Bnkr vs Storware Backup & Recovery

Bnkr is a free, open-source Kubernetes backup and migration application focused on valuable data inside a cluster rather than the whole cluster. It backs up files in Pods, Deployments, and StatefulSets, plus MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, and MongoDB databases. Schedules can run hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, or through a cron formula, and manual backup and restore are available. Email notifications report successful or failed backups and migrations to multiple recipients. Bnkr describes bidirectional migration of files and supported databases between Kubernetes, servers, and S3. The project runs as a single-binary web server and can be deployed in Kubernetes with a service account able to access backup data. Its README recommends the official image because some dependencies are external tools. Bnkr is available on the web or for self-hosting, uses the MIT license, and lists more than 20 themes. The free plan is listed at free, with no usage limit stated.

Storware Backup & Recovery protects virtual machines, containers, and cloud workloads through a single console. It is designed for hybrid deployment and lists workload support for VMware, Hyper-V, Nutanix AHV, OpenStack, Kubernetes, and Proxmox, among other platforms. Storware describes a universal license covering 15+ platforms without per-hypervisor licensing. Backups are agentless and policy-driven, with a lightweight host agent required for Hyper-V. Recovery includes fast recovery and granular restore capabilities; virtual server backup, bare-metal restore, application-aware backup, instant VM recovery, cloud backup targets, and off-site replication are listed. Automation features include a REST API and policy-as-configuration for pipeline use. Security features include WORM immutability, air-gap isolation, AES encryption at rest and in transit, role-based access control, Keycloak MFA, and audit logging. Storware says it holds ISO/IEC 27001 certification and describes its GDPR commitments. The free license costs nothing and excludes technical support. Its 60-day trial also costs nothing, with limits including 20 virtual environments and 20 applications; V2V migration is reserved for the commercial version.