For most administrators and homelab operators who want free backup for VMware and Hyper-V virtual machines, the shortlist is two products. Veeam Backup & Replication Community Edition covers up to 10 workloads across both platforms. Hornetsecurity VM Backup Free Edition (formerly Altaro) allows two VMs per host on any number of hosts. Which one is the best fit depends on how many machines you protect, how they are spread across hosts, the exact hypervisor versions you run, and whether you need full-VM or file-level restores. The vendor statements below were checked in October 2026. Free-tier terms change, so confirm them on the vendor’s current pages before deploying. This article does not include independent performance or reliability testing.
How the free allowances compare
The two free tiers count capacity differently, and that difference decides which one fits your environment. Read the counting rule before anything else.
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| Product | Free allowance | How the allowance is counted | Platforms named by the vendor | Source and date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veeam Backup & Replication Community Edition | Up to 10 workloads | One pool of workloads across all supported types, not 10 VMs per hypervisor | VMware, Hyper-V, Proxmox VE, Windows and Linux servers, laptops, and NAS | Veeam free-products page, current as of October 2026; the page does not show a separate publication date |
| Hornetsecurity VM Backup Free Edition | Two VMs per host, marketed as free “forever” | Per host, with unlimited hosts allowed; this is not a two-VM total across the whole environment | VMware and Microsoft Hyper-V from one console; Linux VMs | Hornetsecurity free-offer and free-solution pages, current as of October 2026; neither page shows a clear publication date |
| NAKIVO | Not stated as a free edition | Paid perpetual socket licenses and per-workload subscriptions | VMware and Hyper-V | NAKIVO licensing policy; no ongoing free edition is established |
Veeam Community Edition
Veeam describes Community Edition as free and limited to 10 workloads. It is the broader option when you have a mixed estate, because the same allowance can cover VMware VMs, Hyper-V VMs, Proxmox VE hosts, physical servers, laptops, or NAS devices. A mixed count of 10 is the ceiling. Ten VMware VMs plus ten Hyper-V VMs is not included.
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Veeam’s Hyper-V technical documentation names Microsoft Hyper-V Server, which Microsoft provides free, as a supported hypervisor. The same page documents restrictions that matter in practice:
#1 Best Overall
- Easily store and access 2TB to content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
- Application-aware processing is not supported for Windows VMs with volumes larger than 64 TB on Hyper-V 2016 and later.
- Certain shielded-VM operations are unsupported.
- The page’s content applies to build 13.1.1.18 and was last updated 9 September 2026.
Treat these as the start of your check, not the end. Work through Veeam’s full compatibility matrix for your exact Hyper-V and VMware versions before you rely on any feature.
When Veeam fits
Veeam is the stronger choice when your total workload count is 10 or fewer across all platforms, when you run more than two VMs on at least one host, or when you want one tool for physical machines, laptops, or Proxmox alongside your virtual machines.
Rank #2
- Easily store and access 5TB of content on the go with the Seagate portable drive, a USB external hard Drive
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
Hornetsecurity VM Backup Free Edition
Hornetsecurity, which lists the product under its former Altaro name, offers free VM backup for two VMs per host. Its free-solution page allows unlimited hosts with up to two VMs on each. It is a sound fit for a small cluster or a set of separate hosts where each host runs only one or two critical machines. It is not a fit for a single host running a larger VM count, because the cap applies per host.
The product is positioned for SQL and Exchange workloads on Hyper-V, which it describes as compatible with Microsoft’s Hyper-V VSS Writer. Linux VMs are also listed. The vendor pages market additional paid features separately. Do not assume those features are included in the free edition. Compare the current edition feature list before you plan around any specific capability.
Rank #3
- Easily store and access 1TB to content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive.Specific uses: Personal
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop. Reformatting may be required for Mac
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
Why NAKIVO is not on the free shortlist
NAKIVO’s licensing policy covers both VMware and Hyper-V, but it describes paid perpetual socket licenses and per-workload subscriptions. It does not establish an ongoing free edition. Community mentions of a trial do not make it a free choice. If you evaluate NAKIVO, treat it as a paid product and confirm its current trial terms directly with the vendor.
Two Hyper-V backup methods you need to understand
Hyper-V backup tools handle two different recovery outcomes, and Microsoft defines them separately. Pick the outcome first, then the tool.
Rank #4
- Easily store and access 4TB of content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive.Specific uses: Personal
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
Whole-VM backup
Whole-VM backup captures both the VM configuration and its data. It is designed to restore an entire VM to an earlier state, which is what you want after host failure, corruption, or a bad update.
Data-only backup
Data-only backup captures the contents of virtual hard disks. To restore it, you must first create a VM and then restore the data into it. This works for file recovery, but it is slower when the goal is a working machine again.
Best Value
- [Upgraded Version] - This external hard drive features a mirrored logo stripe combined with a striped anti-slip design, and the rounded corners of the casing make it easier to grip. The stripes also have a heat dissipation function, ensuring stable and fast data transfer.
- 【Ultra-thin and quiet】 - The motherboard adopts JMicron 578 noise-free solution, giving you a quiet working environment. Lightweight and portable size designed to fit in your pocket for easy portability.
- 【Ultra-Fast Data Transfers】 - Pairing this external hard drive with JMicron 578 solution USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 interfaces enables blazing-fast data transfer. It boasts theoretical read speeds of up to 125MB/s and write speeds of up to 103MB/s.
- 【Plug and Play】 - With no software to install, just plug it in and the drive is ready to use.The hard disk chip is wrapped with an aluminum anti-interference layer to increase heat dissipation and protect data.
- 【What You Get】 - 1 x Portable Hard Drive, 1 x USB 3.0 Cable, 1 x User Manual, Gift-type shell packaging ,Three-year manufacturer's warranty and free technical support services.
VSS Writer versus the WMI-based approach
Microsoft describes the Hyper-V VSS Writer as a host-side approach for small-scale operations, where all VMs on a server are backed up at the same time. Starting with Windows Server 2016, Hyper-V also supports a WMI-based approach that uses reference points and resilient change tracking. Microsoft describes this approach as more scalable. It still uses VSS inside the guest, but not in the host operating system. Microsoft’s Hyper-V backup documentation lists applicability for Windows Server 2016, 2019, 2022, and 2025, plus the client and Azure Local versions named on the page.
Microsoft’s own description of the model is direct: “Hyper-V allows you to backup virtual machines (VMs), from the host operating system, without the need to run custom backup software inside the virtual machine.” Source: Microsoft Learn, “Hyper-V Backup Approaches.”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choosing between them
- Count every workload you need to protect across all platforms. If the total is 10 or fewer and you want one tool, start with Veeam Community Edition.
- If you run two or fewer VMs per host across several hosts, Hornetsecurity VM Backup Free Edition is a good match. Check each host separately.
- Match your exact hypervisor and guest versions to the vendor’s current compatibility page before installing anything.
- Decide whether you need full-VM restores, data-only restores, or both. Choose the tool that supports the restore type you actually need.
- Choose the destination and decide whether you need a second copy. Confirm the free tier supports your plan.
Checks before deployment
- Confirm the workload count and the per-host count against the current free-tier wording.
- Confirm Hyper-V and VMware build numbers, and any feature exclusions for those builds.
- Test a restore of a full VM and, separately, a restore of a single file or database. Do not assume one proves the other.
- Confirm which features you need, such as replication or centralized management, are included in the free edition. If not, budget for a paid tier or choose a different approach.
- Size the backup destination from the used space of the VMs you protect and the number of restore points you keep. The software is free, but the storage is not.
What is not established
No independent comparison of speed, reliability, or restore success rates for these free editions is covered here. Vendor pages do not provide a publication date, so their free-tier terms should be treated as current only as of October 2026. Pricing, trial length, and affiliate terms are not covered.
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