rsnapshot vs Timeshift
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted backup & recovery options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | rsnapshot | Timeshift |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 72 · Good | 89 · Excellent |
| Category | Backup & Recovery | Backup & Recovery |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Perl | Vala |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, bare-metal | binary, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,683 | ★ 4,286 |
| First released | 2003 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Time Machine | Time Machine, System Restore |
What are rsnapshot and Timeshift?
rsnapshot
rsnapshot is a filesystem snapshot utility built on rsync that makes incremental backups of local and remote machines. It uses hard links to keep multiple full backups while saving disk space.
- Hard-link snapshot rotation
- Local and remote backups
- Low storage overhead
Timeshift
Timeshift creates incremental snapshots of the Linux filesystem at regular intervals, allowing the system to be restored to an earlier state. It supports both rsync and Btrfs snapshot modes.
- Incremental system snapshots
- rsync and Btrfs modes
- Easy full-system restore
rsnapshot vs Timeshift: key differences
Rsnapshot is written in Perl, while Timeshift is built with Vala. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for rsnapshot versus GPL-3.0 for Timeshift. Rsnapshot is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Timeshift. Rsnapshot is the more established project (first released 2003), while Timeshift arrived in 2014.
Why pick each one
Choose rsnapshot if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Active community (3.7k GitHub stars)
- Written in Perl
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Choose Timeshift if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (4.3k GitHub stars)
- Written in Vala
Frequently asked questions
Is rsnapshot or Timeshift better?
Timeshift is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider rsnapshot if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are rsnapshot and Timeshift free and open-source?
Yes. rsnapshot is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Timeshift under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run rsnapshot and Timeshift with Docker?
rsnapshot: check the project docs for container support. Timeshift: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, rsnapshot or Timeshift?
rsnapshot has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for Timeshift. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.