BackupAssist
BackupAssist builds Windows Server, workstation, and Microsoft 365 backup and recovery software with integrated ransomware protection, serving over 200,000 SMB and mid-market servers across 165 countries via perpetual licenses, subscriptions, and an MSP partner program.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersBox Hill, Australia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What BackupAssist does
BackupAssist (legally Cortex IT Labs Pty Ltd) is an Australian-headquartered, founder-owned software company founded in 2002 by Linus Chang that builds Windows Server, workstation, and Microsoft 365 backup and recovery software for small and medium-sized organizations. The company is incorporated in Victoria, Australia, with operational offices in Melbourne (headquarters), Louisville (United States), and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), and reports protecting more than 200,000 servers across 165 countries.
The product line centers on four core offerings: BackupAssist Classic (Windows Server backup and recovery with Hyper-V, Exchange, and SQL protection), BackupAssist Desktop (Windows 10/11 workstation and work-from-home backup), BackupAssist ER (disk-to-disk-to-cloud with bare-metal recovery via the Lifeline Recovery environment), and BackupAssist 365 (Microsoft 365, SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, and IMAP mailbox backup). Architecture is modular, with BackupAssist Classic functioning as the flagship platform augmented by optional add-ons (Cloud Offsite, Hyper-V Advanced, SQL Continuous, Exchange Granular, Tape Archiving, and Multisite Manager). Differentiated technical components include the CryptoSafeGuard ransomware protection feature (Detector and Shield components, validated at 100% success rate by MRG Effitas against tested strains), Cyber Black Box forensic data logging, Cloud Immutability via WORM storage introduced in v15, VHDX-based non-proprietary backup formats, and Hyper-V Rapid VM Recovery capable of spinning up virtual machines within five minutes.
Revenue is generated through a hybrid model: one-time perpetual licensing for BackupAssist Classic (entry price under $500), annual subscriptions for BackupAssist Desktop, 365, and ER, an after-sales BackupCare subscription bundling ransomware protection and support, and an MSP program (Managed Backup Console) for service providers managing multi-client environments. Go-to-market combines product-led growth via free 30-day trials with channel sales through resellers in eight countries and the MBC MSP platform, targeting SMBs alongside government, education, non-profit, and managed-service-provider segments. The company remains privately held with no disclosed institutional funding and operates with 11-50 employees.
BackupAssist firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BackupAssist
- Legal name
- Cortex IT Labs Pty Ltd
- Website
- https://backupassist.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- BackupAssist builds Windows Server, workstation, and Microsoft 365 backup and recovery software with integrated ransomware protection, serving over 200,000 SMB and mid-market servers across 165 countries via perpetual licenses, subscriptions, and an MSP partner program.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BackupAssist industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Backup and Recovery Software
- NAICS
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Backup & Restore Platforms (Cloud Backup) (HDABAIAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Backup & Recovery Software (HDABAEAD), Continuity for SaaS & Cloud Apps (M365/Salesforce Backup) (HDABAIAK), Managed Backup Operations (On-Prem & Hybrid) (BPAEALAC), Cyber Recovery & Ransomware-Resilient Backup Services (BPAEALAG)
Keywords
Where BackupAssist is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Box Hill
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices3 records
Markets served
BackupAssist business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- Perpetual License - BackupAssist Classic: One-time perpetual license purchase for BackupAssist Classic with optional add-on features at extra cost. Core product includes essential cyber-resilience features. Additional advanced capabilities available as optional add-ons (Cloud Offsite, Hyper-V Advanced, SQL Continuous, Exchange Granular, Tape Archiving, Multisite Manager).
- Annual Subscription - BackupAssist Desktop, 365, ER: Annual subscription licensing model for BackupAssist Desktop, BackupAssist 365, and BackupAssist ER products. All-in-one subscription model.
- BackupCare Subscription: After-sales assurance subscription providing CryptoSafeGuard ransomware protection, free software upgrades and updates, annual tune-up consultations, and phone support. Available for all BackupAssist products.
- MSP Program - Managed Backup Console: MSP subscription model using Managed Backup Console (MBC) for service providers to manage multiple client data protection centrally. MBC-US portal for direct MSPs paying with credit card, MBC-EU for distributors' MSPs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Annual | BackupAssist Classic core perpetual license |
| Subscription | Annual | BackupCare Subscription |
| Subscription | Monthly | Essential resilience starting price |
| Subscription | Annual | BackupAssist Desktop, 365, ER subscriptions |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
BackupAssist product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BackupAssist develops and sells backup and recovery software for Microsoft Windows Server, Hyper-V, Exchange, SQL Server, Windows 10/11 workstations, and Microsoft 365 environments. Its portfolio includes BackupAssist Classic (server backup), BackupAssist Desktop (workstation backup), BackupAssist ER (disk-to-disk-to-cloud), and BackupAssist 365 (cloud mailbox backup), supplemented by the Managed Backup Console for MSPs. Core capabilities include ransomware protection (CryptoSafeGuard), forensic logging (Cyber Black Box), immutable cloud backups, and bare-metal disaster recovery, targeted at small and medium-sized organizations.
Product overview
BackupAssist is a backup and data protection software company offering a portfolio of four core products designed for Microsoft Windows environments and Microsoft 365. The product line includes BackupAssist Classic (Windows Server backup and recovery), BackupAssist Desktop (workstation/laptop backup), BackupAssist ER (disk-to-disk-to-cloud backup), and BackupAssist 365 (Microsoft 365 cloud data backup). These products share a modular architecture where BackupAssist Classic serves as the flagship server solution with optional add-ons (Cloud Offsite, Exchange Granular, Hyper-V Advanced, SQL Continuous, Tape Archiving, and Multisite Manager), while BackupCare provides a subscription-based after-sales assurance program bundling ransomware protection and technical support. All products feature cyber-resilience capabilities including CryptoSafeGuard ransomware protection and Cyber Black Box forensic logging. The company serves small to medium businesses, corporates, government departments, educational institutions, and MSPs across 165 countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- BackupAssist Classic: Windows Server backup and recovery solution for SMEs, supporting Windows Servers, Hyper-V, Exchange, and SQL Server. Features ransomware protection via CryptoSafeGuard and Cyber Black Box forensic logging. Version 15 introduced cloud immutability features.
- BackupAssist Desktop
- BackupAssist ER
- BackupAssist 365
- CryptoSafeGuard
- Cyber Black Box
- BackupCare
- Lifeline Recovery
- RecoverAssist
- Multisite Manager
Products and services
- BackupAssist Classic Windows Server backup and recovery solution for small and medium businesses supporting Windows Server, Hyper-V, Exchange Server, and SQL Server environments, with drive imaging, file and application backup, cloud offsite backup, ransomware protection, and bare-metal disaster recovery.
- BackupAssist Desktop Business-grade backup and recovery for Windows 10/11 workstation computers and laptops, including work-from-home scenarios, with system imaging, file backup, cloud backup destinations, deduplication, encryption, and ransomware protection.
- BackupAssist ER Disk-to-disk-to-cloud backup solution designed for system-level backup with cyber-aware features, including the Lifeline Recovery bootable environment for bare-metal disaster recovery.
- BackupAssist 365 Cloud data backup solution for Microsoft 365 and Office 365 applications including Exchange, SharePoint, Teams, and OneDrive for Business, plus IMAP mailbox backup from various cloud providers, storing backups in PST file format.
- Managed Backup Console (MBC) MSP management platform enabling service providers to centrally manage and automate data protection across multiple client environments, with separate MBC-US and MBC-EU portals for direct and distributor-served MSPs.
Companies that use BackupAssist
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
BackupAssist technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
Feature6 records
BackupAssist partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- MicrosoftcoreDeep integration partnership with Microsoft. Products support Windows Server 2025, 2022, 2019, 2016; Windows 10/11; Microsoft Exchange Server 2019, 2016, 2013; Microsoft SQL Server 2022, 2019, 2017, 2016; Hyper-V virtualization; Microsoft 365/Office 365.
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)coreAWS S3 supported as cloud backup destination. Immutable cloud storage support for AWS S3 buckets with durability of 99.999999999%.
- Microsoft AzurecoreAzure cloud storage supported as backup destination. BackupAssist can restore from encrypted cloud backups stored on Azure.
- WasabicoreWasabi hot cloud storage supported as backup destination. Mentioned in immutable cloud backup documentation as S3-compatible option.
- IDC (International Data Corporation)minorResearch Director Phil Goodwin provided endorsement: 'BackupAssist 10 brings big enterprise backup to SMEs optimized for ease-of-use and reliability.' IDC is a premier global provider of market intelligence.
- Storage SwitzerlandminorSenior Analyst W. Curtis Preston provided endorsement of CryptoSafeGuard ransomware protection approach with two-pronged protection strategy.
- Osterman ResearchminorPresident Michael Osterman endorsed BackupAssist as solution for ransomware protection requirement regardless of organization size.
- MRG EffitasminorWorld-leading independent IT Security Testing organization. Tested CryptoSafeGuard with 100% success rate against ransomware strains including Locky, CryptoLocker, and TeslaCrypt.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights7 records
BackupAssist competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Veeam Software: Veeam is the leading direct competitor in Windows Server, Hyper-V, and Microsoft 365 backup, with overlapping SMB and mid-market positioning. It was the head-to-head finalist against BackupAssist in the 2017 TechTarget Product of the Year category, making it the closest direct peer on product, customer segment, and channel.
- Acronis: Acronis combines backup with integrated cyber protection (anti-ransomware, EDR) for SMBs and service providers — directly comparable to BackupAssist's CryptoSafeGuard-led cyber-resilience positioning. Its strong MSP channel and broad platform coverage make it a core competitive peer.
- Arcserve: Arcserve provides backup, disaster recovery, and ransomware protection for Windows and hybrid environments, with comparable SMB and mid-market focus. It is one of the closest direct competitors in the SMB backup category alongside BackupAssist and Veeam.
- Datto (Kaseya): Datto, owned by Kaseya, delivers backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity tailored to MSPs and SMBs — directly mirroring BackupAssist's MBC and MSP channel strategy. It is a relevant peer on channel model and SMB end-customer.
- Carbonite (OpenText): Carbonite, now part of OpenText, offers cloud backup for SMBs and remote endpoints, including Microsoft 365 backup — overlapping directly with BackupAssist Desktop and BackupAssist 365. It competes on the same SMB-friendly, subscription-based pricing model.
Broad incumbents
- Veritas Technologies: Veritas (NetBackup, Backup Exec) is the legacy enterprise incumbent named in BackupAssist's awards and migration narrative. The Backup Exec end-of-life announcement creates a direct displacement opportunity, positioning Veritas as both a competitor and a source of inbound prospects for BackupAssist.
- Commvault: Commvault is a broad enterprise data protection platform explicitly listed among competitors BackupAssist beat in the TechConsult Champion evaluation. While primarily enterprise, it competes for mid-market and regulated workloads that BackupAssist also targets.
Emerging players
- Nakivo: Nakivo provides affordable backup for VMware, Hyper-V, and Microsoft 365 with a strong SMB and MSP tilt. It is comparable as a smaller, channel-driven challenger in the same SMB Windows-server backup niche as BackupAssist.
- Altaro (Hornetsecurity): Altaro, now part of Hornetsecurity, focuses on affordable Hyper-V and VMware backup for SMBs, with MSP-friendly licensing — overlapping with BackupAssist Classic's Hyper-V Advanced add-on. It is a relevant emerging peer in the SMB virtualization backup segment.
Others
- Backblaze: Backblaze is both an integration partner (B2 storage destination for BackupAssist) and an adjacent cloud backup competitor for consumer and SMB endpoints. It is comparable as an enabling/storage layer in the BackupAssist ecosystem and a competitor for simpler backup use cases.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
BackupAssist social profiles
Digital presenceBackupAssist compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
BackupAssist financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BackupAssist leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
BackupAssist funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BackupAssist M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about BackupAssist
What does BackupAssist do?
BackupAssist develops and sells backup and recovery software for Microsoft Windows Server, Hyper-V, Exchange, SQL Server, Windows 10/11 workstations, and Microsoft 365 environments. Its portfolio includes BackupAssist Classic (server backup), BackupAssist Desktop (workstation backup), BackupAssist ER (disk-to-disk-to-cloud), and BackupAssist 365 (cloud mailbox backup), supplemented by the Managed Backup Console for MSPs. Core capabilities include ransomware protection (CryptoSafeGuard), forensic logging (Cyber Black Box), immutable cloud backups, and bare-metal disaster recovery, targeted at small and medium-sized organizations.
Is BackupAssist a public or private company?
BackupAssist is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was BackupAssist founded?
BackupAssist was founded in 2002. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is BackupAssist based?
BackupAssist is headquartered in Box Hill, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does BackupAssist make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Perpetual License - BackupAssist Classic is the primary driver. The others are annual Subscription - BackupAssist Desktop, 365, ER, backupCare Subscription and MSP Program - Managed Backup Console.
Who are BackupAssist's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Veeam Software, Acronis, Arcserve, Datto (Kaseya) and Carbonite (OpenText). Broad incumbents are Veritas Technologies and Commvault. Emerging players are Nakivo and Altaro (Hornetsecurity). Backblaze is listed as an others.
Does BackupAssist have an API?
No public API is recorded for BackupAssist.
What industry is BackupAssist in?
BackupAssist's product category is Backup and Recovery Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDABAIAB, Backup & Restore Platforms (Cloud Backup), with a secondary code of HDABAEAD, Backup & Recovery Software. Its NAICS code is 5182 and its SIC code is 7372.