The Azure Backup alternative built for better restore
N2W backs up Azure VMs, Managed Disks and Azure SQL from inside your own subscription, with low RPO. It recovers the VNet with the VMs, into the region or subscription you choose, and prices by number of VMs, not amount of data.
| Capability | N2W | Azure Backup |
|---|---|---|
| One product across AWS, Azure, GCP | Yes | No |
| Recovery in 4 clicks (Recovery Scenarios) | Yes | No |
| RPO as low as 60 seconds | Yes | No |
| Compute scheduling (Resource Control) | Yes | No |
| Flat rate per VM, not per GB of data | Yes | No |
| VNet configuration backup and restore | Yes | No |
Bigger savings. Easier recovery.
Full recovery into any region
A bill that doesn't grow with your data
Automate reporting without a Logic App
N2W vs Azure Backup
Cut Azure backup costs without cutting retention
Azure Backup charges each VM $10 a month for every 500 GB it holds. So the fee grows every time a disk does.
- Flat-rate pricing per instance. 20 VMs holding 100 TB costs the same on N2W as 20 VMs holding 100 GB. See the full Azure Backup pricing breakdown.
- Archive on your terms. Azure Backup's Vault-archive takes only monthly/yearly VM recovery points, converting each to a full copy. N2W archives incrementally to Azure Blob Hot, Cool or Cold.
- ZeroMD deletes the original snapshot once the archive is verified, so you stop paying for the same data twice.
- Resource Control can also power down dev, test and other non-critical VMs on a schedule.
Backup and recovery orchestration in one product
Coordinated application failover (ordered recovery plans, test failover of a whole application) is Azure Site Recovery's job, a separate replication product.
Reporting without the sprawl
To get a recurring Azure Backup report by email, you first send each vault’s diagnostic data to a Log Analytics workspace, then deploy a Logic App and authorize its Office 365 and Azure Monitor Logs connections.
Questions about Azure Backup vs N2W
What is the best alternative to Azure Backup?
It depends on what you protect. For Azure VMs that need the whole environment recovered in order, frequent backups and cost that doesn't grow with data size, N2W is the closest fit. If you rely on Azure Backup for SAP HANA, Azure Files, on-premises servers or log-level SQL Server backups inside VMs, keep it for those and consider running N2W alongside it.
Is N2W cheaper than Azure Backup?
For VMs with large disks, usually. Azure Backup charges each VM $10 a month per 500 GB of data (East US), plus vault storage. N2W's Standard plan is $249 a month for up to 20 instances, whatever they hold, so Azure Backup's instance fees pass it at 13 VMs of 1 TB each. Storage stays on your Azure bill with either product.
How often can Azure Backup back up a VM?
Once a day on the Standard policy, and as often as every 4 hours on the Enhanced policy. N2W backs up Azure VMs as often as every 60 seconds.
Does Azure Backup include disaster recovery?
Partly. Azure Backup restores VMs, supports Cross Region Restore to the paired region, and lets you run recovery drills. Ordered recovery plans and application failover come from Azure Site Recovery, a separate service priced at $25 per protected VM per month in East US after the first 31 days. N2W includes ordered recovery and drills in the backup product.
Can I use N2W and Azure Backup together?
Yes. A common split is N2W for VMs, Azure SQL databases and ordered recovery, with Azure Backup kept for SAP HANA, Azure Files or on-premises servers, which N2W doesn't protect, or for log-level SQL Server backups inside VMs.
How is N2W deployed on Azure?
N2W deploys as a VM in your own subscription from Azure Marketplace, and it's agentless on the VMs it protects. With practically no learning curve, you can start a trial and run your first backup in about 20 minutes.