Bareos vs Docker Volume Backup
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted backup & recovery options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Docker Volume Backup
Backup tool for Docker volumes to local or remote storage
| Feature | Bareos | Docker Volume Backup |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 83 · Excellent | 89 · Excellent |
| Category | Backup & Recovery | Backup & Recovery |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | C++ | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,256 | ★ 4,017 |
| First released | 2010 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Veeam, CommVault | Veeam |
What are Bareos and Docker Volume Backup?
Bareos
Bareos is a cross-network open-source backup solution forked from Bacula. It preserves and recovers data from disk, tape, and other media, with a web-based management interface.
- Network-wide backup management
- Web UI for administration
- Tape and disk support
Docker Volume Backup
Docker Volume Backup is a small companion container that periodically archives Docker volumes and uploads them to local, S3, or WebDAV destinations. It can stop and restart containers cleanly during backup.
- Docker volume archiving
- S3 and WebDAV targets
- Container stop hooks
- Encryption support
Bareos vs Docker Volume Backup: key differences
Bareos is written in C++, while Docker Volume Backup is built with Go. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Bareos versus MPL-2.0 for Docker Volume Backup. Docker Volume Backup is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Bareos. Bareos is the more established project (first released 2010), while Docker Volume Backup arrived in 2021. Docker Volume Backup has the considerably larger community, at 4,017 GitHub stars versus 1,256.
Why pick each one
Choose Bareos if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.3k GitHub stars)
- Written in C++
Choose Docker Volume Backup if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (4k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is Bareos or Docker Volume Backup better?
Docker Volume Backup is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Bareos if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Bareos and Docker Volume Backup free and open-source?
Yes. Bareos is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Docker Volume Backup under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Bareos and Docker Volume Backup with Docker?
Bareos: yes. Docker Volume Backup: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Bareos or Docker Volume Backup?
Docker Volume Backup has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Bareos. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.