlimited Plus editions are available; more than 10 hosts requires a custom quote. A service maintenance agreement (SMA) is required for support, updates and version upgrades, so buyers should account for that separately.

Platforms

VM Backup supports Windows hosts running Hyper-V, VMware or Proxmox environments. Its platform coverage also includes API, Linux, self-hosted and Windows. Server backup is supported, while computer and mobile backup are not; this is a focused infrastructure product rather than endpoint protection.

Who it's for

VM Backup is a strong fit for IT teams responsible for Windows-hosted virtual machines across Hyper-V and VMware, or mixed deployments that benefit from a shared console, frequent backups and multiple restore paths. Cloud destinations and off-site replication provide options for keeping backup copies beyond the primary environment.

It is a weaker fit for organizations needing personal-device backup, Proxmox LXC protection, or Proxmox replication and CDP. Buyers should also compare the per-VM subscription model with the per-host perpetual license and its SMA requirement.

Pros and cons

Pros

Frequent protection: Five-minute scheduling and Windows VM CDP can reduce the interval between protection points.
Flexible recovery: Full VM, granular file or Exchange item, alternate-host and boot-from-backup options address different recovery needs.
Mixed-hypervisor management: One console covers Hyper-V, VMware and Proxmox, with cross-restore between VMware and Hyper-V.
Broad destination and integrity options: Multiple cloud targets, AES-256 encryption, immutable storage and integrity monitoring add useful safeguards and choice.

Cons

Small free-edition ceiling: Two VMs per host limits its usefulness for larger environments.
Proxmox feature limitations: LXC backups are unsupported, and replication and CDP are unavailable for Proxmox.
Maintenance affects perpetual cost: Perpetual licenses need an SMA for support, updates and upgrades.
Paid pricing is custom: Subscription and perpetual plans require a quote, with additional quote thresholds above 75 VMs or 10 hosts respectively.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison of infrastructure backup tools, see Backup software. Other listed products serve different workloads:

ManageEngine RecoveryManager Plus is worth considering when a free edition’s coverage of Active Directory, Exchange and Google Workspace mailboxes is a closer fit than VM backup.
BDRCloud is an alternative to compare for buyers seeking backup across a broader range of operating systems and deployment platforms.
Veeam Agent for Mac is the more relevant option for Mac workstation backup; its free tier is limited to one backup job and does not back up directly to object storage.
Druva Endpoint Data Protection is a better category match for endpoint protection across Linux, macOS and Windows.
CubeBackup is an alternative to assess for Microsoft 365 and collaboration-service backup rather than virtual-machine protection.
Synology Active Backup for SaaS may suit Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace backup where a free add-on for Synology NAS is preferred.
SysCloud Backup is another listed backup product to compare.
Cohesity Kubernetes Backup and Recovery is the alternative to consider for Kubernetes backup and recovery.

Verdict

Choose VM Backup if you need frequent protection, flexible recovery and centralized management for Hyper-V and VMware, especially in a mixed-hypervisor environment. Its main draw is the combination of five-minute protection options and recovery flexibility; its main reasons to look elsewhere are the two-VM free cap and the stated Proxmox gaps. For Proxmox-heavy estates or endpoint backup, another tool is a better fit.

	Mailbakup	VM Backup
Free plan	No	Yes
Free trial	No	Yes
Paid from	—	Free
Open source	No	No
Platforms	macOS, Windows	api, Linux, self-hosted, Windows
Supported providers	Gmail, Google Apps, Hotmail, Yahoo, AOL, Office 365	—
Free plan	—	No
Granular restore	—	Yes
Point-in-time restore	—	Yes

Mailbakup vs VM Backup

Mailbakup

VM Backup