Arq Backup vs Zoolz (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Arq Backup grades higher than Zoolz: 2.4 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Arq Backup grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Arq Backup
Encrypted Mac and Windows backup to storage you choose
Zoolz
Cloud backup for businesses, sold by storage tier
Which one is for you
Pick Arq Backup if
- Fits if you already pay for cloud storage and want a one-time backup program
- Works for backing up to a NAS plus a cloud account at once
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want storage included, as Arq 7 is the app only and your provider bills extra
- Not for you if you use Linux, as the vendor lists Mac and Windows only
- Pricey if you keep updating, at $25 per computer for each year after the first
- Watch out: Arq Premium adds 1 TB for $69.99 a year, then $0.00699 per GB a month above that
Pick Zoolz if
- Fits if you have several terabytes of archives, such as photos or video, that you almost never open
- Makes sense if a small team wants one backup bill for up to 5 users
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you need quick access to everything, because most of each plan is cold storage
- Tight if you are on the 2.5 TB plan: 5 users, 1 server and files up to 20 GB
- Skip it if you use phones or Linux, since apps are Windows and Mac only
- Watch out: the 30% yearly discount is shown with no end date, and only monthly and yearly billing are offered
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAArq BackupFair | 2.0GPAZoolzFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A$59.99 once is under a year of the category's $7 middle subscription ($84). Storage is on top, and updates after the first year are $25 per computer. | C$7.99 a month for 2.5 TB, or $79.99 a year, against a $6.95 middle in file storage. Per terabyte it is low, but the starting price for one person is a little above the middle. |
| Free plan and trial | C30-day free trial that you download, with no card shown. No free plan after it. | CA 14-day trial with no credit card, and no free plan. After two weeks you pay. |
| Features | CBackup does the job fully, with client-side encryption, versioned history, schedules and bandwidth limits, and it is a narrower job than storage. It does not sync or share files. | CBackup with versions, incremental uploads, a local copy for faster restores and time-limited share links. The listing's own gap: only the small hot tier is for quick access, so it is a backup service and not a daily-use drive. |
| Ease of use | CYou pick and connect each destination, such as S3, Backblaze B2, SFTP or a NAS. No store rating is on record. | CNo store rating on record. You install the backup program and pick what to protect, which is ordinary setup for a backup tool. |
| Platforms and integrations | CMac and Windows programs only, with no Linux, iOS or Android apps. | CWindows and Mac programs plus a browser view. One family of devices: no phone apps and no Linux. |
| Best for | backing up a Mac or PC to storage you choose | backing up big archives that you rarely open |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Arq Backup and Zoolz. How we grade
Where they differ
- Arq Backup is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Arq Backup can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Arq Backup also covers file sync.
- Zoolz also covers file sharing and file management.
At a glance
| Arq Backup | Zoolz | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $59.99 per computer, one-time | $7.99 per month, billed monthly ($79.99 billed yearly) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial | 14-day free trial, no credit card |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Made by | Haystack Software LLC | Zoolz |
| Price read from | arqbackup.com | zoolz.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Arq Backup
- No Linux, iOS or Android apps; the vendor lists Mac and Windows only.
- Arq 7 does not include storage, so cloud fees from your provider are extra.
- Updates are included for one year; after that, further years cost $25 per computer.
- Arq Premium storage above 1 TB is billed at $0.00699 per GB per month.
Zoolz
- Most storage is cold, so only the smaller hot tier is for quick access.
- The 2.5 TB plan is limited to 5 users, 1 server and files up to 20 GB.
- Apps are listed for Windows and Mac only, plus browser access.
- Only monthly and yearly billing are shown; no multi-year terms or other currencies appear.
Key features
Arq Backup
- Your own destinations
- Back up to a cloud account you already have, an SFTP server, a NAS or an external drive, or several of these at once.
- Client-side encryption
- The vendor says backups are encrypted so only the owner can read them, and stored in an open, documented format.
- Versioned history
- Keeps multiple versions of files so you can restore an earlier copy after corruption, deletion or ransomware.
- Efficient backups
- Uses compression, de-duplication and block-level incremental backup, with APFS snapshot support on Mac.
- Schedule and limits
- Run hourly or daily, skip certain Wi-Fi networks or battery power, cap bandwidth, and set exclusion rules.
- Open-source restore tool
- A separate open-source tool, arq_restore, lets advanced users read backed-up data directly.
Zoolz
- Cold and hot storage
- Each plan pairs a large cold tier with a smaller hot tier, such as 2 TB cold plus 500 GB hot on the 2.5 TB plan.
- Incremental backup
- Only new or changed data is backed up after the first run, which cuts upload time and storage use.
- Hybrid+ backup
- Keeps one copy locally and one in the cloud, and restores from the local copy first for faster recovery.
- User and policy management
- Admins set storage limits, retention policies and user access. Version control for files is listed on every plan.
- Secure sharing
- Files can be shared through time-limited links, and encrypted files are accessible from the web or other devices.
- AWS-based storage
- The vendor says data sits on AWS encryption, and lists GDPR compliance on every plan.
Plans
Arq Backup
Arq 7$59.99
per computer, one-time
App only; you supply the storage. Includes one year of updates, then $25 per computer per year if you want more.
Arq Premium$69.99
per year
Arq 7 on up to 5 computers plus 1 TB of vendor-managed storage and web access to backups.
Zoolz
Cloud Backup 2.5 TB (monthly)$7.99
per month, billed monthly
2 TB cold plus 500 GB hot storage, 5 users and 1 server, files up to 20 GB.
Cloud Backup 2.5 TB (yearly)$79.99
per year, billed yearly
The same 2.5 TB plan on yearly billing; the page shows a 30% yearly discount.
Cloud Backup 7 TB$23.99
per month, billed monthly ($239.99 billed yearly)
6 TB cold plus 1 TB hot storage, unlimited users and servers, unlimited file size.
Cloud Backup 12 TB$39.99
per month, billed monthly ($399.99 billed yearly)
10 TB cold plus 2 TB hot storage, unlimited users and servers.
Cloud Backup 24 TB$75.99
per month, billed monthly ($759.99 billed yearly)
20 TB cold plus 4 TB hot storage, unlimited users and servers.
Cloud Backup 60 TB$159.99
per month, billed monthly ($1,599.99 billed yearly)
50 TB cold plus 10 TB hot storage, unlimited users and servers.
Ways to pay less
Arq Backup
No public discounts listed.
Zoolz
- Annual discount
30% off yearly plans
A banner on the pricing page offers 30% off all yearly plans, applied automatically at checkout, with no end date stated.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Arq Backup or Zoolz?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Arq Backup starts at $59.99 per computer, one-time, and Zoolz starts at $7.99 per month, billed monthly ($79.99 billed yearly).
Which has a free plan, Arq Backup or Zoolz?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither Arq Backup nor Zoolz has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
Which platforms do Arq Backup and Zoolz run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Zoolz lists a web app. Both list macOS and Windows apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.