bup vs Vorta
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?
bup
Efficient backup system based on the git packfile format
VS
Vorta
Desktop backup client built on BorgBackup
| Feature | bup | Vorta |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Backup & Recovery | Backup & Recovery |
| License | LGPL-2.1 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary | binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 7,337 | ★ 2,490 |
| First released | 2010 | 2018 |
| Replaces | Time Machine | Time Machine, CrashPlan |
Why pick each one
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
Choose Vorta if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (2.5k GitHub stars)
- Written in Python
Frequently asked questions
Is bup or Vorta better?
Neither is universally better. bup has the larger community, while Vorta is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are bup and Vorta free and open-source?
Yes. bup is licensed under LGPL-2.1 and Vorta under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run bup and Vorta with Docker?
bup: check the project docs for container support. Vorta: check the project docs for container support.