Docker Volume Backup vs WAL-G
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?
Docker Volume Backup
Backup tool for Docker volumes to local or remote storage
VS
WAL-G
Archival and restoration tool for databases
| Feature | Docker Volume Backup | WAL-G |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Backup & Recovery | Backup & Recovery |
| License | MPL-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Go | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,944 | ★ 4,215 |
| First released | 2021 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Veeam | pgBackRest |
Why pick each one
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)
Choose WAL-G if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (4.2k GitHub stars)
- Written in Go
Frequently asked questions
Is Docker Volume Backup or WAL-G better?
Neither is universally better. WAL-G 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 Docker Volume Backup and WAL-G free and open-source?
Yes. Docker Volume Backup is licensed under MPL-2.0 and WAL-G under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Docker Volume Backup and WAL-G with Docker?
Docker Volume Backup: yes. WAL-G: yes.