Third party backup tools for SQL Server

Last updated on October 2, 2024

In this article, we will review software designed for backing up SQL Server. Each tool has its own features and can be useful depending on the size of your architecture, availability of qualified specialists, financial resources, and other factors.

1. Free Tools

1.1 SQL Server Management Studio + SQL Server Agent

The main tool for working with SQL Server is SQL Server Management Studio, which is integrated with SQL Server Agent—a utility for automating maintenance tasks in SQL Server.

You can use SQL Server Agent to schedule database backups, and SQL Server Management Studio to restore data if needed.

Functionality: ▲ Flexible setup for any requirement
Complexity: ▼ Requires knowledge of T-SQL and SQL Server Agent configuration skills
Usability: ▼ The user interface of SQL Server Agent is not always intuitive and requires experience to configure
Storage Locations: Local disk, network directories, Azure Storage

SQL Server Agent is installed along with SQL Server. If, for some reason, SSMS is not installed on your server, here is the link.

1.2 Ola Hallengren’s SQL Server Maintenance Solution

This is a free set of SQL procedures developed by Ola Hallengren for database maintenance. The project is regularly updated and maintained by him and the SQL Server community. Project page.

Example of a T-SQL procedure for database backup:

EXECUTE dbo.DatabaseBackup 
    @Databases = 'USER_DATABASES', 
    @Directory = 'C:\Backup', 
    @BackupType = 'FULL', 
    @Compress = 'Y', 
    @CheckSum = 'Y', 
    @NumberOfFiles = 8, 
    @MinBackupSizeForMultipleFiles = 10240

To automate the script execution, you can use SQL Server Agent. You need to create a job in SQL Server Agent, set up a schedule, and add the script execution as a step in the job.

Functionality: ▲ A wide range of procedures for SQL Server maintenance and backup
Complexity: ▼ Requires knowledge of working with SQL Server Agent and familiarity with Ola Hallengren’s procedure documentation
Convenience: ▼ No graphical interface, ▲ but the procedures are simple and intuitive to use
Storage options: Local disk, network directories, Azure Storage

1.3 SqlBackupFree

SqlBackupFree – this is a free utility with a graphical interface for creating backups of SQL Server databases. It provides the ability to schedule full SQL Server backups and send them to local storage, a network directory, or FTP.

Functionality: ▼ SQL Server Backup – only full backups can be configured
Complexity: ▲ Easy to use, no special knowledge required
Convenience: ▲The graphical interface makes the backup process simple and straightforward
Storage Locations: Local disk, network directories, FTP

2. Paid Solutions

2.1 SQLBackupAndFTP

SQLBackupAndFTP – is a simple and user-friendly tool with a graphical interface for backing up SQL Server, supporting both local and cloud storage. It provides the ability to create regular Full, Differential, and Transaction Log backups and send them to various storage destinations.

The main advantage of SQLBackupAndFTP is its simplicity in configuring complex backup scenarios.

In addition to backups, SQLBackupAndFTP also allows you to set up Log Shipping and perform maintenance tasks.

Functionality: ▲ Main SQL Server backup scenarios, Log Shipping, ▼ Only basic folder backups

Complexity: ▲ Easy to use, no special knowledge required
Convenience: ▲ The graphical interface makes the backup process simple and straightforward, and supports various backup types.
Storage Locations: ▲ Local disk, network directories, FTP, SFTP, FTPS, NAS, local or network folder, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Box, Amazon S3 (and any S3-Compatible storage), Azure Storage, Backblaze B2, Yandex.Disk.
Centralized Backup Management: Limited, includes web logs for backup jobs

Pricing: ▲ One-time license fee starting at $39+Free version and trial available

Ratings: 4.9/5 on Capterra

2.2 Redgate SQL Backup Pro

Redgate SQL Backup Pro – is a SQL Server backup utility that offers excellent compression, encryption, and automation features.

SQL Backup Pro has two key features. First, it uses a custom backup format, which enables object-level recovery. Second, it works on top of SQL Server Agent, essentially serving as a user-friendly task manager for the agent. Additionally, SQL Backup Pro allows you to configure Log Shipping.

Functionality: ▲ Main SQL Server backup scenarios, ▲ Object-Level Recovery , Log Shipping
Complexity: Medium, requires some knowledge of SQL Server
Convenience: ▲ User-friendly interface with a clear timeline view for backup navigation
Storage Locations: ▼ Local disk, network directory
Centralized Backup Management: Not available

Pricing: $509, trial available

Ratings: 4.3/5 on G2

2.3 MSP360 Managed Backup Service

MSP360 Managed Backup Service – is a service for backups and IT infrastructure management that allows you to back up directories, MS Exchange, and SQL Server.

This tool is not specifically designed for SQL Server, so it does not offer many advanced options for fine-tuning SQL Server backups. However, MSP360 handles basic SQL Server backup tasks effectively.

Functionality: ▲ Backup of servers and MS Exchange, ▼ Limited options for configuring SQL Server backups
Complexity: ▲ Easy to use, no special knowledge required
Convenience: The interface is simple but not tailored for SQL Server backups.
Storage Locations: Local disk, network directories, Amazon S3, Azure, Backblaze B2, Google Cloud, Minio, S3 Compatible, Wasabi
Centralized Backup Management: Yes

Pricing: From $14 per month per server (minimum $30), trial available

Ratings: 4.5/5 on G2

2.4 Veeam Backup & Replication

Veeam Backup & Replication – is a powerful solution for backing up and replicating servers and virtual machines. It is a complex and expensive product designed for medium and large businesses.

Veeam’s primary focus is on backing up virtual environments based on VMware and Hyper-V. By using the Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS), Veeam allows for hot backups of SQL Server, ensuring data integrity and database protection without stopping the server.

Functionality: ▲ Backup of everything on a server, server replication
Complexity: ▼ High, requires specialized knowledge and experience working with virtualized environments
Convenience: ▼ Complex interface, not specifically tailored for SQL Server
Storage Locations: Local disk, network directories, cloud storage
Centralized Backup Management: Yes

Pricing: Starting from ~$700 per year per server

Ratings: 4.6/5 on G2

2.5 Acronis Cyber Protect

Acronis Cyber Protect – is a comprehensive solution for server administration and backup, including everything on them, such as SQL Server databases.

This is an agent-based solution that can operate in an isolated IT infrastructure. In addition to SQL Server database backups, it offers a wide range of features such as virtual machine backups and remote server management.

Acronis Cyber Protect is a comprehensive solution for server administration and backup, including everything on them, such as SQL Server databases.

Functionality: ▲ Comprehensive backup and IT infrastructure management
Complexity: Medium, requires some knowledge of server administration
Convenience: User-friendly interface, but due to the large number of options, it can be difficult to navigate.
Storage Locations: Local disk, network directories, Azure, Amazon S3 and S3-Compatible storage, Wasabi, Impossible Cloud
Centralized Backup Management: Yes

Pricing: Starting from $85 per year per server

Ratings: 4.5/5 on Capterra

2.6 SqlBak

SqlBak – is an agent-based service for automatically scheduling Full, Differential, and Transaction Log backups, as well as for monitoring SQL Server databases. The main feature of this service is its ability to send backups to various cloud storage destinations.

The service is easy to use, and all information about backups on all servers can be viewed from a central dashboard.

Functionality: SQL Server backup to the cloud
Complexity: ▲ Easy to use, no special knowledge required
Convenience: ▲ Simple backup job configuration and a dashboard specifically designed for monitoring SQL Server backups
Storage Locations: ▲ Local disk, network directories, FTP, SFTP, FTPS, NAS, local or network folder, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Box, Amazon S3 (and any S3-Compatible storage), Azure Storage, Backblaze B2, Yandex.Disk
Centralized Backup Management: Yes

Pricing: Starting from $6 per month per server

Ratings: 4.9/5 on G2

SqlBak Blog