Это типа запасной вариант.

Russian usually omits the verb to be in the present tense.

So:

• Это запасной вариант = This/It is a backup option
• literally: This backup option

The meaning of is is understood automatically. If you want to talk about the past or future, then Russian does use forms of to be:

• Это был запасной вариант = It was a backup option
• Это будет запасной вариант = It will be a backup option

In this sentence, это can often be understood as either this or it, depending on context.

• Это запасной вариант can mean This is a backup option
• or It’s a backup option

Russian это is very common in statements where English would use this, that, or even it.

Here типа is a colloquial word, often meaning something like:

• kind of
• like
• sort of
• basically
• sometimes just a filler word

So Это типа запасной вариант sounds less direct than Это запасной вариант. It can suggest:

• the speaker is being informal
• the speaker is approximating
• the speaker is not being fully precise
• or the speaker is speaking casually, like English It’s, like, a backup option

In many situations, типа is very conversational and may sound sloppy if used too much.

Historically, it comes from that idea, but in modern speech типа is very often used as a discourse particle, not with its original literal meaning.

Compare:

• устройство нового типа = a device of a new type
  Here the meaning is literal.

But in your sentence:

• Это типа запасной вариант

типа is not really about type in a literal grammatical sense. It is more like kind of / like in casual speech.

Both words are in the nominative singular:

• запасной = adjective, masculine singular nominative
• вариант = noun, masculine singular nominative

That is because this is basically an equational sentence:

• Это — запасной вариант = This/It is a backup option

The predicate noun after это is commonly in the nominative in this kind of statement.

The standard form is запасной.

Russian adjectives sometimes have forms that look similar, but запасной is the normal word meaning:

• spare
• reserve
• backup

Examples:

• запасной ключ = spare key
• запасной выход = emergency exit
• запасной вариант = backup option

So запасной вариант is the natural fixed combination here.

Запасной вариант means a backup option, fallback option, or plan B.

It suggests an alternative used if the main plan does not work.

Depending on context, it could be:

• a second choice
• a reserve plan
• a contingency option

A close synonym in some contexts is:

• план Б = Plan B

But запасной вариант is broader and more neutral.

Yes, Russian word order is flexible, but the neutral order here is natural:

• Это типа запасной вариант

Other orders are possible, but they change emphasis.

For example:

• Это запасной вариант = neutral, straightforward
• Запасной вариант — это... = emphasizes backup option
• Это, типа, запасной вариант = same meaning, with spoken pauses marked

In casual speech, типа often behaves like a parenthetical filler, so intonation matters a lot.

Usually, in very casual written Russian, people often write it without commas:

• Это типа запасной вариант.

But if you want to reflect spoken pauses, you may see:

• Это, типа, запасной вариант.

Both are possible, depending on how the writer wants to show the rhythm of speech. In formal writing, типа used this way is generally avoided altogether.

It is informal, mainly because of типа.

Compare:

• Это запасной вариант. = neutral
• Это типа запасной вариант. = casual, conversational
• Это резервный вариант. = more formal or technical, depending on context

So if you are speaking in a formal situation, it is usually better to avoid типа.

They are close in meaning, but there is a slight difference in tone.

• запасной вариант = common, everyday, natural in speech
• резервный вариант = more formal, technical, or official sounding

For everyday conversation, запасной вариант is often the more natural choice.

A very natural casual equivalent could be:

• It’s like a backup option.
• It’s kind of a backup plan.
• It’s basically a fallback option.

The exact English translation depends on how strong the filler-like sense of типа is in context. Sometimes it barely adds meaning and just makes the sentence sound more colloquial.