Velero vs Timeshift
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?
Velero
Backup and migrate Kubernetes cluster resources
VS
Timeshift
System restore tool for Linux using snapshots
| Feature | Velero | Timeshift |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Backup & Recovery | Backup & Recovery |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | Vala |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | kubernetes, helm | binary, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 10,187 | ★ 4,219 |
| First released | 2017 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Kasten K10 | Time Machine, System Restore |
Why pick each one
Choose Velero if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Mature project with 10.2k GitHub stars
- Written in Go
Choose Timeshift if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (4.2k GitHub stars)
- Written in Vala
Frequently asked questions
Is Velero or Timeshift better?
Neither is universally better. Velero has the larger community, while Timeshift is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Velero and Timeshift free and open-source?
Yes. Velero is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Timeshift under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Velero and Timeshift with Docker?
Velero: check the project docs for container support. Timeshift: check the project docs for container support.