Duplicacy vs restic
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.
restic is a fast, secure, and efficient backup program that is designed to be easy to use and highly customizable. It supports multiple storage backends, including local directories, SFTP servers, and cloud storage services like Amazon S3 and Google Cloud Storage.
- 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
- Fast and efficient backup performance
- Highly customizable to meet specific backup needs
- Supports multiple storage backends and protocols
- Free and open-source software
- 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 due to complex configuration options
- Limited support for certain storage backends and protocols
- No built-in support for backup scheduling or automation
More alternatives & similar tools
Alternatives to Duplicacy
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Cross-platform cloud backup for personal files, servers, and MSP client environments.
The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataBoth Duplicacy and restic are free, open‑source backup tools with strong deduplication and encryption, but Duplicacy adds a paid GUI and broader storage backend support, while restic is fully free but lacks built‑in scheduling and has a steeper configuration curve.
Key differences
- •Duplicacy offers a web‑based GUI (paid for commercial use) whereas restic has no GUI.
- •Duplicacy supports a wider list of cloud backends (e.g., Google Drive, Backblaze B2) out of the box; restic’s backend list is smaller.
- •restic provides an API and detailed logging; Duplicacy does not.
- •Duplicacy’s licensing requires per‑machine payment for GUI/commercial use; restic is completely free.
- •restic includes built‑in data verification; Duplicacy’s verification features are not mentioned.
Pricing & value
restic is entirely free; Duplicacy requires paid licenses for GUI/commercial use.
Ease of use / learning curve
Duplicacy’s web GUI simplifies management; restic lacks GUI and has steep configuration.
Features & depth
Both provide client‑side encryption, deduplication, and incremental backups; restic adds verification and API.
Integrations & ecosystem
Duplicacy lists many cloud backends (S3, Google Drive, Backblaze B2, SFTP, etc.); restic’s supported backends are fewer.
Collaboration
Duplicacy targets IT service providers and small businesses, implying multi‑machine licensing; restic is individual‑focused.
Scalability
Duplicacy’s lock‑free deduplication avoids database corruption, suited for larger fleets; restic’s scalability not detailed.
Support
restic offers email and GitHub Issues with a large community (35k stars); Duplicacy only community forum and email.
Security & privacy
Both encrypt data client‑side; no differences specified in the facts.
Choose Duplicacy if…
Technical users or small businesses needing a GUI and many cloud targets, willing to pay per machine.
Choose restic if…
Sysadmins/DevOps who want a completely free, API‑enabled tool and can script scheduling themselves.
Common questions
Is there any cost to use Duplicacy for commercial backups?
Yes, the GUI and commercial use require a paid per‑machine license; the CLI remains free.
Can I automate backups with restic without external tools?
No built‑in scheduler; you must use external cron or task‑scheduler scripts.
Which tool supports more cloud storage providers out of the box?
Duplicacy lists Amazon S3, Google Drive, Backblaze B2, SFTP, and others; restic supports fewer backends.