BackupPC vs Restic Browser
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted backup & recovery options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
BackupPC
High-performance backup system for PCs and servers
VS
Restic Browser
Desktop app to browse and restore Restic snapshots
| Feature | BackupPC | Restic Browser |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 57 · Fair | 76 · Good |
| Category | Backup & Recovery | Backup & Recovery |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Perl | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, docker | binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,626 | ★ 1,306 |
| First released | 2001 | 2022 |
| Replaces | CrashPlan, Time Machine | Time Machine |
What are BackupPC and Restic Browser?
BackupPC
BackupPC is a high-performance system for backing up Linux, Windows, and macOS PCs to a server's disk. It uses pooling and compression to minimize disk usage, with a full web interface.
- File pooling deduplication
- Web management interface
- No client software required
Restic Browser
Restic Browser is a cross-platform desktop application that lets you explore the contents of Restic backup repositories and restore individual files. It provides a graphical alternative to the CLI.
- Browse Restic snapshots visually
- Restore individual files
- Cross-platform desktop app
BackupPC vs Restic Browser: key differences
BackupPC is written in Perl, while Restic Browser is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for BackupPC versus MIT for Restic Browser. Restic Browser is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for BackupPC. BackupPC is the more established project (first released 2001), while Restic Browser arrived in 2022. BackupPC lists first-class Docker deployment; Restic Browser does not.
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 Restic Browser if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (1.3k GitHub stars)
- Written in TypeScript
Frequently asked questions
Is BackupPC or Restic Browser better?
Neither is universally better. BackupPC has the larger community, while Restic Browser is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are BackupPC and Restic Browser free and open-source?
Yes. BackupPC is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Restic Browser under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run BackupPC and Restic Browser with Docker?
BackupPC: yes. Restic Browser: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, BackupPC or Restic Browser?
Restic Browser has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for BackupPC. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.