NAKIVO vs Datto: Complete Comparison 2026
An in-depth comparison of features, pricing, and user experience to help you make the right choice.
NAKIVO
8.0(1,800 reviews)
VM backup and disaster recovery solution for VMware, Hyper-V, and Nutanix with affordable licensing and a clean, fast management interface.
Datto
8.8(3,400 reviews)
MSP-focused business continuity and disaster recovery platform with integrated backup appliances and instant cloud virtualization.
Quick Comparison
| Aspect | NAKIVO | Datto |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Mid-market companies running VMware or Hyper-V that find Veeam too expensive for their VM count | MSPs providing managed BDR services who need reliable instant recovery for small business clients |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Subscription |
| Starting Price | $229/mo | $100/mo |
| Deployment | on premise, cloud, hybrid | hybrid |
| Platforms | WEB, WINDOWS, LINUX | WEB, WINDOWS, LINUX |
| Rating | 8.0/10 | 8.8/10 |
Pros & Cons
NAKIVO
Pros
- Perpetual licensing at $229-599/socket is 30-40% cheaper than Veeam over a 3-year period
- Web interface is noticeably faster and cleaner — creating backup jobs takes 3-4 clicks
- Runs as a virtual appliance or on NAS devices eliminating the need for a dedicated backup server
- Screenshot verification automatically tests backups by booting VMs and capturing proof of recovery
- Instant VM recovery boots production VMs directly from backup storage with minimal downtime
Cons
- No Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, or any SaaS application backup capabilities
- Database-level granularity is limited — full VM restore only, no single-table recovery for Oracle or SQL
- No built-in ransomware-specific features like immutable repositories or malware scanning
- Partner and consultant ecosystem is much smaller than Veeam making support harder to find
- Physical server backup works but is less mature and battle-tested than the VM backup features
Datto
Pros
- Instant virtualization on local appliance or Datto cloud gets servers back online in minutes, not hours
- Inverse Chain Technology keeps the latest backup as a complete image—fastest possible restore of the most recent state
- Screenshot verification automatically proves every backup is bootable with daily OS-level confirmation
- Purpose-built for the MSP channel with multi-tenant management, automated billing, and partner support
- Cloud replication to Datto-owned infrastructure provides a true offsite safety net without third-party dependencies
Cons
- Hardware appliance costs ($2,500+) plus monthly cloud fees make it significantly more expensive than software-only solutions
- Kaseya ownership creates long-term pricing uncertainty—MSPs worry about future price increases after the acquisition
- Vendor lock-in is real: proprietary appliances and cloud infrastructure make migration to alternatives painful
- Not designed for direct enterprise use—the entire model assumes an MSP intermediary managing the deployment
- Cloud virtualization bandwidth depends on client internet speed, which can limit RTO for large environments
Pricing Comparison
| Product | Pricing Model | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|
| NAKIVO | subscription | $229/mo |
| Datto | subscription | $100/mo |
Our Verdict
Choose NAKIVO if...
Mid-market companies running VMware or Hyper-V that find Veeam too expensive for their VM count
Choose Datto if...
MSPs providing managed BDR services who need reliable instant recovery for small business clients
Still Not Sure?
Explore more alternatives or read in-depth reviews to make your decision.