Duplicacy vs Duplicati
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
Duplicacy is a cross-platform backup tool from Acrosync LLC that backs up files to a wide range of cloud storage providers, local disks, and SFTP servers. Its core technical differentiator is lock-free deduplication, a chunk-based approach that avoids the centralized locking databases used by many other deduplication backup tools.
Duplicati is a free, open-source backup client that securely stores encrypted, incremental, compressed backups on cloud storage services and remote file servers. It works with standard protocols like FTP, SSH, WebDAV as well as popular services like Microsoft OneDrive, Amazon S3, Google Drive, box.com, Mega, hubiC and many others.
- Free command-line tool for individual, non-commercial backups
- Lock-free design avoids common deduplication database corruption issues
- Supports a very wide range of storage backends
- Source-available CLI adds transparency
- Free and open-source
- Supports a wide range of cloud storage services and remote file servers
- Encrypts backups to ensure data security and confidentiality
- Compresses backups to reduce storage space requirements
- GUI and commercial use require a paid per-machine license
- Steeper learning curve than simple consumer backup apps
- Interface is more utilitarian than modern consumer backup products
- Steep learning curve for beginners
- Limited user interface and user experience
- May require technical expertise for configuration and troubleshooting
More alternatives & similar tools
Alternatives to Duplicacy
View all →Cross-platform cloud backup for personal files, servers, and MSP client environments.
The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataDuplicacy offers stronger deduplication and broader backend support at a freemium cost, while Duplicati is fully free but with a steeper learning curve and fewer advanced dedup features.
Key differences
- •Deduplication method: Duplicacy uses lock‑free deduplication; Duplicati uses standard incremental backups.
- •Pricing model: Duplicacy is freemium (paid GUI/commercial license); Duplicati is completely free.
- •Backend variety: Duplicacy lists SFTP and many cloud providers; Duplicati focuses on major consumer clouds.
- •User interface: Duplicacy provides a web‑based GUI (paid); Duplicati offers only a basic UI.
- •Language/implementation: Duplicacy’s CLI is open‑source on GitHub; Duplicati is written in C# with a larger community star count.
Pricing & value
Duplicati is fully free; Duplicacy requires paid licenses for GUI/commercial use.
Ease of use / learning curve
Both are technical, but Duplicati’s limited UI makes it harder for beginners than Duplicacy’s paid GUI.
Features & depth
Duplicacy’s lock‑free deduplication and client‑side encryption provide deeper data‑management capabilities.
Integrations & ecosystem
Duplicacy lists more storage backends (including SFTP) than Duplicati’s consumer‑cloud focus.
Collaboration
Duplicati’s free open‑source license allows unlimited users; Duplicacy requires per‑machine licenses for commercial use.
Scalability
Lock‑free deduplication reduces database corruption risk, supporting larger, distributed backup sets.
Support
Both rely on community forums/documentation; Duplicacy adds email contact, Duplicati offers extensive docs.
Choose Duplicacy if…
Technical admins needing robust deduplication, many storage options, and willing to pay for a GUI.
Choose Duplicati if…
Budget‑focused users who need free, encrypted backups and can work with a CLI‑centric interface.
Common questions
Is there any cost to use either tool for personal backups?
Duplicacy’s command‑line tool is free for personal, non‑commercial use; Duplicati is completely free.
Which product offers stronger deduplication to save storage?
Duplicacy uses lock‑free deduplication, which is specifically highlighted as a key feature; Duplicati relies on incremental backups.
Can I back up to my own SFTP server with both tools?
Yes for Duplicacy (listed as a key integration); Duplicati does not list SFTP among its supported protocols.
