Vorta vs Deja Dup
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted backup & recovery options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Vorta | Deja Dup |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Backup & Recovery | Backup & Recovery |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | Vala |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary | binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,505 | ★ 600 |
| First released | 2018 | 2008 |
| Replaces | Time Machine, CrashPlan | Time Machine, Backblaze |
What are Vorta and Deja Dup?
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
Deja Dup
Deja Dup is a simple backup tool that hides the complexity of doing backups properly. It supports local, network, and cloud storage with encryption and incremental backups powered by Restic.
- Beginner-friendly GUI
- Encrypted incremental backups
- Local and cloud targets
Vorta vs Deja Dup: key differences
Vorta is written in Python, while Deja Dup is built with Vala. Deja Dup is the more established project (first released 2008), while Vorta arrived in 2018. Vorta has the considerably larger community, at 2,505 GitHub stars versus 600.
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 Deja Dup if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Vala
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Vorta or Deja Dup better?
Neither is universally better. Vorta has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Vorta and Deja Dup free and open-source?
Yes. Vorta is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Deja Dup under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Vorta and Deja Dup with Docker?
Vorta: check the project docs for container support. Deja Dup: check the project docs for container support.