Vorta vs Duplicity
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted backup & recovery options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Vorta | Duplicity |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Backup & Recovery | Backup & Recovery |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | Python | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary | binary, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,505 | ★ 300 |
| First released | 2018 | 2002 |
| Replaces | Time Machine, CrashPlan | CrashPlan, Backblaze |
What are Vorta and Duplicity?
Vorta
Vorta is a graphical desktop client for the BorgBackup deduplicating backup tool. It provides scheduling, profiles, and an easy way to manage encrypted, compressed backups.
- GUI for BorgBackup
- Scheduled backup profiles
- Encrypted and deduplicated archives
Duplicity
Duplicity backs up directories by producing encrypted, signed tar-format volumes and uploading them to a remote or local file server. It uses the rsync algorithm for incremental archives.
- GPG-encrypted archives
- Many remote storage backends
- Incremental rsync deltas
Vorta vs Duplicity: key differences
Both projects are written in Python. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Vorta versus GPL-2.0 for Duplicity. Duplicity is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Vorta. Duplicity is the more established project (first released 2002), while Vorta arrived in 2018. Vorta has the considerably larger community, at 2,505 GitHub stars versus 300.
Why pick each one
Choose Vorta if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (2.5k GitHub stars)
- Written in Python
Choose Duplicity if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Written in Python
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Vorta or Duplicity better?
Vorta is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Duplicity if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Vorta and Duplicity free and open-source?
Yes. Vorta is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Duplicity under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Vorta and Duplicity with Docker?
Vorta: check the project docs for container support. Duplicity: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Vorta or Duplicity?
Duplicity has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Vorta. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.