BackupNinja vs Minarca
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted backup & recovery options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Minarca
Cross-platform backup software with a central server
| Feature | BackupNinja | Minarca |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | Backup & Recovery | Backup & Recovery |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Shell | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 68 | ★ 100 |
| First released | 2004 | 2015 |
| Replaces | CrashPlan | CrashPlan |
What are BackupNinja and Minarca?
BackupNinja
Backupninja lets you coordinate system backups through a central configuration directory of simple files. It supports many backends including rdiff-backup, rsync, duplicity, and database dumps.
- Central config directory
- Many backup backends
- Database dump handlers
Minarca
Minarca is a free and open-source backup software with a centralized web-based server and cross-platform clients. It is built on rdiff-backup for efficient incremental backups.
- Central backup server
- Cross-platform clients
- rdiff-backup engine
BackupNinja vs Minarca: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: BackupNinja's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Minarca is actively maintained. BackupNinja is written in Shell, while Minarca is built with Python. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for BackupNinja versus GPL-3.0 for Minarca. BackupNinja is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Minarca. BackupNinja is the more established project (first released 2004), while Minarca arrived in 2015. Minarca lists first-class Docker deployment; BackupNinja does not.
Why pick each one
Choose BackupNinja if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Written in Shell
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Choose Minarca if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Python
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is BackupNinja or Minarca better?
Neither is universally better. Minarca has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are BackupNinja and Minarca free and open-source?
Yes. BackupNinja is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Minarca under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run BackupNinja and Minarca with Docker?
BackupNinja: check the project docs for container support. Minarca: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, BackupNinja or Minarca?
BackupNinja has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Minarca. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.