bup vs Timeshift
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted backup & recovery options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | bup | Timeshift |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 89 · Excellent | 89 · Excellent |
| Category | Backup & Recovery | Backup & Recovery |
| License | LGPL-2.1 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | Vala |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary | binary, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 7,355 | ★ 4,286 |
| First released | 2010 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Time Machine | Time Machine, System Restore |
What are bup and Timeshift?
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
Timeshift
Timeshift creates incremental snapshots of the Linux filesystem at regular intervals, allowing the system to be restored to an earlier state. It supports both rsync and Btrfs snapshot modes.
- Incremental system snapshots
- rsync and Btrfs modes
- Easy full-system restore
bup vs Timeshift: key differences
Bup is written in Python, while Timeshift is built with Vala. Licensing differs — LGPL-2.1 for bup versus GPL-3.0 for Timeshift. Bup is the more established project (first released 2010), while Timeshift arrived in 2014.
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
Choose Timeshift if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (4.3k GitHub stars)
- Written in Vala
Frequently asked questions
Is bup or Timeshift better?
Neither is universally better. bup has the larger community, while Timeshift is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are bup and Timeshift free and open-source?
Yes. bup is licensed under LGPL-2.1 and Timeshift under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run bup and Timeshift with Docker?
bup: check the project docs for container support. Timeshift: check the project docs for container support.