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.
Not the right match-up?
Vorta
Desktop backup client built on BorgBackup
VS
Duplicity
Encrypted bandwidth-efficient backup using rsync
| Feature | Vorta | Duplicity |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | ★ 2,490 | ★ 300 |
| First released | 2018 | 2002 |
| Replaces | Time Machine, CrashPlan | CrashPlan, Backblaze |
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.