For many teams the first alternative is native SQL Server backup: compression, AES encryption, backup to Azure Blob Storage and, from SQL Server 2022, to S3-compatible storage are built in, and SQL Server 2025 adds the ZSTD compression algorithm. If you want a dedicated SQL Server tool with central policies, IDERA SQL Safe Backup is the closest like-for-like product and lists SQL Server 2016 to 2025. For a single server or a small business, SQLBackupAndFTP schedules backups to cloud storage for a one-time fee. If SQL Server is one workload among many, Veeam, Cohesity NetBackup, Commvault Cloud and Bacula Enterprise protect it with agents or plug-ins as part of a whole-estate backup.
Redgate SQL Backup Pro is a Windows tool that replaces native SQL Server BACKUP and RESTORE with its own engine and file format, adding several compression levels, 128-bit or 256-bit AES encryption, scheduled backups, restores, verification and log shipping from a GUI that can register many servers. It is still sold as a per-server annual subscription (the product page showed 666 USD per server per year in the 1-4 server band) with a 14-day trial. See the SQL Backup Pro profile.
People who look elsewhere usually give one of these reasons. The first three are based on Redgate's published pages; the last two are our editorial reading.
- SQL Server 2025 is not listed. Redgate's requirements page lists SQL Server 2000 SP3a to 2022. That does not mean 2025 cannot work, but it is not stated, so check with Redgate before you upgrade.
- Release activity. The newest entry in the 10.1 release notes is 10.1.34 from 16 July 2025. Redgate has not announced an end of life on the pages checked; ask about the roadmap.
- Windows and a proprietary format. It runs on Windows, lists no Linux SQL Server support, does not support backup to URL (it uploads copies to S3 or Azure through COPYTO_HOSTED instead), and restores of its files depend on Redgate tooling.
- Native backup has caught up on the basics. Compression, encryption and object storage targets are now built into SQL Server, which removes some of the original reasons to buy a backup add-on (editorial).
- Consolidation. Teams that already run an enterprise backup platform often prefer to protect SQL Server there too (editorial).
For the closest head-to-head, see Redgate SQL Backup Pro vs IDERA SQL Safe Backup. For Redgate's other products (SQL Compare, Redgate Monitor, Flyway, Test Data Manager), see Redgate alternatives.
Quick picks
Compression, AES encryption and backup to Azure Blob or S3-compatible storage are built into supported editions.
Policy-based backups for SQL Server 2016 to 2025 with cloud targets and instant restore.
One-time licences from 39 USD per computer and a free edition for two databases.
Application-aware image backups with log backups and point-in-time database restores.
A SQL Server agent with log backups, point-in-time and log mark restores, licensed by front-end terabyte.
How we chose
We considered native SQL Server backup, IDERA SQL Safe Backup, SQLBackupAndFTP, Veeam Backup & Replication, Cohesity NetBackup, Commvault Cloud, Bacula Enterprise, AWS Backup and WAL-G. To be included, an option had to back up SQL Server databases with full and transaction log backups (or document SQL Server application-aware processing), be sold or supported in November 2026, and publish its supported platforms on an official page.
AWS Backup is mentioned in the FAQ rather than listed, because it covers Amazon RDS for SQL Server but not SQL Server you run yourself outside AWS. WAL-G is left out as an entry: its SQL Server support works through a local proxy that emulates Azure Blob Storage, and log backups are not described on its SQL Server page.
The order is not a ranking. Entries start with native backup and dedicated SQL Server tools, then whole-estate backup platforms that include SQL Server agents.
At a glance
| Option | Type | SQL Server versions stated | Pricing | Best for | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Native SQL Server backup | Built into SQL Server | Current releases (ZSTD from 2025, S3 from 2022) | Included with SQL Server | Teams happy to script and schedule | No central console; some features not in Express or Web |
| IDERA SQL Safe Backup | Dedicated SQL Server tool (Windows) | 2016 to 2025 | From 648 USD per instance | Many instances under central policies | Licence term not stated; several components |
| SQLBackupAndFTP | Windows desktop scheduler | Not listed | Free; one-time 39 to 499 USD per computer | Single servers and small businesses | Not built for central management |
| Veeam Backup & Replication | Image backup platform | Not compared here; see profile | Per instance, by quote; free Community Edition | Virtualised SQL Server | Infrastructure to run; quote for paid editions |
| Cohesity NetBackup | Enterprise backup platform | Not compared here; see profile | Front-end TB, by quote | Large estates and former Veritas customers | Multi-tier architecture; capacity pricing |
| Commvault Cloud | Enterprise backup platform (software or SaaS) | Not compared here; see profile | Subscription, by quote | Many engines and clouds | Agent details not readable automatically |
| Bacula Enterprise | Enterprise backup platform | Not compared here; see profile | Subscription, not by data volume | Linux-centred teams protecting SQL Server too | More technical to configure |
Native SQL Server backup
The BACKUP and RESTORE commands cover full, differential and transaction log backups, and RESTORE supports point-in-time and marked-transaction recovery (STOPAT, STOPATMARK). Microsoft documents backup compression on the Enterprise, Standard and Developer editions; from SQL Server 2025 a ZSTD algorithm is available as well as the older MS_XPRESS. Backup encryption has been built in since SQL Server 2014 with AES 128, AES 192, AES 256 or Triple DES, using a certificate or an asymmetric key in an EKM provider.
Backups can go to disk, to Azure Blob Storage with BACKUP TO URL, and from SQL Server 2022 to S3-compatible object storage, striped across up to 64 URLs with compression and encryption supported. Native .bak files restore on any SQL Server of the same or a later version without third-party tools, which is the main contrast with SQL Backup Pro's own format. Many DBAs wrap these commands in community maintenance scripts (editorial).
- Microsoft lists backup compression only for Enterprise, Standard and Developer, and backup encryption is not supported on Express or Web.
- Backup to S3-compatible storage needs SQL Server 2022 or later and is not supported on Express.
- There is no central multi-server console: scheduling, verification, retention and alerting are yours to build.
IDERA SQL Safe Backup
SQL Safe Backup is IDERA's policy-based backup and restore tool for SQL Server. A Backup Agent on each instance does the work, a repository database stores history, and a Management Console with collection, management and REST services manages backups across instances. It compresses and encrypts backups and writes them to disk, several mirror locations at once, Amazon S3, Azure Blob Storage, S3-compatible storage or IBM TSM.
Version 9.7 lists SQL Server 2016, 2017 CU4 or later, 2019, 2022 and 2025 (all editions, including Express) on Windows 10, Windows 11 and Windows Server 2016 to 2025, and added SQL Server 2025 support, better restores from S3-compatible storage and restores of Azure backups to on-premises servers. That makes it the most direct replacement for SQL Backup Pro if you are moving to SQL Server 2025. See SQL Backup Pro vs SQL Safe Backup.
- SQL Server 2014 and earlier are no longer listed in the 9.7 requirements.
- The product page does not say whether the 648 USD starting price is perpetual or a subscription, or what maintenance costs.
- Windows and SQL Server only, with several components to install and maintain.
SQLBackupAndFTP
SQLBackupAndFTP, from Pranas.NET, is a Windows application that schedules SQL Server backups (including Express, remote servers, Azure SQL and Amazon RDS) and also MySQL and PostgreSQL, compresses and optionally encrypts them, and uploads them to folders, FTP or SFTP, Amazon S3, Azure Storage, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Backblaze B2 and others. For SQL Server it offers full, differential and transaction log backups and log shipping. Version 12.8.3 shipped in September 2026.
Licences are one-time per computer: Free (2 databases), Lite 39 USD, Standard 89 USD (differential and log backups), Professional 129 USD (S3, Azure Storage and AES encryption) and Professional Lifetime 499 USD. Without the yearly Full-Service subscription a licence includes one month of updates.
- Supported SQL Server versions are not listed on the download page.
- Amazon S3, Azure Storage and AES encryption need the Professional edition.
- Aimed at single machines rather than central management of many servers.
Veeam Backup & Replication
Veeam takes image-level backups of virtual and physical servers and uses application-aware processing to quiesce SQL Server and back up transaction logs. Veeam Explorer for Microsoft SQL Server restores single databases or objects, including to a chosen point in time, without restoring the whole VM. Version 13.1 added GFS retention for SQL Server plug-in backups and plug-in backups to tape.
Licensing is the Veeam Universal License per protected instance, so a SQL Server VM counts once regardless of database size, and the free Community Edition protects up to 10 workloads. It replaces SQL Backup Pro best when the server, not just the database, needs protecting (editorial). See Veeam alternatives for its competitors.
- Paid editions have no public list prices.
- You run the backup server, proxies and repositories yourself.
- It protects the whole server, which is more than a team that only wants database backups may need (editorial).
Cohesity NetBackup
NetBackup, sold by Cohesity since it combined with Veritas's enterprise data protection business in December 2024, has a dedicated SQL Server agent with full, differential and transaction log backups and point-in-time and log mark restores for databases in the full recovery model. Version 11.1 added incremental backups for Amazon RDS for SQL Server, and 11.2 was announced in June 2026.
It is licensed by front-end terabytes of protected data, with partial terabytes rounded up and only the first copy counted. It suits organisations that want SQL Server in the same backup catalogue as the rest of the estate (editorial).
- A primary server, media servers and clients to plan and run, which needs experienced administrators.
- Capacity pricing grows with protected data and is quote-only.
- Some documentation still carries Veritas names after the ownership change.
Commvault Cloud
Commvault Cloud protects databases through agents and can be run as customer-managed software, as SaaS or as a hybrid. Its supported technologies page lists SQL Server and Azure SQL Database among many engines, including Oracle, PostgreSQL, MySQL, SAP HANA, Db2 and cloud databases such as Amazon RDS.
It fits when SQL Server backups should move into a central platform with cyber recovery features rather than stay in a DBA tool (editorial). See Veeam vs Commvault.
- No public list prices or licensing units.
- SQL Server agent details such as log backup and point-in-time options sit in documentation we could not read automatically; confirm them with Commvault.
- A large platform for a team whose only need is SQL Server backup (editorial).
Bacula Enterprise
Bacula Enterprise's SQL Server plug-in supports full, differential, incremental and transaction log backups with point-in-time recovery, according to Bacula Systems' plug-in page. The same platform has plug-ins for Oracle, PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SAP HANA, Sybase, Db2 and MongoDB.
Bacula Systems says its pricing is not based on data volume, which can matter for large SQL Server estates. It is configured through BWeb or configuration files around a Director, storage daemons and file daemons.
- More technical to set up than a Windows GUI tool built for DBAs.
- No published prices; licensing is explained on request.
- Supported SQL Server versions are not listed on the plug-in overview page.
When to stay with SQL Backup Pro
Stay if you are on SQL Server 2022 or earlier, the tool works, and your restore tests pass: its compression levels, encryption, scheduled verification and log shipping from one console remain useful, and changing backup tools carries its own risk. Ask Redgate about SQL Server 2025 and its roadmap before your next upgrade, because neither is covered on the pages checked.
If you move, keep SQL Backup Pro installed long enough to restore any backups still inside your retention window, since its files need Redgate tooling, or ask Redgate how to convert them to native format. Then run a point-in-time restore test with the new tool before you switch off the old jobs.
Frequently asked questions
Does SQL Backup Pro support SQL Server 2025?
Redgate's requirements page lists SQL Server 2000 SP3a to 2022, and the newest release note found is 10.1.34 from July 2025. SQL Server 2025 is not listed, so confirm with Redgate before upgrading.
Is native SQL Server backup good enough?
For many teams, yes. Native backup supports compression (Enterprise, Standard and Developer editions), AES encryption since SQL Server 2014, backup to Azure Blob Storage and, from SQL Server 2022, to S3-compatible storage. What you give up is a central console, so scheduling, verification and alerting are scripted.
What is the closest replacement for SQL Backup Pro?
IDERA SQL Safe Backup is the most similar dedicated tool: Windows-based, SQL Server only, with compression, encryption, cloud targets and central policies, and it lists SQL Server 2016 to 2025. See the comparison.
How do I back up SQL Server on Amazon RDS?
AWS Backup can manage RDS backups centrally with point-in-time restore for RDS DB instances. Tools that need file system access to the server do not apply to RDS.
Is there a free SQL Server backup tool?
Native BACKUP is included with SQL Server, SQLBackupAndFTP has a free edition for two databases, and Veeam's Community Edition protects up to 10 workloads.
Sources
- SQL Backup Pro product page
- SQL Backup 10 requirements
- SQL Backup Pro 10.1 release notes
- Microsoft Learn: backup compression
- Microsoft Learn: backup encryption
- Microsoft Learn: backup to URL for S3-compatible object storage
- IDERA SQL Safe Backup product page
- SQL Safe Backup 9.7 software requirements
- SQLBackupAndFTP pricing
- Veeam Backup & Replication user guide: application-aware processing
- NetBackup 11.1 for SQL Server: recover a single recovery point
- Commvault supported technologies
- Bacula Enterprise plugins and modules
Checked November 2026.
How we research these guides: our editorial method.