RemoteAzure backup
Azure Backup or a specialist platform? Start with the restore you need.
Azure's own backup handles most small business Azure workloads well, and it can keep backups attackers cannot delete if you switch the right settings on. Specialist platforms earn their cost when you need one tool across cloud and on-site, or faster recovery at scale. Here is how they compare, what Azure Backup costs in AUD, and the settings that matter.
Azure prices from Microsoft's retail price list, Australia East, checked 30 October 2026.
- AUD pricing
- Ransomware protections
- Platforms compared
Reviewed by Blake Bath, General Manager, on 30 October 2026.
The platforms
Where each platform fits.
Specialist platforms are quote-based. Define your requirements before you ask for prices.
Azure Backup
Built into Azure. Per-VM fee plus storage. The natural start for Azure-first estates.
- No extra tooling
- Immutable vaults
- Azure and on-site servers
Veeam
The common step up when you also back up on-site servers and want one tool with finer restore options.
- Cloud and on-site
- Granular restores
- Familiar to many teams
Rubrik and Cohesity
Backup tied closely to ransomware recovery and data management. Premium, and usually more than a small estate needs.
- Cyber recovery focus
- Single platform
- Enterprise pricing
Commvault
Broad coverage and detailed policy controls for large, compliance-heavy environments.
- Policy depth
- Wide workload support
- Operational overhead
Azure Backup cost estimate
What would Azure Backup cost for your servers?
Enter your VMs and their used size. The estimate uses Microsoft's Australia East list prices.
Estimate Azure's native backup for your virtual machines, at Microsoft's Australia East list prices.
Azure Backup, estimated
A$169.30a month, ex GST
| Protected instances (4) | A$56.98 |
|---|---|
| Backup storage (about 1,600 GB) | A$112.32 |
- Each VM counts as one protected instance per 500 GB of used data. Very small VMs can cost less.
- Snapshots, archive tier, cross-region restore and restores out of Azure are extra.
Against ransomware
The Azure Backup settings that stop attackers deleting your backups.
- Data held outside your subscriptionVaulted backups live in a Microsoft-managed subscription and tenant, separate from your production environment.
- Enhanced soft delete, always-onDeleted backups are kept for 14 to 180 days. Always-on means nobody can switch it off, including you.
- Immutable vault, lockedRecovery points cannot be deleted before they expire. Once locked, the setting cannot be reversed, so review policies first.
- Multi-user authorisationA Resource Guard, ideally in a separate subscription or tenant, must approve risky changes like reducing retention.
Microsoft recommends a soft delete period longer than 35 days, or matched to your policy retention.
Which one
Match the platform to your main requirement.
| Main requirement | Usually fits |
|---|---|
| Lowest cost, simple Azure estate | Azure Backup |
| One tool for Azure and on-site servers | Veeam |
| Backup built around ransomware recovery | Rubrik or Cohesity |
| Large, compliance-heavy environment | Commvault |
| Cloud-native SaaS backup with little to run | Druva or HYCU |
| Backup bundled with endpoint security | Acronis |
Our view
Most small Azure estates are well served by Azure Backup, set up properly.
For a few Azure servers, Azure Backup with geo-redundant storage, always-on soft delete and a locked immutable vault covers what most small businesses need, at a predictable cost. The mistake is leaving it at the defaults.
Look at a specialist platform when you also run servers on-site and want one tool and one restore process, or when recovery time across many systems matters more than cost.
Choosing
Choosing Azure backup in five steps.
- Step 1Set RTO and RPO
How fast, and how much data you can lose, per system.
- Step 2List the workloads
Azure VMs, SQL, file shares, on-site servers.
- Step 3Price the options
Same requirements to every vendor.
- Step 4Lock it down
Soft delete, immutability and multi-user authorisation.
- Step 5Test restores
A file monthly, a full VM quarterly.
Related guides
Azure is one part of the backup picture. Here are the others.
Microsoft 365, on-site servers and the recovery plan.
Get help your way
Six ways to reach us. Pick whichever suits you.
Helpdesk hours are Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm AEST. On Advantage and above, emergencies get a response within 1 hour and outages within 2, with 24/7 best-effort escalation.
- Call 07 3114 2808
An engineer answers Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm AEST. After hours, weekends and public holidays, Chip, our AI agent, answers on the same number or on 07 3180 0965, logs it and escalates urgent incidents to the on-call engineer.
Call now - Email the helpdesk
Send it to helpdesk@realbytes.com.au and a ticket is logged straight away, with a reference number you can quote.
Email us - Client portal
Log and follow your tickets, see what we are working on and who has it.
Open the portal - Remote support
When an engineer asks to see your screen, start a secure session here. You start it, so nobody sees your screen until you do.
Start a session - Chat in Microsoft Teams
Clients can message Chip, our AI assistant, in Teams to log a request without leaving their desk.
How clients reach us - Service status
Check whether Microsoft 365 or another cloud service is down before you lose an hour troubleshooting.
See live status
Questions
What people ask about Azure backup.
Is Azure Backup good enough for a small business?
For straightforward Azure virtual machines, file shares and SQL Server, usually yes. It is built in, billed per protected VM plus storage, and has strong protections against deletion when you turn them on. Step up to a specialist platform when you need faster or more granular recovery across Azure and on-site systems in one place.
How much does Azure Backup cost in Australia?
In Australia East, Microsoft lists A$14.25 a month per protected VM for each 500 GB of used data, plus backup storage at about A$0.035 per GB a month for locally redundant or A$0.07 for geo-redundant. Use the estimate above with your own sizes.
Can attackers delete Azure backups?
Backup data lives in a Microsoft-managed subscription, separate from your own. Enhanced soft delete keeps deleted backups for 14 to 180 days and can be made always-on. An immutable vault, once locked, stops anyone deleting backups before they expire. Multi-user authorisation adds a second approval for risky changes. Check each is switched on, because not all of them are by default.
Azure Backup or Veeam?
Azure Backup is simpler and cheaper for Azure-only workloads. Veeam suits businesses that also back up on-site servers and want one tool, or need finer restore options. Both can keep backups that cannot be deleted. Price both against the same requirements.
Does Azure Backup protect Microsoft 365?
No. Azure Backup covers Azure and on-site workloads. Microsoft 365 needs Microsoft 365 Backup or a third-party cloud-to-cloud service.
Next step
Is your Azure backup still on its defaults?
We will check your vault settings, retention and restore times, and switch on the protections that stop attackers deleting your backups.
Keep reading
Reviewed by Blake Bath, General Manager, on 30 October 2026. Azure prices from Microsoft's retail price list (AUD, Australia East, ex GST), 30 October 2026. Security features from Microsoft Learn. Third-party platforms are quote-based. Microsoft, Azure Retail Prices API; Microsoft Learn, Azure VM backup costs; Microsoft Learn, Azure Backup security overview; Microsoft Learn, Secure your Azure Backup deployment; Microsoft Learn, Immutable vault; Microsoft Learn, Multi-user authorisation with Resource Guard; Microsoft Learn, Ransomware-resilient backup architecture