Salesforce Data Backup

A Detailed Comparison & Analysis of Salesforce Data Backup Cost

Mehzia Naz

When it comes to Salesforce data management, backup is often an afterthought until something goes wrong. And when it does, the question isn’t just about how to recover data, but how much it will cost. Whether you’re a Salesforce Admin, CIO, or IT strategist, understanding the Salesforce data backup cost is key to making informed, long-term decisions that not only secure your business-critical data but also control your IT spending.

In this blog, we’ll break down the real cost of backing up Salesforce data, compare native vs. third-party options, explore the cloud vs. on-premise debate, and share best practices to lower your overall Salesforce backup pricing without compromising compliance, speed, or peace of mind.

Key Factors Influencing Salesforce Backup Cost

Now let’s dive into the components that drive up or reduce your Salesforce backup solution cost.

Data Volume & Growth Rate

Salesforce charges based on storage usage. If your org has thousands of records or attachments piling up, leading to unmanaged data growth, your costs can grow exponentially. Every MB matters. If you’re storing over 100 GB of data and metadata, you’re already paying steep storage premiums.

Get the detailed Salesforce Data Storage Guide.

Backup Frequency

Do you need real-time backup, or is a daily backup enough? Frequent backups offer better protection but come at a higher cost, especially if you’re using a high-throughput third-party solution or Salesforce native backup.

Metadata vs. Data Backup

Backing up just the data isn’t enough. A truly safe Salesforce environment means backing up metadata, too, custom objects, layouts, workflows, Apex code, etc. Some tools charge extra for metadata protection, so it’s important to factor that into your pricing calculations.

Retention Period & Restore Needs

How long you keep your backups has a direct impact on cost. For example, storing backups for 7 years (a common regulatory requirement) multiplies your cost footprint if you’re not using a compressed, cost-optimized storage layer. Solutions like DataArchiva help retain long-term data affordably without bloating your active Salesforce storage.

Backup in Compliance with European Data Privacy Regulations

Comparing Salesforce Backup Options

Now that we understand the cost variables, let’s compare the available options.

Native Salesforce Backup & Restore Pricing

Salesforce launched its Backup & Restore service to simplify in-platform data protection. It’s a native solution integrated within the Salesforce ecosystem, but here’s the catch: it’s not free.

According to Salesforce’s current pricing (as of 2025), Backup & Restore starts at $10 USD per user/month. That means for a mid-sized business with 100 users, you’re paying $1,000/month or $12,000 annually, just for backup.

But there’s more to it:

The pricing doesn’t cover long-term storage of large datasets or historical backups.
If you want a point-in-time restore or metadata restore, the complexity (and cost) increases.
It stores data inside Salesforce-managed infrastructure, which means no control over where or how the data is stored, an issue for organizations needing data residency or custom compliance policies.

While it’s convenient, it can quickly become expensive, especially as your user count and data volume grow. This is where third-party tools offer significantly more flexibility and cost-efficiency.

Third-party Salesforce Backup Tools

Several third-party vendors offer Salesforce backup services with varying pricing models. Some charge per record, per GB of storage, or per backup instance. These platforms often come with added features like:

However, many require storing your data in their own cloud, which can lead to vendor lock-in and unexpected monthly bills if data volumes spike.

DataArchiva, on the other hand, takes a unique approach; it lets you store Salesforce backup data in your own AWS, Azure, or GCP cloud account, helping you cut down costs significantly by utilizing your existing infrastructure. You pay only for the cloud storage you use, with no per-user license costs or backup size restrictions.

For example, if you’re using Amazon S3 Standard storage, you can store 100 GB of data for as low as $2.30/month, versus Salesforce’s $1,000/month native approach for the same use case.

Backup, Recovery, & Protect Critical Salesforce Business Data with DataArchiva

Manual Backup vs. Automated Backup

Manual backups using Salesforce’s Weekly Data Export tool or Data Loader may sound “free,” but they come with operational inefficiencies. They’re prone to human error, require dedicated resources, and lack compliance traceability. More importantly, they’re not scalable and offer no automation or restore options.

An automated solution like DataArchiva offers object-wise control, versioning, metadata inclusion, and encryption, making it a more robust, audit-ready alternative without skyrocketing your operational costs.

Granular Restore vs. Full Restore Cost

Restoring all your Salesforce data can be time-consuming and expensive if you’re dealing with large volumes or partial data loss. Some tools charge additional processing fees or require premium plans for record-level recovery.

With DataArchiva, both full and granular restore capabilities are built in, with no extra charge, and you can recover data within minutes. Whether it’s a few corrupted records or an entire object, you’re covered without impacting your IT budget.

Cloud-Based Backup vs. On-Premise Backup

The cloud is winning for a reason, but let’s compare.

Cost Benefits of Cloud Storage (AWS, Azure, Heroku, GCP)

Storing Salesforce backup data in your own external cloud, like through DataArchiva, lets you use affordable, scalable storage options like Amazon S3 or Google Cloud Storage. You only pay for what you use, and you can optimize based on tiered Salesforce data storage (cold, warm, or hot tiers).

Hidden Costs in On-Prem Infrastructure

Running an on-premise backup environment includes servers, storage disks, cooling, electricity, and staffing costs. Over a 5-year period, this can cost 2–3x more than a cloud-based setup, without offering the same disaster recovery capabilities.

Scalability & Flexibility Cost Comparison

Cloud platforms offer auto-scaling, meaning your backup solution grows as your data grows, without upfront investments. On-prem solutions demand hardware upgrades, capacity planning, and downtime risks.

How DataArchiva Reduces Salesforce Backup Cost

So, what makes DataArchiva stand out?

It allows Salesforce users to store backup data and metadata in their own cloud (AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud), giving them full ownership, better control, and zero vendor lock-in. This immediately reduces dependency on Salesforce storage and associated costs.

DataArchiva supports custom backup schedules, automated encryption, and object-level restore, enabling smart cost control. Its data compression and deduplication capabilities help significantly reduce storage space usage.

Moreover, DataArchiva is compliance-ready and lets enterprises set up their own data residency policies, which is crucial for organizations operating under GDPR, HIPAA, or India’s DPDPA.

Salesforce Data Backup Best Practices

Smart data backup best practices can help lower your Salesforce data protection costs.

Archive Cold Data to Reduce Backup Scope

Not all data needs daily backup. By archiving cold or infrequently accessed data using DataArchiva, you reduce your backup size, thus lowering costs.

Set Custom Retention Policies

Back up only what you need, and for as long as necessary. With DataArchiva, you can define object-wise retention rules, delete or archive old records, and stay compliant while optimizing costs.

Choose Region-Based Cloud Storage for Cost Efficiency

Different regions have different storage pricing. Choosing low-cost regions for backup via AWS or GCP with DataArchiva helps you trim costs even further without latency issues for long-term data.

Use Point-in-Time Restore Only When Necessary

Use point-in-time restore capabilities only for mission-critical data loss scenarios. This avoids frequent processing loads and keeps your costs lean.

Final Thoughts

The cost of backing up Salesforce data is about how you back up, where you store it, and what level of control you have over your data. Native solutions offer simplicity but lack flexibility and come at a premium. On-prem setups offer control but are costly and hard to scale.

The most balanced and cost-effective Salesforce backup solution? A cloud-integrated, policy-driven, and highly configurable tool like DataArchiva. It brings together the best of both cost savings and compliance, ensuring your Salesforce environment is always protected, without blowing up your IT budget. Book a Demo now!