Back In Time vs Vorta
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted backup & recovery options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Back In Time | Vorta |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 83 · Excellent | 86 · Excellent |
| Category | Backup & Recovery | Backup & Recovery |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary | binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,669 | ★ 2,505 |
| First released | 2008 | 2018 |
| Replaces | Time Machine | Time Machine, CrashPlan |
What are Back In Time and Vorta?
Back In Time
Back In Time is a simple backup tool for Linux inspired by Time Machine and rsnapshot. It takes snapshots of specified folders using rsync and hard links to save disk space.
- Time Machine-style snapshots
- Hard-link deduplication
- GUI and command-line modes
Vorta
Vorta is a graphical desktop client for the BorgBackup deduplicating backup tool. It provides scheduling, profiles, and an easy way to manage encrypted, compressed backups.
- GUI for BorgBackup
- Scheduled backup profiles
- Encrypted and deduplicated archives
Back In Time vs Vorta: key differences
Both projects are written in Python. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for Back In Time versus GPL-3.0 for Vorta. Back In Time is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Vorta. Back In Time is the more established project (first released 2008), while Vorta arrived in 2018.
Why pick each one
Choose Back In Time if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (2.7k GitHub stars)
- Written in Python
Choose Vorta if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (2.5k GitHub stars)
- Written in Python
Frequently asked questions
Is Back In Time or Vorta better?
Neither is universally better. Back In Time has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Back In Time and Vorta free and open-source?
Yes. Back In Time is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Vorta under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Back In Time and Vorta with Docker?
Back In Time: check the project docs for container support. Vorta: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Back In Time or Vorta?
Back In Time has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Vorta. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.