BackupPC vs bup
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted backup & recovery options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
BackupPC
High-performance backup system for PCs and servers
VS
bup
Efficient backup system based on the git packfile format
| Feature | BackupPC | bup |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Backup & Recovery | Backup & Recovery |
| License | GPL-3.0 | LGPL-2.1 |
| Language | Perl | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, docker | binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,621 | ★ 7,337 |
| First released | 2001 | 2010 |
| Replaces | CrashPlan, Time Machine | Time Machine |
Why pick each one
Choose BackupPC if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.6k GitHub stars)
- Written in Perl
Choose bup if…
- Released under the LGPL-2.1 license
- Mature project with 7.3k GitHub stars
- Written in Python
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is BackupPC or bup better?
bup is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider BackupPC if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are BackupPC and bup free and open-source?
Yes. BackupPC is licensed under GPL-3.0 and bup under LGPL-2.1. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run BackupPC and bup with Docker?
BackupPC: yes. bup: check the project docs for container support.