pgBackRest 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.
Not the right match-up?
pgBackRest
Reliable backup and restore solution for PostgreSQL
VS
Docker Volume Backup
Backup tool for Docker volumes to local or remote storage
| Feature | pgBackRest | Docker Volume Backup |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Backup & Recovery | Backup & Recovery |
| License | MIT | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | C | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,296 | ★ 3,944 |
| First released | 2013 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Veeam | Veeam |
Why pick each one
Choose pgBackRest if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (4.3k GitHub stars)
- Written in C
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 (3.9k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is pgBackRest or Docker Volume Backup better?
Neither is universally better. pgBackRest has the larger community, while Docker Volume Backup is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are pgBackRest and Docker Volume Backup free and open-source?
Yes. pgBackRest is licensed under MIT and Docker Volume Backup under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run pgBackRest and Docker Volume Backup with Docker?
pgBackRest: yes. Docker Volume Backup: yes.