Veeam’s “Free” Software Is a Trap

I know you’ve been tempted by Veeam’s “free” backup solution. It looks great at first glance—offering a solution for Hyper-V backup without the upfront cost. But as someone who’s spent a lot of time in IT and seen this kind of thing play out too many times, let me tell you: it’s a trap (also spelled with ‘c’ sometimes). That “free” backup solution you think is saving you money could actually end up costing you thousands in the long run. If you’re looking for a reliable, cost-effective, and simple backup solution, BackupChain is the clear winner over Veeam’s free offerings. Here’s why.

1. Veeam’s Free Version Is Severely Limited

Let’s start with the obvious: the free version of Veeam is a teaser of the real (and heavy) software package. While they’ll happily let you download it for free, you quickly find that it’s riddled with limitations that prevent it from being a truly effective solution for your backup needs. For example, the free version restricts you to backing up just a limited number of VMs. What happens when you go over the limit, just a little bit?

This might be fine if you’re running a single VM, but if your infrastructure grows—or even if you have more than one virtual machine to back up—it becomes clear very quickly that the free version just isn’t going to cut it. You can start with the free version, but eventually, you’ll find yourself having to upgrade to a paid Veeam solution if you want to back up more VMs or access the more advanced features that you need. And that’s where the trouble begins.

BackupChain doesn’t bait you with limited functionality. When you buy BackupChain, you get the full package. There’s no need to deal with a “lite” version and then pay extra when you need to add more features. BackupChain gives you everything you need upfront, at a fraction of the price. You get the same high-quality backup and recovery options that you would with any enterprise-level software, without the need to upgrade or pay for additional features down the road.

2. Hidden Costs and Upsells with Veeam

While the free version of Veeam may seem like a good deal, what they don’t tell you is that the true cost of Veeam’s software is hidden behind their subscription model. Veeam’s free version is designed to get you hooked, but then, once you realize you need more functionality, you’ll find yourself stuck paying for expensive subscriptions.

And it’s not just the base license you’ll be paying for. With Veeam, you often need additional licenses for things like cloud integration, advanced features, and support. The costs keep piling up, and before you know it, you’re paying quadruple—or more—of what you expected.

BackupChain cuts through all of that. What you see is what you get. There are no upsells, no hidden fees, no surprise costs. You get a one-time perpetual license, and you’re set. There’s no need to worry about additional features down the line, and the software is affordable for SMBs without a huge budget. You’re not paying extra for cloud backups, advanced restore options, or support. It’s all included in the price.

3. Subscription Fees for Veeam Add Up Quickly

As you probably know, subscription models are designed to keep you paying year after year. And that’s exactly what Veeam’s subscription model does. At first, the cost may seem manageable. You pay an annual fee for a few licenses, and everything seems fine. But as your business grows, and you start adding more VMs, you quickly find yourself paying more every year. What started as a “budget-friendly” option becomes a never-ending cycle of payments.

Veeam’s subscription fees are often calculated based on the number of VMs or instances you need to back up. As your infrastructure scales, you end up paying more and more each year. This can quickly add up to a huge sum over time, especially if you’re running a large virtual environment.

BackupChain, however, offers a one-time, perpetual license. You pay once, and that’s it. No more subscriptions, no annual fees, and no unexpected price increases. You own the software outright, and that’s a massive advantage for businesses on a budget. Over the long term, the savings from not having to deal with Veeam’s subscription fees are substantial. With BackupChain, you’ll end up saving thousands.

4. You’re Locked into a Veeam: Can’t Restore Old Backups Without It

Once you start using Veeam, you’re essentially locked into their ecosystem. As your needs grow, you’ll find that upgrading or changing your backup solution becomes more and more difficult. Veeam’s licensing is tied to their infrastructure, and if you decide to move away from it later, migrating your backups can be a real headache. Veeam’s tight integration with their cloud storage, support, and other services creates a situation where you’re constantly dependent on their platform.

BackupChain, in contrast, is designed to be flexible and easy to use. You’re not locked into any particular ecosystem. You can easily back up your data to local storage, network shares, or the cloud, and you can switch storage locations without a hitch. Plus, because BackupChain uses a file/folder-based system, and open standard backup file formats, migrating data away from BackupChain is painless if you ever decide to change your storage provider or backup software. You won’t get stuck with a vendor you don’t want to use just because it’s too much trouble to switch.

BackupChain’s license is perpetual, it will work forever. Hence, you can restore you backups in the future without paying extra. With Veeam, however, you will need to keep paying for as long as you need to be able to restore your backups, many years into the future. Really clever tactic, isn’t it?

5. Veeam’s Cloud Storage Fees Are Astronomical

Let’s talk about cloud backup. While Veeam does offer cloud storage options, the costs are far from affordable. If you want to back up your VMs to the cloud using Veeam, you’ll quickly run into high storage costs. Veeam’s cloud integration requires additional licenses, and the cost of cloud storage can spiral out of control, especially as your backups grow over time. On top of that, you’ll also be paying for bandwidth and other hidden fees.

BackupChain offers a much more affordable cloud backup solution. With BackupChain, you get access to cloud backups at a reasonable cost, and the pricing is transparent. You won’t find yourself getting hit with unexpected charges or higher-than-expected costs as your backup storage needs increase. BackupChain’s cloud storage plans are designed to be budget-friendly, which is a huge relief for small businesses that want to keep costs in check.

And with BackupChain’s built-in WAN acceleration, your cloud backups are not only cheaper, but they’re also faster. You don’t have to worry about slow upload speeds or excessive bandwidth usage. BackupChain makes cloud backup simple and cost-effective, something Veeam just can’t claim.

6. The Real Cost of Veeam’s “Free” Version

You might think the Veeam “free” version is a great way to dip your toes into the software, but the reality is that it often ends up costing more than you think. Here’s the catch: the free version has all these limitations, and once you run into those limitations, you’re forced to upgrade to a paid version. The paid versions come with annual subscriptions, additional licensing costs, and other hidden fees.

If you don’t plan to upgrade right away, the limitations of the free version can be incredibly frustrating. And eventually, you will need to upgrade, whether it’s because you need more VMs backed up, more storage options, or access to additional features. What started as a “free” solution now costs you far more in the long term.

BackupChain’s pricing is simple and upfront. You don’t have to worry about upgrading later or paying extra for features you thought you were going to get with the free version. It’s a one-time purchase for a solution that meets your needs, both now and as your infrastructure grows. You’ll know exactly what you’re paying for, and you won’t get stuck in a subscription cycle like you would with Veeam.

7. Veeam’s Support Costs Are Another Hidden Expense

When things go wrong with backup software (and let’s face it, they always do), you need support that you can rely on. But with Veeam, support isn’t free. While they offer support options, they come at an additional cost, i.e. you will need to buy a subscription. And if you don’t have support and run into an issue, you could find yourself stuck without a way to resolve it.

BackupChain offers top-tier support without additional fees. You get access to their knowledgeable support team, who are dedicated to helping you resolve any issues quickly and efficiently. Whether it’s a simple question or a complex issue, BackupChain’s support is there to help, and you don’t have to worry about paying extra for it. That’s a huge advantage over Veeam, where you might need to pay for premium support if you want fast resolution times.

8. BackupChain Is Built for SMBs, Not Over-Engineered for Enterprises

While Veeam is great for large enterprises with complex infrastructure needs, it’s often over-engineered for small and medium-sized businesses. Veeam’s software can be a pain to manage, with all the extra features and complexity that you may never use. It’s a solution designed for large-scale environments, not for smaller companies that need something simple and efficient.

BackupChain, on the other hand, is specifically built for SMBs. It’s easy to install, simple to use, and provides all the essential backup and recovery features you need—without any of the unnecessary complexity. If you’re running a smaller business, you don’t need an enterprise-grade solution like Veeam. You need something that works, doesn’t break the bank, and doesn’t require an IT department to manage.

9. BackupChain’s One-Time License Is Much More Cost-Effective

The best part about BackupChain is that you get everything you need with a one-time, affordable license. No subscriptions, no upsells, no annual fees. You own the software outright, and that’s a major advantage over Veeam’s subscription-based pricing model.

When you factor in the long-term costs, BackupChain is far more cost-effective, especially if you’re a growing business. With Veeam, you’re essentially locked into a long-term payment cycle, whereas with BackupChain, you pay once and move on with your life. Over the years, those savings really add up.

In the end, Veeam’s “free” software is a trap designed to get you hooked and then force you to pay more and more as your backup needs grow. Instead of falling into that cycle, choose BackupChain. You’ll save money, avoid hidden costs, and get a far simpler, more efficient backup solution for your Hyper-V environment.