Duplicity 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 | Duplicity | Deja Dup |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Backup & Recovery | Backup & Recovery |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | Vala |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary, bare-metal | binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 300 | ★ 600 |
| First released | 2002 | 2008 |
| Replaces | CrashPlan, Backblaze | Time Machine, Backblaze |
What are Duplicity and Deja Dup?
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
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
Duplicity vs Deja Dup: key differences
Duplicity is written in Python, while Deja Dup is built with Vala. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for Duplicity versus GPL-3.0 for Deja Dup. Duplicity is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Deja Dup. Duplicity is the more established project (first released 2002), while Deja Dup arrived in 2008. Deja Dup has the considerably larger community, at 600 GitHub stars versus 300.
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 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 Duplicity or Deja Dup better?
Deja Dup 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 Duplicity and Deja Dup free and open-source?
Yes. Duplicity is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Deja Dup under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Duplicity and Deja Dup with Docker?
Duplicity: check the project docs for container support. Deja Dup: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Duplicity or Deja Dup?
Duplicity has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Deja Dup. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.