ProBackup Alternative for Podio: DataRavn Compared

ProBackup is a capable SaaS backup product. It supports Podio alongside many other platforms and offers daily backups, long version history, Google Drive sync and deletion alerts on selected plans.-

But those are not the only requirements that matter when Podio has become part of daily operations. Some organisations need to restore a complete Podio workspace. Some need the backup database inside their own infrastructure. Others want the people supporting recovery to understand Podio apps, relationships and API limits, rather than treating Podio as one integration in a large catalogue.

For those requirements, DataRavn is a ProBackup alternative worth evaluating.

This comparison examines the public capabilities of DataRavn and ProBackup as of 3 August 2026. It covers Podio data, restore scope, hosting, security, retention, pricing and the tests to run before choosing either product.

The short answer

Choose DataRavn when you need:

• Self-hosted, private or isolated backup storage

• Restore at item, file, app or complete workspace level

• A provider built and supported by a Progress Podio Preferred Partner

• EU hosting and a DPA, with custom hosting and retention available for larger environments

• Role-based restore access, exportable logs and support from engineers who work with Podio

Choose ProBackup when you need:

• One service for Podio and a wider collection of SaaS platforms

• Daily backup and at least six months of history on the entry plan

• Google Drive sync, global backup search or mass-deletion alerts

• A published SOC 2 Type II report

• A lower advertised entry price, subject to the storage capacity selected

The better Podio backup product depends on the incident you must recover from. A feature list is useful, but a tested restore is the evidence that matters.

DataRavn vs ProBackup for Podio

Why look for a ProBackup alternative?

People rarely replace backup software because they dislike the dashboard. The search normally begins when a technical, operational or procurement requirement is missing.

You need control over the backup location

ProBackup says it stores user data in AWS data centres in Dublin. That is a reasonable EU cloud model for many companies.

DataRavn offers a different choice. A team can use Phases-hosted infrastructure in Europe, run the backup database in its own MySQL environment or discuss an isolated enterprise setup. The self-hosted route can be important where an internal policy, customer contract or public-sector procurement process limits where operational records may be stored.

Self-hosting also creates responsibilities. Your team must operate the database, control access, monitor capacity and include it in disaster-recovery planning. It provides more authority over the environment, but it is not the lower-effort option.

You need to recover a complete Podio workspace

Podio data has several layers. A working workspace can contain apps, fields, items, relationships, comments, tasks, files, metadata and members. Recovering rows without the surrounding structure may leave a large manual reconstruction job.

DataRavn publishes restore options for a specific file, item, app or complete workspace. That makes workspace recovery a concrete evaluation point for teams with several linked Podio apps.

ProBackup publishes broad granular restore coverage. Its Podio FAQ explains that restoring an item or app creates an additional copy instead of changing the existing record. This can protect current data from being overwritten, but teams should test how the recreated item affects relationships, references, automations and reporting in their own workspace.

You want Podio-specific engineering support

DataRavn is developed and maintained by Phases, which is listed in the Podio Extensions directory as a Progress Podio Preferred Partner. The product came from supporting live Podio environments where CRM records, cases, projects and files had to be recoverable.

This matters when recovery is affected by app relationships, custom fields, Workflow Automation, API throttling or a large number of workspaces. Podio’s API has a general allowance of 1,000 calls per hour, while resource-intensive calls can be limited to 250 per hour. A backup process has to manage those limits without placing unnecessary load on live work. The limits are documented in the Podio API guidance.

ProBackup has a broader SaaS model. That breadth is useful for an organisation that wants one subscription for Podio, Asana, Jira, Slack and other systems. The trade-off is a different product and support model, not an absence of Podio functionality.

Is exporting Podio to Excel a sufficient backup?

No, not when you need dependable Podio restore.

Podio’s Excel export is useful for reporting, migration preparation and a readable copy of item fields. It is not a complete Podio backup. According to Podio’s export documentation:

• Images and files are excluded

• Tasks, comments and activity are excluded

• An export is limited to 20,000 items, so larger apps must be filtered and exported in batches

• The export does not provide an automated restore of the original workspace structure

Podio itself directs users who want to back up all account items to backup extensions. Its deletion guidance also recommends Excel export, API access or a backup extension before removing data. This distinction matters because deleting a Podio app removes all of its contents and Podio Support says it cannot recover the information. Podio also states that bulk deletion of app items is not reversible.

An Excel file can help rebuild some records. A backup should let you recover the necessary data, structure and related content from a known point in time.

What DataRavn backs up from Podio

DataRavn can back up Podio data exposed through the official API, including:

• Complete workspaces

• Apps and their structure

• Items and field values

• Tasks

• Comments and metadata

• Files and attachments

• App relationships

• Workspace members

Backups run without installing a plugin or changing the live Podio apps. The connection reads the selected Podio data through supported APIs, and backup jobs run on the schedule included in the chosen plan.

The restore can be narrowed to the affected file, item or app. A complete workspace can also be recovered without rolling back every other Podio environment in the account.

Coverage is still governed by what the Podio API exposes. Before purchase, confirm any unusual content type your team relies on, including task comments, Workflow Automation data, calculation fields and external integration data.

Security and compliance: where the products differ

Both vendors publish encryption and GDPR-related controls, but the evidence and deployment choices are different.

ProBackup states that it uses AES-256 encryption at rest, HTTPS for transfer, AWS Key Management Service, restricted privileged access and MFA for production databases and networks. It stores data in Dublin and publishes SOC 2 Type II and penetration-test material through its trust resources.

DataRavn states that it uses AES-256-CBC at rest and TLS 1.2 or newer in transit. Admins can configure backups and run restores, while view-only users can inspect status and logs. Actions are recorded with a user and timestamp. A DPA is available, and hosting can be EU-based, self-hosted or isolated by agreement.

DataRavn describes its hosting practices as aligned with ISO and SOC 2 practices. That wording should not be read as a claim that DataRavn itself holds an ISO certificate or SOC 2 Type II report. If an audit report is mandatory, add it to the procurement checklist and review the available evidence from each vendor.

For organisations processing personal data, backup is part of a wider control set. GDPR Article 32 calls for the ability to restore access to personal data after an incident and for regular testing of security measures. Buying a backup tool does not by itself establish compliance. The organisation still needs agreed retention periods, authorised restore roles, recovery objectives, tested procedures and evidence that the procedure works.

Retention should match the recovery requirement

This is one area where ProBackup has a stronger published entry-level offer. Its Plus plan includes six months of history, Pro includes two years and Premium advertises unlimited history.

DataRavn publishes a seven-day default for Standard and a 14-day default for Gold, with Gold extensions available. Enterprise supports a custom window, including longer periods for audit needs.

A longer period is not automatically better. It increases the number of restore points but also increases storage and the amount of historical data retained. Define the business requirement first:

• Recovery point objective: How much recent Podio work can be lost without material impact?

• Recovery time objective: How quickly must a deleted item, app or workspace be usable again?

• Investigation window: How far back must administrators be able to review an automation error or unauthorised change?

• Legal and contractual retention: How long should personal and operational data be kept, and when must it expire?

Then compare the plan that meets those numbers. Do not compare the cheapest tiers if one cannot meet the required backup frequency or retention period.

A restore test for DataRavn, ProBackup or any Podio backup tool

Run the same test during both trials. Use a separate Podio workspace rather than production data.

1. Create two related apps with at least 100 items.

2. Add category, date, contact, calculation and relationship fields.

3. Attach several files and add comments and tasks.

4. Run a backup and record how long it takes.

5. Change 20 field values through a bulk action or test automation.

6. Delete one item, then one app.

7. Restore the individual item and verify its fields, files, comments, tasks and relationships.

8. Restore the app and verify its field definitions and item counts.

9. If workspace recovery is required, restore the test workspace and check every linked app.

10. Export the backup and restore logs, then confirm user identity, timestamps, status and errors.

Record four numbers: backup duration, recovery point achieved, time to restore and number of records or relationships requiring manual repair. These results are more useful than a long feature checklist.

How pricing compares

DataRavn Standard is advertised at $35 per month for 20 GB, one SaaS integration, weekly backup, seven-day retention and self-hosted MySQL. Gold is $75 per month for 75 GB, daily backup, extendable 14-day retention, multi-workspace coverage and the choice of self-hosted or Phases-hosted MySQL. Enterprise pricing is based on the required scale and controls.

ProBackup advertises monthly prices of $31 for Plus, $47 for Pro and $86 for Premium, with annual prices of $25, $38 and $69 per month. All three include daily backup. Retention increases from six months to two years and then unlimited history. The amount of encrypted storage is selected separately, so the displayed plan price alone does not establish the final cost for a large Podio account.

For a fair quote, provide each vendor with the same figures:

• Number of Podio organisations and workspaces

• Number of apps and items

• File volume in GB

• Expected monthly growth

• Required backup frequency

• Required retention period

• Number of admins and reviewers

• Hosted, private or self-hosted deployment

• Support response and recovery targets

The lower list price can become the higher operating cost if a restore requires several days of manual reconstruction. Equally, a specialised enterprise setup is hard to justify for a small team that only wants daily snapshots. Price the recovery outcome, not the product name.

When DataRavn is the better ProBackup alternative for Podio

DataRavn is the stronger fit when Podio is operationally important and one or more of these conditions apply:

• Your organisation needs the backup database in its own infrastructure

• Procurement requires an EU, private or isolated deployment option

• Recovery must include a complete workspace, not only selected records

• Several linked Podio workspaces need selective protection

• Administrators need distinct restore and view-only roles with exportable logs

• You want a Podio partner to help test the recovery path

• The environment needs custom frequency, retention, reporting or support terms

ProBackup may remain the stronger fit when broad SaaS coverage, long standard retention, Google Drive sync, deletion alerts or a published SOC 2 Type II report has higher priority.

That is the useful conclusion of a DataRavn vs ProBackup comparison: both products back up Podio, but they solve different procurement and recovery requirements.

Test DataRavn with one Podio recovery case

Start with the incident your team could plausibly face: an overwritten batch of items, a deleted app or a lost workspace. Use DataRavn’s 14-day trial to back up a test environment, run the deletion and measure the restore.

Start a 14-day DataRavn trial or book a call with a senior engineer. Bring one workspace name, the data types it contains and the recovery time your organisation expects. The review can then answer a concrete question: what will be recovered, where the backup will live and how long the restore will take.