Minarca Backup vs Docker Volume Backup
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted backup & recovery options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Docker Volume Backup
Backup tool for Docker volumes to local or remote storage
| Feature | Minarca Backup | Docker Volume Backup |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 31 · At risk | 89 · Excellent |
| Category | Backup & Recovery | Backup & Recovery |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | Python | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 263 | ★ 4,017 |
| First released | 2016 | 2021 |
| Replaces | CrashPlan, Veeam | Veeam |
What are Minarca Backup and Docker Volume Backup?
Minarca Backup
Minarca is a centralized backup solution built on rdiff-backup that lets users back up multiple machines and restore their own files through a web interface. It is designed for organizations protecting many endpoints.
- Centralized endpoint backup
- Self-service restore
- rdiff-backup engine
- Web management
Docker Volume Backup
Docker Volume Backup is a small companion container that periodically archives Docker volumes and uploads them to local, S3, or WebDAV destinations. It can stop and restart containers cleanly during backup.
- Docker volume archiving
- S3 and WebDAV targets
- Container stop hooks
- Encryption support
Minarca Backup vs Docker Volume Backup: key differences
Minarca Backup is written in Python, while Docker Volume Backup is built with Go. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Minarca Backup versus MPL-2.0 for Docker Volume Backup. Docker Volume Backup is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Minarca Backup. Minarca Backup is the more established project (first released 2016), while Docker Volume Backup arrived in 2021. Docker Volume Backup has the considerably larger community, at 4,017 GitHub stars versus 263.
Why pick each one
Choose Minarca Backup if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Python
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Choose Docker Volume Backup if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (4k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is Minarca Backup or Docker Volume Backup better?
Docker Volume Backup is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Minarca Backup if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Minarca Backup and Docker Volume Backup free and open-source?
Yes. Minarca Backup is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Docker Volume Backup under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Minarca Backup and Docker Volume Backup with Docker?
Minarca Backup: yes. Docker Volume Backup: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Minarca Backup or Docker Volume Backup?
Docker Volume Backup has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Minarca Backup. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.