Kopia vs Time Machine
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?
Kopia
Fast, encrypted backup with a clean interface
VS
Time Machine
Configure the server as a Time Machine backup target
| Feature | Kopia | Time Machine |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Backup & Recovery | Backup & Recovery |
| License | Apache-2.0 | WTFPL |
| Language | Go | Shell |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 50 MB |
| Deployment | binary, docker | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 13,798 | ★ 9 |
| First released | 2019 | 2023 |
| Replaces | Backblaze, Carbonite | — |
Why pick each one
Choose Time Machine if…
- Released under the WTFPL license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Shell
- Tiny footprint — runs in 50 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Kopia or Time Machine better?
Neither is universally better. Kopia has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Kopia and Time Machine free and open-source?
Yes. Kopia is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Time Machine under WTFPL. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Kopia and Time Machine with Docker?
Kopia: yes. Time Machine: check the project docs for container support.