Kup vs Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup

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? Compare Kup with Compare Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup with

KU Kup KDE backup scheduler for personal files VS BA Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup Time Machine-style backups for Linux and macOS using rsync

Feature	Kup	Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup
Deploy effort	Read-the-docs project	Read-the-docs project
Category	Backup & Recovery	Backup & Recovery
License	GPL-2.0	MIT
Language	C++	Shell
Setup difficulty	Easy	Easy
Min. RAM	128 MB	32 MB
Deployment	binary	binary
GitHub stars	★ 100	★ 3,609
First released	2012	2014
Replaces	Time Machine	Time Machine

What are Kup and Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup?

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

Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup

rsync-time-backup is a script that provides Time Machine-style incremental backups using rsync. It creates hard-linked snapshots so each backup appears as a full copy while saving disk space.

Time Machine-style snapshots
Hard-link deduplication
Single portable script

Kup vs Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup: key differences

Kup is written in C++, while Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup is built with Shell. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for Kup versus MIT for Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup. Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Kup. Kup is the more established project (first released 2012), while Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup arrived in 2014. Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup has the considerably larger community, at 3,609 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

Kup details

Choose Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup if…

Released under the MIT license
Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
Active community (3.6k GitHub stars)
Written in Shell

Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup details

Frequently asked questions

Is Kup or Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup better?

Neither is universally better. Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.

Are Kup and Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup free and open-source?

Yes. Kup is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Kup and Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup with Docker?

Kup: check the project docs for container support. Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup: check the project docs for container support.

Which is lighter on resources, Kup or Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup?

Backup wrapper nono Backup-rsync-time-backup has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for Kup. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.