Restic Browser 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 | Restic Browser | Deja Dup |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Backup & Recovery | Backup & Recovery |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Vala |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary | binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,306 | ★ 600 |
| First released | 2022 | 2008 |
| Replaces | Time Machine | Time Machine, Backblaze |
What are Restic Browser and Deja Dup?
Restic Browser
Restic Browser is a cross-platform desktop application that lets you explore the contents of Restic backup repositories and restore individual files. It provides a graphical alternative to the CLI.
- Browse Restic snapshots visually
- Restore individual files
- Cross-platform desktop app
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
Restic Browser vs Deja Dup: key differences
Restic Browser is written in TypeScript, while Deja Dup is built with Vala. Licensing differs — MIT for Restic Browser versus GPL-3.0 for Deja Dup. Restic Browser 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 Restic Browser arrived in 2022. Restic Browser has the considerably larger community, at 1,306 GitHub stars versus 600.
Why pick each one
Choose Restic Browser if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (1.3k GitHub stars)
- Written in TypeScript
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 Restic Browser or Deja Dup better?
Neither is universally better. Restic Browser has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Restic Browser and Deja Dup free and open-source?
Yes. Restic Browser is licensed under MIT and Deja Dup under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Restic Browser and Deja Dup with Docker?
Restic Browser: check the project docs for container support. Deja Dup: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Restic Browser or Deja Dup?
Restic Browser 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.