bup vs Time Machine
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
Time Machine
Configure the server as a Time Machine backup target
| Feature | bup | Time Machine |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Backup & Recovery | Backup & Recovery |
| License | LGPL-2.1 | WTFPL |
| Language | Python | Shell |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 50 MB |
| Deployment | binary | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 7,337 | ★ 9 |
| First released | 2010 | 2023 |
| Replaces | Time Machine | — |
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 Time Machine if…
- Released under the WTFPL license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Shell
- Tiny footprint — runs in 50 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is bup or Time Machine better?
Neither is universally better. bup has the larger community, while Time Machine is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are bup and Time Machine free and open-source?
Yes. bup is licensed under LGPL-2.1 and Time Machine under WTFPL. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run bup and Time Machine with Docker?
bup: check the project docs for container support. Time Machine: check the project docs for container support.