Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Borg Backup VS Duplicacy

Compare Borg Backup VS Duplicacy and see what are their differences

Borg Backup logo Borg Backup

Deduplicating backup program with compression and authenticated encryption

Duplicacy logo Duplicacy

A new generation cross-platform cloud backup tool
  • Borg Backup Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-24
  • Duplicacy Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-20

Borg Backup features and specs

  • Deduplication
    Borg Backup uses content-based deduplication, which saves space by storing only unique pieces of data. This effectively reduces the storage needed for backups, especially if there are many similar files.
  • Compression
    Borg supports multiple compression algorithms such as zlib and LZMA, allowing users to choose the level of compression that fits their needs and further reduce storage requirements for backups.
  • Encryption
    Borg provides strong encryption using AES256, ensuring that all backup data is securely protected from unauthorized access.
  • Performance
    Borg is designed for speed and efficiency, handling large datasets and producing backups quickly while minimizing resource usage.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source project, Borg is free to use and can be audited for security and reliability by anyone, ensuring transparency and community-driven development.
  • Cross-Platform
    Borg Backup can be used on various operating systems, including Linux, macOS, and Windows (via WSL), making it versatile for different environments.

Possible disadvantages of Borg Backup

  • Complexity
    Borg Backup can be complex to set up and requires a good understanding of command-line operations and backup strategies, which could be challenging for non-technical users.
  • Resource Intensive
    During backup operation, Borg can be resource-intensive, especially CPU-bound during deduplication and compression, which may affect system performance.
  • Limited Front-End Tools
    While powerful, Borg lacks a wide range of GUI tools, which limits its appeal to users who prefer graphical interfaces for managing backups.
  • No Built-in Cloud Integration
    Borg does not have built-in support for cloud storage services, meaning users will need to handle cloud integration manually, which can complicate workflows.
  • Lack of Incremental Restore
    Borg lacks a native incremental restore feature, necessitating restoration of the entire snapshot which may not be efficient for all use cases.

Duplicacy features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    Duplicacy is available on Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it accessible for users with different operating systems.
  • Deduplication
    The software uses advanced deduplication technology to save space by storing only one copy of identical files across backups.
  • Encryption
    Duplicacy supports end-to-end encryption to ensure that your backup data is secure and protected from unauthorized access.
  • Versioning
    It provides the ability to keep multiple versions of each file, allowing users to restore files from different points in time.
  • Cloud Storage Support
    Duplicacy supports various cloud storage providers including Google Drive, Dropbox, Amazon S3, and others, offering flexibility in backup destinations.
  • Open-Source
    The command-line version of Duplicacy is open-source, allowing users to inspect the code and contribute to its development.
  • Web-Based Management
    Offers a web-based GUI which simplifies the process of managing backups, making it more user-friendly for those who prefer not to use the command line.
  • Snapshot-based Backup
    Utilizes snapshot-based backups, which capture the state of the file system at a specific point, offering efficient and consistent backups.

Possible disadvantages of Duplicacy

  • Complex Setup for Beginners
    Setting up Duplicacy can be daunting for non-technical users due to the complexity involved in initial configuration and understanding its advanced features.
  • Limited Free Version
    The free version of Duplicacy is limited to the command-line interface, which may not be suitable for users who prefer a graphical user interface.
  • Cost
    While the command-line version is open-source, the full-featured GUI version requires a paid subscription, which might be a downside for some users.
  • Documentation
    The documentation can be lacking in certain areas, making it harder for users to find specific information or troubleshooting steps.
  • Resource Intensive
    Deduplication and encryption processes can be resource-intensive, potentially affecting system performance during backup operations.
  • Customer Support
    User experiences with customer support can vary, and some users have reported slow or unhelpful responses.

Analysis of Borg Backup

Overall verdict

  • Borg Backup is a strong choice for those seeking a robust, reliable, and secure backup tool. Its features make it particularly suitable for environments where data integrity and storage efficiency are priorities.

Why this product is good

  • Borg Backup is often regarded as a reliable and efficient backup solution due to its advanced features, such as de-duplication, compression, and encryption. It is appreciated for its focus on speed and security, allowing users to effortlessly back up data while minimizing storage costs. The open-source community actively maintains it, ensuring regular updates and improvements.

Recommended for

  • Users in need of secure, encrypted backups
  • Administrators who manage large datasets and want efficient storage
  • Developers and tech-savvy individuals comfortable with command-line tools
  • Open-source enthusiasts who prefer actively maintained projects

Analysis of Duplicacy

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Duplicacy is a robust and reliable backup solution for both personal and enterprise use. It is especially praised for its cross-platform compatibility and its efficient deduplication and encryption features. However, some users may find its command-line interface initially challenging, although there is a GUI available.

Why this product is good

  • Duplicacy is considered good due to its ability to efficiently handle multiple backups with a single storage backend. It supports a wide range of storage options including local disk, cloud storage services, and SFTP servers. The software is designed with a focus on deduplication, which ensures that only unique chunks of data are stored across all backups, reducing storage usage and costs. Additionally, Duplicacy offers encryption, ensuring that data is kept secure during storage and transfer.

Recommended for

    Duplicacy is highly recommended for users who need a flexible and efficient backup solution that can handle large volumes of data with deduplication. It's suitable for IT professionals, small to medium-sized businesses, and technically-inclined individuals who require secure and reliable cloud or local backups.

Borg Backup videos

The Borg Backup Project by Manuel Riel

More videos:

  • Review - Thomas Waldmann: Attic / Borg Backup

Duplicacy videos

Cloud Backup: Duplicacy vs. Duplicati

More videos:

  • Review - Presentation: Duplicacy has a new WebUI!

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Borg Backup and Duplicacy)
File Sharing And Backup
40 40%
60% 60
Backup & Restore
100 100%
0% 0
Cloud Storage
27 27%
73% 73
Backup And Disaster Recovery

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Duplicacy seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 79 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Borg Backup mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Borg Backup yet. Tracking of Borg Backup recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Duplicacy mentions (79)

  • Ask HN: What do you use to backup your VMs?
    I have had good luck with duplicacy for cloud backup: https://duplicacy.com/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Duplicity
    Not to be confused with Duplicati [1] or Duplicacy [2]. There are too many backup programs whose names start with 'Duplic'. [1] https://www.duplicati.com/ [2] https://duplicacy.com/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Duplicity
    I have been having great luck with incremental backups with the very similar named Duplicacy https://duplicacy.com/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Restic โ€“ Simple Backups
    My recommendation would be Duplicacy [0]. Code is also on GitHub [1]. It has a paid GUI version, $20 for the first year and $5 for subsequent years with discounts for multiple machines [2]. At least once they've run a promotion for a very cheap lifetime license. Use it just from the CLI is free. My setup is pretty simple, Syncthing and Duplicacy (GUI version) run in a docker container on my home server. Everything... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Your privacy is optional
    Having all your data in one place isn't wise though, so I am planning on storing encrypted backups on Dropbox and Backblaze B2 using Duplicity so that I am following the 3-2-1 backup rule. - Source: dev.to / about 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Borg Backup and Duplicacy, you can also consider the following products

Restic - Easy: Doing backups should be a frictionless process, otherwise you are tempted to skip it.

Duplicati - Free backup software to store backups online with strong encryption. Works with FTP, SSH, WebDAV, OneDrive, Amazon S3, Google Drive and many others.

rsync - rsync is a file transfer program for Unix systems. rsync uses the "rsync algorithm" which provides a very fast method for bringing remote files into sync.

UrBackup - UrBackup is a open source client/server backup system, that through a combination of image and file...

Rclone - rsync for cloud storage.

FreeFileSync - FreeFileSync is a free open source data backup software that helps you synchronize files and folders on Windows, Linux and macOS.