bup vs Deja Dup
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
Deja Dup
Simple backup tool for the GNOME desktop
| Feature | bup | Deja Dup |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Backup & Recovery | Backup & Recovery |
| License | LGPL-2.1 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | Vala |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary | binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 7,337 | ★ 600 |
| First released | 2010 | 2008 |
| Replaces | Time Machine | Time Machine, Backblaze |
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 Deja Dup if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Vala
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is bup or Deja Dup better?
Neither is universally better. bup has the larger community, while Deja Dup is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are bup and Deja Dup free and open-source?
Yes. bup is licensed under LGPL-2.1 and Deja Dup under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run bup and Deja Dup with Docker?
bup: check the project docs for container support. Deja Dup: check the project docs for container support.