Product comparisons
Honest, side-by-side comparisons written by the CRS team. We distribute one side of each comparison and we are upfront about that — but we also tell you when the other product is the better fit.
Proxmox
Proxmox vs VMware: The Australian Migration Guide (2026)
Licensing, cost, features, and a realistic migration path for Australian organisations leaving VMware after the Broadcom acquisition.
Proxmox vs Nutanix: HCI for Australian Mid-Market (2026)
Both run VMs. Both replace VMware. One costs 2-4x more than the other. Here is what you actually get for the difference.
Proxmox VE vs Microsoft Hyper-V: Hypervisor Strategy After 2025 (2026)
Microsoft has deprecated standalone Hyper-V Server and is pushing Azure Stack HCI. Where Proxmox picks up the slack.
NAKIVO
NAKIVO vs Veeam for Australian MSPs (2026)
Licensing, multi-tenancy, pricing, and deployment decisions for MSPs building a backup-as-a-service practice in Australia.
NAKIVO vs Acronis Cyber Protect: VM Backup Depth vs Security Bundle (2026)
Pure VM backup specialist vs a backup+security+endpoint bundle. When the integration helps, when it hurts.
NAKIVO vs Altaro VM Backup (Hornetsecurity) (2026)
Independent VM backup specialist vs the email-security company that acquired Altaro. Roadmap, features, and MSP fit.
NAKIVO vs Unitrends: Independent Backup vs Kaseya-Owned Incumbent (2026)
Both back up Proxmox. One is owned by Kaseya. Where that matters for the next five years of your practice.
NAKIVO vs Arcserve UDP: Modern Specialist vs Legacy Unified Data Protection (2026)
Modern backup specialist vs legacy unified data protection suite. Where deployment flexibility and storage economics change the call.
NAKIVO vs Veeam for Australian Businesses (2026)
Licensing, coverage, and cost for Australian businesses choosing a backup platform for internal IT, not an MSP practice.
Keepit
Keepit vs Veeam for Microsoft 365 Backup (2026)
One is SaaS with vendor-independent infrastructure. The other is self-managed software you run yourself. Real pricing, real trade-offs.
Keepit vs Veeam Data Cloud for Microsoft 365 Backup (2026)
Both are fully managed SaaS. One runs on Azure, the other does not. One covers 16+ SaaS apps, the other covers 4. Real pricing and honest trade-offs.
Keepit vs AvePoint Cloud Backup for Australian Organisations (2026)
AvePoint has IRAP. Keepit has 16+ workloads. Both cover M365 and Google Workspace. The comparison is closer than most people expect.
Keepit vs Datto SaaS Protection for MSPs (2026)
Broader SaaS coverage with vendor independence, or the Kaseya ecosystem with deeper PSA integration? An MSP-focused comparison.
Keepit vs Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud for M365 Backup (2026)
Pure SaaS backup with vendor-independent immutability, or an integrated backup-and-security bundle? What matters more for your M365 protection.
Keepit vs Druva for Microsoft 365 Backup (2026)
Two SaaS-native backup platforms with immutable storage. One owns its infrastructure. The other runs on AWS. That difference matters more than you think.
Keepit vs Microsoft 365 Native Backup: Do You Need Third-Party? (2026)
Microsoft now offers native backup for M365. It has a 1-year retention limit, no immutability, and lives on the same infrastructure as your production data. Here is why that matters.
Keepit vs SkyKick Cloud Backup for MSPs (2026)
Broader SaaS coverage with independent immutability, or white-label simplicity with 6x daily backups? An MSP comparison for M365 backup.
Keepit vs Arcserve SaaS Backup: The OEM Relationship You Should Know About (2026)
Arcserve SaaS Backup is a Keepit OEM. Here's why the rebranded version loses on API, workloads, channel, and AU support.
Keepit vs Barracuda Cloud-to-Cloud Backup: M365 Backup Compared (2026)
Hourly backups and bundled security, or 16+ SaaS workloads with structural immutability? A practical comparison for MSPs and IT teams protecting Microsoft 365.
Keepit vs Rewind for Jira Cloud Backup (2026)
Two SaaS backup platforms that cover Jira Cloud, but with fundamentally different infrastructure models and pricing approaches.
Keepit vs Rewind for Confluence Cloud Backup (2026)
Comparing two approaches to protecting your Confluence knowledge base: independent immutable cloud versus Marketplace-native backup.
Keepit vs GitProtect for GitHub Backup (2026)
Two backup platforms that protect GitHub repositories and metadata, with different infrastructure models, coverage depth, and pricing.
Keepit vs GitProtect for Azure DevOps Backup (2026)
Two platforms that back up Azure DevOps, the workload Microsoft explicitly says it will not recover for you.
Keepit vs Acsense for Okta Backup (2026)
A multi-workload SaaS backup platform versus a dedicated Okta resilience specialist. Different tools for different problems.
Keepit vs Zendesk Native Backup: Why Zendesk Exports Are Not Enough (2026)
Zendesk provides data exports and a 30-day recycle bin. Here is why that is not a backup strategy, and what Keepit adds.
StoneFly
StoneFly DR365V vs Datto SIRIS: MSP Backup Appliance Compared (2026)
Veeam-native air-gapped appliance vs the Kaseya-owned BCDR incumbent. Where each fits in an Australian MSP stack.
StoneFly DR365V vs Unitrends Recovery Series (2026)
Two integrated BCDR appliances, two ownership models. Where Veeam-on-StoneFly lands against the Kaseya-owned incumbent.
StoneFly DR365V vs Barracuda Backup Appliance (2026)
Air-gapped independence vs cloud-first convenience. Two different philosophies on where backup data should live.
StoneFly USO vs Cloudian HyperStore: Enterprise S3 Compared (2026)
Unified storage platform vs dedicated object storage. When each architecture wins for private S3.
StoneFly USO vs NetApp StorageGRID: Unified Storage vs Object Specialist (2026)
When NetApp's object storage specialist makes sense vs a unified storage platform that also does S3.
StoneFly HCI Appliance vs Nutanix: Mid-Market HCI Compared (2026)
Enterprise-grade HCI at a fraction of Nutanix pricing. When each wins for 3-5 node mid-market clusters.
StoneFly HCI vs StarWind HCI Appliance: Choosing Between Two CRS Vendors (2026)
Two HCI appliances, both distributed by CRS. How to decide which fits your customer.
StarWind
StarWind Virtual SAN vs VMware vSAN After Broadcom (2026)
VCF has made vSAN unaffordable for mid-market. Where StarWind VSAN picks up the slack.
StarWind HCI Appliance vs Nutanix: Mid-Market HCI Compared (2026)
2-node HA and ProActive support vs the HCI category leader. Where each wins below the enterprise tier.
Gladinet
Gladinet CentreStack vs Microsoft SharePoint: Cloud Enablement vs Full Migration (2026)
Cloud-enable the file server you already have, or migrate to SharePoint. Which path fits your customer.
Gladinet CentreStack vs Egnyte Connect: File Access Platforms Compared (2026)
Self-hosted MSP-multi-tenant vs SaaS governance platform. Where each wins for hybrid file access.
QSAN
QSAN vs Synology: When to Graduate from SMB NAS to Enterprise Storage (2026)
Synology is great until it isn't. When dual controllers, SAS, and enterprise IOPS become requirements.
QSAN vs QNAP Enterprise: The Security Track Record Difference (2026)
Two Taiwanese storage vendors, one with a clean security record. Why the difference matters for production workloads.
QSAN XCubeSAN vs Dell PowerVault ME5: The Tier-One Alternative (2026)
Higher throughput, third-party drives, no per-feature licensing. Why we're winning this comparison in AU mid-market.
QSAN XCubeSAN vs HPE MSA 2060/2070: Mid-Market SAN Compared (2026)
Same drive lock-in story, different tier-one vendor. Why partners are walking away from the HPE premium.
QSAN XF5 vs Dell PowerStore: All-NVMe Flash at Mid-Market Pricing (2026)
Enterprise all-NVMe flash at mid-market pricing. Where Dell-qualified drives meet the XF5 alternative.
QSAN XF5 vs Pure Storage FlashArray: The Premium All-Flash Question (2026)
Pure Storage is the all-flash benchmark. QSAN XF5 is where partners go when the Pure premium is unaffordable.
QSAN XcubeNXT 8100 vs Infortrend EonStor GS: Unified Storage Compared (2026)
Two APAC mid-market unified storage vendors. Host port density vs scale-out architecture.
QSAN XcubeNXT vs Dell EMC Unity XT: Unified Storage at Different Price Tiers (2026)
Dell's unified storage platform is being transitioned to PowerStore. Where that leaves Unity XT buyers.
QSAN KS2 vs Nutanix Kubernetes Platform: Turnkey Container Infrastructure (2026)
Turnkey container appliance vs enterprise HCI Kubernetes. Two shapes for running on-prem containers in 2026.
QSAN XN3 vs Synology RS Series: When to Graduate (Australia 2026)
The natural Synology RS graduation point: dual-active NVMe unified storage at SMB price points.
QSAN XN3 vs QNAP TVS-h: Enterprise NAS Compared (Australia 2026)
Two enterprise NAS options at SMB-friendly pricing. Dual-active versus app ecosystem.
QSAN XF5 vs Pure FlashArray //C: TCO and Latency (Australia 2026)
Flagship NVMe block storage compared on latency, software ecosystem, and Australian five-year TCO.
QSAN KS2 vs VMware Tanzu: On-Prem Kubernetes After Broadcom (Australia 2026)
On-prem Kubernetes without VMware licensing. Two answers — converged appliance versus Tanzu on vSphere.
QSAN KS2 vs Nutanix NKP: On-Prem Kubernetes Cost Comparison (Australia 2026)
Single-appliance Kubernetes versus enterprise HCI Kubernetes. Picking the right shape for the workload.
UFSConnect
UFSConnect vs OneDrive for Business: Keep Your File Server or Migrate? (2026)
Cloud-enable the file server you already have, or migrate everything to OneDrive. What IT actually loses in the switch.
UFSConnect vs Google Drive: Can You Really Replace a Windows File Server? (2026)
Google Drive looks like a file server replacement on the surface. What breaks when you actually try it.
UFSConnect vs Dropbox Business: Enterprise File Access vs Cloud Sync (2026)
Cloud sync that users love and IT distrusts, vs cloud access that preserves IT control.
Guardz
Guardz vs Huntress: Unified Platform vs Endpoint Heritage (Australia 2026)
Two MSP-focused security platforms with very different shapes. Unified versus modular, identity-native versus endpoint-led.
Guardz vs Coro: MSP-First vs Direct-to-SMB Unified Security (Australia 2026)
Both pitch "unified SMB security." One is MSP-first and built for channel delivery, the other is direct-to-SMB and modular.
Guardz vs Sophos MTR: SMB MSP Economics vs Enterprise Heritage (Australia 2026)
Two managed detection and response stories aimed at very different segments. SMB-priced unified platform versus enterprise-heritage MTR.
Guardz vs Microsoft Defender for Business: When AV-Only Is Not Enough (Australia 2026)
Bundled AV versus real managed detection and response across identity, endpoint and email.
Guardz vs Cibecs: Complementary CRS Vendors for SMB Endpoint Coverage
Both CRS vendors. They cover different jobs on the same endpoint and pair cleanly rather than compete.
CRS Bundle
Guardz + Keepit Bundle vs Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud (Australia 2026)
Two best-in-class platforms on one CRS deal versus one all-in-one Acronis agent. Honest take on the trade-off.
Guardz + Keepit Bundle vs Barracuda (Australia 2026)
Two purpose-built platforms on one CRS deal versus a legacy email security vendor that has grown into backup and XDR. Honest comparison.