Top SQL Server Backup And Recovery Software In 2027

Native SQL Server backups work. Full, differential and transaction log backups with a sensible schedule will get most databases back. The problems start at scale: hundreds of instances to schedule, backups too large to copy off-site overnight, and a developer who dropped one table and needs it back without restoring a 4 TB database. That is the gap SQL Server backup and recovery software fills.

The tools on this list fall into two camps. Enterprise data protection platforms such as Veeam, Commvault, Rubrik and Cohesity protect SQL Server as one workload among many, with ransomware resilience and central policy. SQL Server backup tools from DBA-focused vendors such as Quest, Idera and Redgate sit closer to the engine, with compression, encryption and log shipping designed for database administrators. We ranked both on restore capabilities first, since a backup only matters when you restore it. For the planning side, read our guide to disaster recovery in the database world, and if you are weighing cloud targets, our Azure vs AWS vs Google Cloud comparison covers the platforms behind them.

SQL Server Backup And Recovery Software At A Glance

Tool	Best For	Granular Restore	Deployment	Pricing Model
Veeam Backup & Replication	Virtualized SQL Server estates already standardized on Veeam	Point-in-time, transaction-level, table export	Self-hosted software or hardened Linux appliance	Paid editions; free Community Edition up to 10 workloads
Commvault Cloud	Large enterprises with many workloads and strict recovery testing	Table-level from recovery points	SaaS or self-managed software	Quote-based
Rubrik	Policy-driven protection with instant database clones	Point-in-time, Live Mount	Rubrik clusters on-premises or in the cloud	Quote-based
Quest LiteSpeed for SQL Server	DBAs who need object-level recovery and transaction rollback	Object, table and transaction level	Software installed on SQL Server hosts	Quote-based
Idera SQL Safe Backup	Compressed, encrypted backups with instant restore	Point-in-time, object-level	Software on-premises or on cloud VMs	Quote-based; 14-day trial
Cohesity DataProtect	Consolidating backup with test and dev cloning	Database, table and transaction level	As a service or self-managed	Subscription
Redgate SQL Backup Pro	Small and mid-size DBA teams wanting smaller, safer native-style backups	Point-in-time via log backups	Software on SQL Server hosts	Annual per-server subscription; 14-day trial
Azure Backup and Backup to URL	SQL Server in Azure VMs and teams using native tooling	Point-in-time to the second	Azure service; native T-SQL to object storage	Protected instance plus storage
Druva	SaaS backup with no on-premises backup hardware	Point-in-time and transaction mark	SaaS with host agent	Quote-based; 30-day trial
NAKIVO Backup & Replication	SMBs protecting SQL Server inside VMs on a budget	Table and database object recovery	Self-hosted software	Per-workload subscription or perpetual

Best SQL Server Backup And Recovery Software In 2027

1. Veeam Backup & Replication — Image-Level Backups With Transaction-Level SQL Restore

Veeam Backup & Replication is the backup engine inside Veeam Data Platform. SQL Server is handled through application-aware processing during image-level backups.

For SQL Server, the key component is Veeam Explorer for Microsoft SQL Server. With transaction log processing enabled in the backup job, it can restore a database to a point in time by replaying logs onto the target server, restore to just before a specific transaction, publish a database from backup for inspection, and run instant recovery so a database comes online quickly while data copies in the background. Selected tables can be exported as scripts or files.

Veeam ships in Foundation, Advanced and Premium editions, with a 30-day trial and a free Community Edition limited to 10 workloads. It can be deployed as a hardened Linux-based appliance with a browser UI, and it supports immutable backup storage. The trade-off for SQL teams: log backups are stored in Veeam’s own format rather than native .trn files, and point-in-time recovery depends on the full recovery model and a log backup interval you configure in Veeam.

Best for: Organizations running SQL Server mainly in VMs that want one platform for every workload.

2. Commvault Cloud — Cross-Platform Restores From SQL Server To Azure SQL And AWS

Commvault Cloud is the platform that succeeded Commvault’s on-premises software and its Metallic SaaS service. SQL Server support covers full, differential and transaction log backups, scheduled or on-demand, with automatic discovery of instances on protected hosts and support for Always On availability groups based on the group’s own backup preferences.

Restore flexibility is where it stands out. Commvault documents restores in place, to a different instance or database name, or to disk, and it can move databases across platforms, for example from Windows or Linux SQL Server to Azure SQL, Azure SQL Managed Instance or AWS. Table-level recovery from recovery points is supported for block-level and IntelliSnap backups. Cleanroom Recovery adds an isolated recovery environment in Azure for ransomware scenarios.

Pricing is quote-based. The trade-off is complexity: Commvault’s breadth comes with a large configuration surface, and smaller teams that only protect a handful of SQL Server instances will find simpler tools quicker to run.

Best for: Large enterprises with mixed workloads, cloud migrations in progress and formal recovery testing requirements.

3. Rubrik — SLA Policies And Live Mount Clones Straight From Backup

Rubrik’s approach to SQL Server is policy first. Automated discovery finds new hosts, instances and databases, and SLA policies can be assigned at host, instance or database level, with the most granular policy winning. Transaction log frequency and retention are set inside those policies, and a Copy Only mode leaves logs alone if another system manages them.

Live Mount is the standout feature. Rubrik can present a read/write copy of a database directly from the Rubrik cluster, so DBAs can test a restore, run DBCC checks or give developers a copy without provisioning extra storage. Point-in-time recovery is available through the UI, and recovery to a specific Log Sequence Number is available through the API. Always On availability groups and failover cluster instances are supported, with Rubrik avoiding duplicate backups across nodes.

Backup data is stored on an immutable file system that cannot be disabled. Pricing is quote-based. The limitation is that Rubrik is a platform purchase: it makes most sense when SQL Server is one of several workloads you are consolidating onto it.

Best for: Enterprises that want hands-off, policy-driven SQL Server protection and fast database clones for testing.

4. Quest LiteSpeed for SQL Server — Object-Level Restores And Transaction Rollback Without A Full Restore

LiteSpeed is a DBA-focused SQL Server backup tool, and its recovery features are its main draw. It can restore individual objects and tables from LiteSpeed backups and from native SQL Server backups, and its transaction log reader can roll back specific transactions without restoring the whole database.

Quest says its Fast Compression can shrink backups by up to 85% compared with traditional approaches, and Adaptive Compression adjusts levels during jobs to protect server performance. Backups can be encrypted and written to Amazon S3, Google Storage, Azure Blob Storage and IBM TSM. Jobs, templates and reporting are managed from a central console.

Pricing is through Quest sales. The trade-off is that LiteSpeed protects SQL Server only, so organizations will still need a separate platform for VMs, file servers and other databases.

Best for: DBA teams that handle frequent “restore one table” requests and want transaction-level undo.

5. Idera SQL Safe Backup — Instant Restore With Data Streamed In The Background

SQL Safe Backup is Idera’s SQL Server backup tool, aimed at DBAs who want faster restores and smaller backups than native tooling while keeping a SQL Server-centric workflow. Its instant restore brings a database online immediately while data streams in the background, which shortens downtime for large databases where a conventional restore would take hours.

Backups use compression with automatic adjustments and AES encryption at 128-bit or 256-bit strength. Policy-based management automates backup, restore and log shipping across many databases and servers. Backups can be stored in and restored from Amazon S3 and Azure Blob Storage, the tool runs on Amazon EC2 and Azure virtual machines, and it integrates with IBM TSM and EMC Data Domain for organizations with existing enterprise retention systems.

Idera offers a fully functional 14-day trial, with pricing by quote or through its online store. As with LiteSpeed, the trade-off is scope: SQL Safe Backup protects SQL Server only, and its object-level recovery is less prominently documented than LiteSpeed’s transaction log tools.

Best for: SQL Server teams that want instant restore and policy-based log shipping without adopting a full enterprise backup platform.

6. Cohesity DataProtect — Table And Transaction Recovery Plus Clones For Test And Dev

Cohesity DataProtect is the backup product within the Cohesity Data Cloud. For SQL Server it supports transaction log backups and recovery to any point in time and location, with granular recovery at the database, table and transaction level and search across database backups. It can also create quick clones of database copies for development, testing and analytics without touching production.

DataProtect is available as backup as a service or as self-managed software on-premises or in public clouds. Backups are stored as immutable snapshots, and DataLock policies prevent accidental or deliberate deletion.

It is sold by subscription with a free trial for the service option. The trade-off is that, like Rubrik and Commvault, Cohesity is a platform decision, and its value for SQL Server alone is harder to justify than when it replaces several backup tools at once.

Best for: Organizations consolidating backup across hypervisors and databases that also want database cloning for dev teams.

7. Redgate SQL Backup Pro — Up To 95% Smaller Backups With Self-Healing Log Shipping

Redgate SQL Backup Pro is a focused tool for DBAs who like native SQL Server backups but want them smaller, encrypted and more reliable over unstable networks. Redgate says backups can be up to 95% smaller, with multiple compression levels, and they are protected with 128-bit or 256-bit AES encryption.

Its network resilience is the practical strength. Transfers resume automatically after interruptions, and its log shipping is self-healing: interrupted transaction log transfers are queued and restored in the correct order.

Redgate publishes pricing as an annual per-server subscription, tiered by server count, and offers a 14-day trial. The limitation is that its product page does not emphasize cloud storage targets or granular object restore, so teams that need table-level recovery or direct cloud backups should check those requirements during the trial.

Best for: Small and mid-size DBA teams that want compressed, encrypted backups and dependable log shipping at a published price.

8. Azure Backup And SQL Server Backup To URL — Native Point-In-Time Recovery To Azure And S3-Compatible Storage

Microsoft gives SQL Server teams two native routes. Azure Backup protects SQL Server running in Azure VMs using SQL native APIs, streaming full, differential and log backups directly to a Recovery Services vault with no staging location. Log backups every 15 minutes give a 15-minute RPO, and point-in-time recovery is available to the second. Immutable vaults, soft delete and multiuser authorization protect against destructive actions.

For SQL Server anywhere, Backup to URL writes native backups straight to Azure Blob Storage, and SQL Server 2022 added S3-compatible object storage. SQL Server 2025 adds support for Azure immutable storage. Restores use standard T-SQL, including STOPAT for point-in-time recovery, so existing scripts and Agent jobs keep working.

Azure Backup bills per protected instance plus vault storage. Backup to URL costs only the storage. The trade-offs are scope and tooling: Azure Backup is designed for Azure-hosted workloads, and Backup to URL is a feature, not a product, so scheduling, monitoring and retention are up to you.

Best for: SQL Server in Azure VMs, and teams that prefer native backups with cloud storage as the off-site copy.

9. Druva — SaaS SQL Server Backup With No Backup Hardware To Manage

Druva delivers SQL Server backup as a 100% SaaS service. A Hybrid Workloads agent on the SQL Server host handles discovery and backup jobs, and data goes to Druva Cloud, with an optional TurboTier server on-premises to reduce bandwidth. Agentless backup is available for SQL Server running in VMware VMs. Druva applies source-side global deduplication.

It supports full, differential and log backups on standalone instances and failover cluster instances, and on Always On availability groups with some constraints (full backups on the primary or copy-only on secondaries, differentials only on the primary). Restores cover recovery points, point-in-time and transaction marks.

Druva offers a 30-day free trial. The trade-off of a SaaS-only model is restore speed for very large databases, since data comes back from the cloud, so test restore times against your RTO before committing.

Best for: Distributed organizations that want SQL Server backup without owning backup servers or storage.

10. NAKIVO Backup & Replication — Budget-Friendly VM Backup With SQL Object Recovery And Log Truncation

NAKIVO Backup & Replication is a cost-conscious alternative to the larger platforms. For SQL Server it uses application-aware mode for consistent backups, can truncate transaction logs automatically after a successful backup or replica, and offers object recovery to restore tables and databases to the original or a new location.

Licensing is flexible. Subscriptions are billed per workload annually, with a minimum of five workloads, and perpetual licenses are sold per CPU socket or per server. Editions run from Pro Essentials through Enterprise Essentials to Enterprise Plus. A free edition and a 15-day trial are available.

The limitation for SQL Server teams is depth. NAKIVO’s SQL features center on VM-level consistency, log truncation and object recovery rather than log-based point-in-time recovery, so databases with tight RPOs may still need native log backups alongside it.

Best for: Small and mid-size businesses protecting SQL Server inside virtual machines on a tight budget.

How To Choose SQL Server Backup And Recovery Software

What Are Your RPO And RTO For Each Database?

Start with recovery targets, not features. If a database can lose at most 15 minutes of data, you need frequent transaction log backups and point-in-time recovery. If it must be back in minutes, look for instant restore or Live Mount style features, such as those in SQL Safe Backup, Veeam and Rubrik, rather than tools that copy the full database back before it comes online.

How Often Do You Restore Single Tables Or Rows?

Many restores are not disasters. They are a dropped table or a bad UPDATE. If that is a weekly event, prioritize object-level recovery: LiteSpeed’s object restore and transaction log reader, Commvault’s table-level recovery, or Cohesity’s table and transaction recovery will save more time than faster full restores.

Is SQL Server Your Only Workload?

If you also protect VMs, file shares, Microsoft 365 and other databases, an enterprise platform such as Veeam, Commvault, Rubrik or Cohesity avoids running several backup systems. If SQL Server is the main concern and a separate team owns infrastructure backup, DBA-focused SQL Server backup tools such as LiteSpeed, SQL Safe Backup or Redgate SQL Backup Pro fit better.

Where Will The Off-Site And Immutable Copies Live?

Ransomware has made immutable backups a baseline requirement. Check whether the tool writes to immutable storage itself, as Rubrik, Cohesity, Veeam and Azure Backup do, or relies on you to configure object lock on the target.

Which Pricing Model Matches Your Estate?

Per-server subscriptions are predictable for a fixed fleet of SQL Server hosts. Per-workload licensing suits virtualized estates. SaaS consumption models remove hardware costs but tie spend to data volume.

Conclusion

The right SQL Server backup and recovery software depends on who owns backup in your organization. Infrastructure teams protecting many workloads will get the most from Veeam, Commvault, Rubrik or Cohesity, each of which handles SQL Server well inside a broader platform. DBA teams that want control close to the engine should look at Quest LiteSpeed for object-level and transaction recovery, Idera SQL Safe Backup for instant restore and policy-based log shipping, or Redgate SQL Backup Pro for compressed, resilient backups at a published price. Azure Backup, Druva and NAKIVO each cover specific situations well: Azure-hosted SQL Server, SaaS-only protection and budget VM backup.

Whatever you choose, schedule regular restore tests. A backup that has never been restored is an assumption, not a recovery plan.