MSP Backup Solutions: Comparing Your Options in 2026

Choosing a backup platform is one of the most consequential decisions an MSP makes. Get it right and you have a reliable recurring revenue stream, happy clients, and a service you can deliver confidently. Get it wrong and you're dealing with failed restores, awkward conversations, and the prospect of migrating an entire client base to something else.

This article looks at the main MSP backup solutions available to UK MSPs in 2026 — what each does well, where the limitations are, and how to think about the decision.

What to Look for in an MSP Backup Solution

Before comparing specific platforms, it helps to be clear on what matters for MSPs specifically. Consumer backup tools are not designed for multi-tenant management. The criteria that matter for MSPs are different:

Multi-tenant management — you need a single console that shows every client's backup status without logging into individual accounts. Anything that requires per-client login is not viable at scale.

White-label capability — if you are building a branded service, the portal, client software, and emails should carry your branding, not the vendor's.

Module coverage — your clients' environments are not homogeneous. You need coverage across Windows Server, desktops, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, virtual machines (VMware, Hyper-V, Proxmox), SQL databases, and Linux.

Storage flexibility — being locked into one vendor's storage at one price per GB limits your margins. The ability to use your own storage or choose between providers gives you pricing control.

Pricing model — per-device licensing with separate storage charges is standard in the MSP market. Watch for minimum commitments, per-seat fees that include unused capacity, and storage pricing that scales poorly.

Support — when a client restore fails at 2am, you need to be able to reach someone. UK-based support with a genuine response SLA matters.

The Main MSP Backup Platforms

Datto / Cove Data Protection (N-able)

Datto and Cove (formerly SolarWinds Backup, now N-able Cove Data Protection) are two widely used MSP platforms. Both are mature products with strong feature sets and large MSP customer bases.

Strengths: Established platforms with deep integrations into PSA and RMM tooling. Strong community support. Both have good coverage of Windows and virtual machine workloads.

Limitations: Pricing can be complex and contracts are typically annual with minimum commitments. Storage is bundled with the licence rather than priced separately, which means you pay for capacity whether or not you use it. Both platforms have been through ownership changes in recent years, which has created some uncertainty around product direction.

Best for: MSPs already embedded in the N-able or Datto ecosystems who value PSA integration over pricing flexibility.

Veeam

Veeam is the dominant platform for virtual machine backup, particularly VMware and Hyper-V. It is widely used in enterprise environments and has expanded into cloud and SaaS backup in recent years.

Strengths: Extremely capable for VM workloads. Strong recovery options including instant VM recovery. Large partner community and extensive documentation.

Limitations: Veeam is not primarily a managed service platform — it is an enterprise backup tool that MSPs use to deliver services. The multi-tenant management story has improved but remains more complex than purpose-built MSP platforms. Licensing can be expensive, particularly for smaller MSP clients. M365 backup (through Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365) is a separate product with separate licensing.

Best for: MSPs with a significant VM-heavy client base where Veeam's capabilities justify the complexity and cost.

Acronis Cyber Protect

Acronis has positioned itself as a security-plus-backup platform, combining backup with endpoint protection, vulnerability assessment, and patch management.

Strengths: Broad feature set beyond backup. Good coverage of cloud workloads. Improving MSP management console.

Limitations: The all-in-one positioning means you are paying for security features whether or not your clients use them. Pricing per protected workload can become expensive at scale. Some MSPs find the platform complex to configure and support.

Best for: MSPs looking for a single platform that combines backup and endpoint security, where client environments are relatively standardised.

MSP360 (CloudBerry)

MSP360 (formerly CloudBerry) is a backup platform built around storage-agnostic design — it connects to virtually any S3-compatible storage and allows MSPs to set their own storage margins.

Strengths: Very competitive pricing. Genuine storage flexibility — connect to any S3-compatible provider including Wasabi, Backblaze B2, AWS, Azure, and others. Good coverage of Windows and SQL workloads.

Limitations: The management console has historically lagged behind more established platforms in terms of usability and reporting. Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace coverage is available but less mature than some competitors. Less suited to MSPs who want a fully white-labelled end-to-end solution.

Best for: MSPs who prioritise pricing flexibility and are comfortable managing their own storage relationships.

BOBcloud

BOBcloud is a UK-based white-label backup platform built specifically for MSPs and IT resellers. It is built on Ahsay's backup engine — the same technology used by a number of MSP-focused platforms — and adds a white-label reseller layer, UK-based storage, and UK support.

Strengths: Full white-label from day one — portal, client software, and emails carry your branding. UK-based storage on Azure (London) and Wasabi with no minimum storage commitments. Per-GB pricing with separate licence fees means you only pay for what you use. 30+ backup modules covering Windows, Linux, macOS, M365, Google Workspace, VMware, Hyper-V, Proxmox, SQL, and NAS devices. UK support seven days a week.

Limitations: A smaller platform than Datto or Veeam, with a correspondingly smaller community. PSA and RMM integrations are less extensive than the largest platforms.

Best for: UK MSPs building a branded backup service who want storage flexibility, UK-based infrastructure, and no long-term minimum commitments.

How to Choose

The right platform depends on where you are in your MSP journey and what you are optimising for.

If you are starting out or adding backup to your stack for the first time, the priority should be a platform with low barriers to entry, no minimum commitments, and enough module coverage for typical SMB clients. Complex enterprise platforms with annual contracts are poor fits until you have a stable client base.

If you are migrating from an existing platform, the key questions are: what is the migration path for existing backup data, what is the overlap period cost, and how long will the migration realistically take? Migrations are always more complex than expected — factor that in.

If pricing flexibility matters, look closely at how storage is priced. Platforms that bundle storage into the per-device licence give you less margin control than platforms that price storage separately. At scale, this difference becomes significant.

If UK compliance and data sovereignty are important — increasingly the case for clients in regulated sectors — look for UK-based storage with clear certifications (ISO 27001, SOC 2) and a provider registered in the UK.

Starting a Free Trial

BOBcloud offers a free 30-day trial for UK MSPs — no payment details required, 1TB of storage included, full white-label from day one. Create your free reseller account and explore the platform before committing.

If you have questions about whether BOBcloud is the right fit for your stack, get in touch — we're happy to walk through the commercial model and platform capabilities.