bup vs pgBackRest
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
pgBackRest
Reliable backup and restore solution for PostgreSQL
| Feature | bup | pgBackRest |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Backup & Recovery | Backup & Recovery |
| License | LGPL-2.1 | MIT |
| Language | Python | C |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 7,337 | ★ 4,296 |
| First released | 2010 | 2013 |
| Replaces | Time Machine | Veeam |
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 pgBackRest if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (4.3k GitHub stars)
- Written in C
Frequently asked questions
Is bup or pgBackRest better?
bup is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider pgBackRest if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are bup and pgBackRest free and open-source?
Yes. bup is licensed under LGPL-2.1 and pgBackRest under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run bup and pgBackRest with Docker?
bup: check the project docs for container support. pgBackRest: yes.