Kup 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.
Not the right match-up?
| Feature | Kup | Deja Dup |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Backup & Recovery | Backup & Recovery |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | C++ | Vala |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary | binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 100 | ★ 600 |
| First released | 2012 | 2008 |
| Replaces | Time Machine | Time Machine, Backblaze |
Why pick each one
Choose Kup if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in C++
- 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 Kup or Deja Dup better?
Neither is universally better. Deja Dup has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Kup and Deja Dup free and open-source?
Yes. Kup 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 Kup and Deja Dup with Docker?
Kup: check the project docs for container support. Deja Dup: check the project docs for container support.