Veeam Agent for Windows: The Backup Software Serious Home NAS Users Actually Buy
Veeam Agent backs up Windows and NAS file shares to local disk or cloud in one agent — immutable (WORM) snapshots that beat ransomware, free 10-VM tier, paid 20-VM+ tiers. What it covers, what it costs, what it cannot back up.
What it does
Install the agent on each machine (Windows, macOS, Linux or an ESXi host). Define one or more jobs per machine: full + incremental, on schedule, to a local disk, another NAS share, or straight to cloud. Turn on WORM mode for a copy and the job keeps a window (days to weeks) of snapshots the OS cannot overwrite — a ransomware running on that box cannot encrypt or delete them. Each restore is a point-in-time picker.
Pricing
The free 10-VM tier covers most households: a workstation, a Windows NAS or mini-server, and a few laptops. Paid tiers step in when you exceed 10 VMs or need cloud backup volumes: from roughly $219 per 10 VMs up to $600+ for larger bundles (list prices, 2026). A single-machine household almost always stays in the free tier.
Good at
- Windows workstations
- NAS-to-NAS and NAS-to-disk replicas
- Immutable ransomware-proof snapshots
Not for
- Mac-only or Linux-only households
- Users who want a simple set-and-forget cloud subscription
Key features
- Immutable (WORM) snapshots ransomware cannot reach
- Free 10-VM tier for small homes
- One agent per machine, no server required
- Cloud copy to AWS/Azure/object storage in one click
Frequently asked questions
Is Veeam Agent free for home use?
Yes. The 10-VM free tier covers a typical home: workstation plus a few laptops or mini-servers. You only pay past 10 VMs or for cloud-backup volume.
Does Veeam Agent back up a NAS (Synology, QNAP, Windows)?
It backs up file shares from any of them — SMB share as a source, plus full disk/image backup of Windows machines themselves. It is not a NAS-to-NAS mirroring tool for the NAS OS, though.
What is WORM / immutable backup?
Write-once-read-many: the backup job keeps a time window of snapshots the OS and the running user cannot overwrite. Ransomware running on the machine still cannot reach the WORM copy — that is the whole point.
Can I run Veeam Agent on a Windows mini-PC instead of a NAS?
Yes. The agent runs on Windows, macOS, Linux and ESXi. Point the destination at a NAS share, external drive, or cloud bucket.
This page is part of the NAS security encyclopedia: 12-step hardening checklist, 3-2-1 backup rule, "Am I affected?" 60-second check.
Last updated: November 2026 · prices are US list prices at the time of writing. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.