PROXMOX BACKUP SERVER LICENSES
Proxmox Backup Server subscription
The Proxmox Backup Server subscription is the yearly, per-server plan that connects a Proxmox Backup Server (PBS) to the Enterprise repository and, from the Basic level, to vendor support. Backup storage and clients are unlimited at every level. Rackone, a Proxmox Gold Partner since 2021 and the first in Italy, supplies it.
Invoicing from Italy · VAT excluded · Proxmox price list checked on 5 November 2026
- 700+ active customers
- 24h support, every day
- GDPR data kept in Italy
PBS license: what the Proxmox Backup Server subscription includes
Strictly speaking, there is no PBS license to pay for: Proxmox Backup Server is open source, under the GNU AGPLv3 license, and every feature is available at every level, even without a subscription.
Incremental backup, deduplication, client-side encryption, scheduled verification, datastores on S3 storage, remote sync, tape and granular restore in Proxmox Backup Server (PBS) do not depend on the subscription.
The subscription includes three components:
- Enterprise repository: the repository with updates that go through extensive testing, recommended by Proxmox for production servers. On a server that holds your backups, it is the component that matters most.
- Vendor support: from the Basic level, tickets through the Customer Portal, in English or German.
- Proxmox Datacenter Manager: from Basic, the Enterprise repository and support also cover the multi-cluster console Proxmox Datacenter Manager (page in Italian).
The vendor excludes backup and restore strategies and data recovery from support: retention policies, where the off-site copy lives and restore tests remain project work.
PBS subscription levels for production: Premium, Standard and Basic
Subscriptions for backup servers in production have three service levels with the same features. Choose the level based on your restore requirements, in-house skills and the volume of support you expect. Every level includes stable updates, every Proxmox Backup Server feature, and unlimited backup storage and clients; what changes is the number of tickets, the first response time and the coverage hours.
¹ Guaranteed first response time for critical support requests (Severity 1), within the coverage hours of the level. ² Round-the-clock support for the Premium level has been available since 19 October 2026, including for existing Premium customers. ³ Round-the-clock support for the Standard level will be available by the end of 2026, including for existing Standard customers. Net prices, VAT excluded. Subscription term: one year from purchase.
Proxmox Backup Server pricing: the subscription price list
Net yearly prices, VAT excluded. Subscription term: one year from purchase.
The Proxmox Backup Server subscription price is yearly and per server, not per terabyte or per client: the price is the same for a 5 TB datastore and for a 500 TB one. Net prices, VAT excluded; the term is one year from purchase.
Price list per server per year: Premium €4,480, Standard €2,240, Basic €1,120. Community, for non-production use, €560.
The reference is the official Proxmox Backup Server price list, checked on 5 November 2026, together with the subscription agreement, checked on 30 September 2026; the quote shows the price of the level you choose.
The response time is the first guaranteed reply to a critical request (Severity 1) opened from the Proxmox Customer Portal, within the coverage hours of the chosen level. Proxmox business-hours support for Europe runs Monday to Friday, 07:00-17:00 CET/CEST, on Austrian business days; since 19 October 2026, customers in North America and Asia-Pacific get support during the business hours of their own region. Proxmox expects qualified resellers to offer support in other time zones and in local languages.
Compared with Proxmox VE, there are more tickets: 5 at Basic and 15 at Standard, versus 3 and 10 for Proxmox VE.
Vendor guidance: Standard is the recommended level for everyday backup operations, Premium is meant for business-critical backup infrastructure, and Basic is the entry level for production.
How many Proxmox Backup Server subscriptions you need: one per server
You need one subscription for every server with Proxmox Backup Server installed, physical or virtual: the key is tied to the instance identifier (Server ID). Storage and clients do not affect the count.
| Infrastructure | PBS subscriptions |
|---|---|
| One on-site PBS protecting a five-node cluster | 1 |
| One on-site PBS plus a second PBS at another site for the remote copy, both with Enterprise repository and support | 2, one per server |
| One PBS installed as a virtual machine | 1, for the virtual instance |
The Proxmox VE nodes that back up to the PBS are not part of this count: they have their own Proxmox VE subscription, per socket. Two PBS servers can have different levels: the single-level rule applies only to the nodes of a Proxmox VE cluster.
Activation, renewal and server changes
- Activation: the key arrives by email and is uploaded from the PBS web interface, in the Subscription panel.
- Renewal: automatic after one year; the renewal invoice is issued 30 days before expiry, which is also the deadline for cancellation.
- Upgrade: moving to a higher level during the year means paying only the difference; moving to a lower level is possible only at expiry.
- Server change: the key is reissued on the new Server ID, free of charge up to three times a year.
On-site PBS or PBS Cloud: when you need the subscription
For an on-site PBS, Rackone supplies the subscription, invoiced from Italy, and remains your point of contact for support and updates; the server stays in your infrastructure. With Proxmox Backup Server Cloud, the datastore is instead a managed service with a recurring fee, and Rackone runs the backup server.
In Rackone's projects, the two models are often combined: an on-site PBS for day-to-day restores and a cloud datastore as the off-site copy.
Backup server sizing and level selection
Partner program for MSPs and system integrators
The partner program comes with a reserved price list and direct support from our team. We never contact your end customers.
For non-production use
Proxmox Backup Server Community subscription
The Community subscription is meant for Proxmox Backup Server in home labs, technical training environments and professional test installations. It gives access to the stable Enterprise repository, without vendor technical support: help comes from the Proxmox community forum. The price is €560 per server per year, VAT excluded.
Use cases listed by Proxmox: home labs, professional users at home, training environments, evaluation systems and non-critical backups. For support on production backups, Proxmox points to the Basic, Standard or Premium levels.
Proxmox Backup Server subscription: frequently asked questions
Can you use Proxmox Backup Server without a subscription?
Yes, you can use Proxmox Backup Server without a subscription, even for business use: it is open source and has every feature. Without a subscription, the server gets its updates from the no-subscription repository, which the vendor does not recommend for production; for a server that holds the copies of your whole infrastructure, a subscription is recommended.
Does the PBS subscription limit storage or the number of clients?
No, the Proxmox Backup Server subscription limits neither backup storage nor clients: both are unlimited at every level. The price is per server, so the cost depends on the number of PBS servers, not on the terabytes you store.
When is 24h support available for Proxmox Backup Server?
Round-the-clock vendor support has been available for the Premium level since 19 October 2026 and will be available for the Standard level by the end of 2026, including for existing customers. The Basic level stays on business hours: for Europe, Monday to Friday, 07:00-17:00 CET/CEST, on Austrian business days.
Does a PBS running in a virtual machine need its own subscription?
Yes, a Proxmox Backup Server installed in a virtual machine needs its own subscription, just like a physical server: the key is tied to the Server ID of the instance. A virtual PBS hosted in the same cluster it protects becomes unavailable together with that cluster, so a copy on a separate system is still needed.
Do you pay twice for Proxmox VE nodes that back up to PBS?
No, Proxmox VE nodes that back up to Proxmox Backup Server do not need a PBS subscription: the PBS subscription covers the backup server, with unlimited clients. The nodes have their own Proxmox VE subscription, per socket, which is a different product and is counted separately.
Can you move from Basic to Standard during the year?
Yes, a Proxmox Backup Server subscription can move to a higher level during the year by paying only the price difference. Moving to a lower level is not possible during the year: it happens at expiry, with cancellation and a new order.
Find the subscription your backup servers need.
Tell us the number of PBS servers, sites and protected systems: we'll recommend the level and quantity, with no obligation, even when a PBS Cloud datastore suits you better than a second server. The comparison with the other subscriptions is on the Proxmox licensing page. In 2021 Rackone became the first company in Italy to become a Proxmox Gold Partner: consulting and support for Proxmox infrastructure.
A systems engineer replies, not a salesperson.