Backrest vs Deja Dup
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted backup & recovery options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Backrest
Web UI and orchestrator for Restic backups
VS
Deja Dup
Simple backup tool for the GNOME desktop
| Feature | Backrest | Deja Dup |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Backup & Recovery | Backup & Recovery |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Vala |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 7,394 | ★ 600 |
| First released | 2024 | 2008 |
| Replaces | Backblaze | Time Machine, Backblaze |
What are Backrest and Deja Dup?
Backrest
Backrest is a web-based backup orchestrator built on top of Restic, adding scheduling, monitoring, and a friendly interface. It targets users who want Restic's power with a GUI. It is deployed via Docker or a binary.
- Web UI for Restic
- Scheduling and retention policies
- Backup health monitoring
- Notifications
Deja Dup
Deja Dup is a simple backup tool that hides the complexity of doing backups properly. It supports local, network, and cloud storage with encryption and incremental backups powered by Restic.
- Beginner-friendly GUI
- Encrypted incremental backups
- Local and cloud targets
Backrest vs Deja Dup: key differences
Backrest is written in TypeScript, while Deja Dup is built with Vala. Deja Dup is the more established project (first released 2008), while Backrest arrived in 2024. Backrest has the considerably larger community, at 7,394 GitHub stars versus 600. Backrest lists first-class Docker deployment; Deja Dup does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Backrest if…
- Makes Restic approachable
- Good scheduling
- Lightweight
Watch out for
- Young project
- Depends on Restic underneath
Choose Deja Dup if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Vala
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Backrest or Deja Dup better?
Neither is universally better. Backrest has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Backrest and Deja Dup free and open-source?
Yes. Backrest is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Deja Dup under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Backrest and Deja Dup with Docker?
Backrest: yes. Deja Dup: check the project docs for container support.