Duplicity vs Minarca Backup
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted backup & recovery options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Duplicity | Minarca Backup |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Backup & Recovery | Backup & Recovery |
| License | GPL-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | binary, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 300 | ★ 263 |
| First released | 2002 | 2016 |
| Replaces | CrashPlan, Backblaze | CrashPlan, Veeam |
What are Duplicity and Minarca Backup?
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
Minarca Backup
Minarca is a centralized backup solution built on rdiff-backup that lets users back up multiple machines and restore their own files through a web interface. It is designed for organizations protecting many endpoints.
- Centralized endpoint backup
- Self-service restore
- rdiff-backup engine
- Web management
Duplicity vs Minarca Backup: key differences
Both projects are written in Python. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for Duplicity versus AGPL-3.0 for Minarca Backup. Duplicity is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Minarca Backup. Duplicity is the more established project (first released 2002), while Minarca Backup arrived in 2016. Minarca Backup lists first-class Docker deployment; Duplicity does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Duplicity if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Written in Python
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Choose Minarca Backup if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Python
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Duplicity or Minarca Backup better?
Neither is universally better. Duplicity has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Duplicity and Minarca Backup free and open-source?
Yes. Duplicity is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Minarca Backup under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Duplicity and Minarca Backup with Docker?
Duplicity: check the project docs for container support. Minarca Backup: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Duplicity or Minarca Backup?
Duplicity has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Minarca Backup. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.