bup vs Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup

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? Compare bup with Compare Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup with

BU bup Efficient backup system based on the git packfile format VS BA Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup Time Machine-style backups for Linux and macOS using rsync

Feature	bup	Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup
Deploy effort	Read-the-docs project	Read-the-docs project
Health score	89 · Excellent	30 · At risk
Category	Backup & Recovery	Backup & Recovery
License	LGPL-2.1	MIT
Language	Python	Shell
Setup difficulty	Medium	Easy
Min. RAM	128 MB	32 MB
Deployment	binary	binary
GitHub stars	★ 7,355	★ 3,609
First released	2010	2014
Replaces	Time Machine	Time Machine

What are bup and Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup?

bup

bup is a backup tool that stores data using the git packfile format with rolling-checksum deduplication. It can back up enormous datasets efficiently and incrementally.

Git-packfile storage format
Rolling-checksum deduplication
Handles very large datasets

Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup

rsync-time-backup is a script that provides Time Machine-style incremental backups using rsync. It creates hard-linked snapshots so each backup appears as a full copy while saving disk space.

Time Machine-style snapshots
Hard-link deduplication
Single portable script

bup vs Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup: key differences

Bup is written in Python, while Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup is built with Shell. Licensing differs — LGPL-2.1 for bup versus MIT for Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup. Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 128 MB for bup. Bup is the more established project (first released 2010), while Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup arrived in 2014. Bup has the considerably larger community, at 7,355 GitHub stars versus 3,609.

Why pick each one

Choose bup if…

Released under the LGPL-2.1 license
Mature project with 7.4k GitHub stars
Written in Python
Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM

bup details

Choose Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup if…

Released under the MIT license
Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
Active community (3.6k GitHub stars)
Written in Shell

Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup details

Frequently asked questions

Is bup or Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup better?

Neither is universally better. bup has the larger community, while Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.

Are bup and Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup free and open-source?

Yes. bup is licensed under LGPL-2.1 and Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run bup and Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup with Docker?

bup: check the project docs for container support. Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup: check the project docs for container support.

Which is lighter on resources, bup or Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup?

Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for bup. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.