Vorta vs ElkarBackup alt Snapper
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
ElkarBackup alt Snapper
Btrfs snapshot management tool with rollback
| Feature | Vorta | ElkarBackup alt Snapper |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Backup & Recovery | Backup & Recovery |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | Python | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | binary | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,490 | ★ 1,158 |
| First released | 2018 | 2011 |
| Replaces | Time Machine, CrashPlan | Time Machine |
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 ElkarBackup alt Snapper if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Active community (1.2k GitHub stars)
- Written in C++
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Vorta or ElkarBackup alt Snapper better?
Vorta is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider ElkarBackup alt Snapper if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Vorta and ElkarBackup alt Snapper free and open-source?
Yes. Vorta is licensed under GPL-3.0 and ElkarBackup alt Snapper under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Vorta and ElkarBackup alt Snapper with Docker?
Vorta: check the project docs for container support. ElkarBackup alt Snapper: check the project docs for container support.