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.
| Feature | Kup | 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 | 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 |
What are Kup and Deja Dup?
Kup
Kup is a backup scheduler for the KDE desktop that helps users keep their personal files backed up. It supports synchronized folders and incremental backups using the bup format.
- Integrated with KDE Plasma
- bup-based incremental backups
- Automatic scheduling
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
Kup vs Deja Dup: key differences
Kup is written in C++, while Deja Dup is built with Vala. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for Kup versus GPL-3.0 for Deja Dup. Kup is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Deja Dup. Deja Dup is the more established project (first released 2008), while Kup arrived in 2012. Deja Dup has the considerably larger community, at 600 GitHub stars versus 100.
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.
Which is lighter on resources, Kup or Deja Dup?
Kup 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.