Softwr

Backup · head to head

Apple Time Machine vs Kopia

Apple Time Machine logo

Apple Time Machine

Backup

Built-in backup for every Mac

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kopia logo

Kopia

Backup

Open source deduplicating backup with client side encryption and a repository on almost any storage

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Apple Time Machine apple states the Time Machine backup disk should be used only for Time Machine backups and not for storing other files, unless you split it into a separate APFS volume; Kopia space is only reclaimed when maintenance runs, and in a shared repository full maintenance is owned by one client, so if that machine goes away the repository grows for ever while every backup still reports success.
  • They diverge on capability: Apple Time Machine covers Automatic backup, Kopia covers Content defined chunking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apple Time Machine and Kopia actually diverge.

Attributes where Apple Time Machine and Kopia differ
AttributeApple Time MachineKopia
Pricing modelfreeOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsMacLinux, macOS, Windows, Docker
Founded1976Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Backup).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Apple Time Machine

  • Automatic backup
  • Hourly snapshots
  • Visual restore interface
  • Network backup
  • Encryption
  • System restore
  • macOS
  • AirPort Time Capsule

Only in Kopia

  • Content defined chunking
  • Global deduplication
  • Pack blobs
  • Client side encryption
  • Desktop and command line
  • Repository verification

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Apple Time Machine

  • Automatic versioned local backups of a Mac to an external drivenot Kopia
  • Restoring a Mac or migrating to a new one from a local backup historynot Kopia

Kopia

  • Backing up laptops and workstations to cheap object storage with a desktop interface rather than a cron jobnot Apple Time Machine
  • Deduplicating backups of several similar machines into one repository so common content is stored oncenot Apple Time Machine
  • Replacing a chunk based tool whose per object charges made a cheap bucket expensivenot Apple Time Machine
  • Keeping an encrypted offsite copy where the storage provider must never be able to read the contentsnot Apple Time Machine

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Apple Time Machine

  • Apple states the Time Machine backup disk should be used only for Time Machine backups and not for storing other files, unless you split it into a separate APFS volume
  • Apple recommends the Time Machine volume be twice the storage capacity of the Mac being backed up
  • It requires an attached external storage device or network disk; there is no built-in cloud destination
  • It backs up Macs only

Kopia

  • Space is only reclaimed when maintenance runs, and in a shared repository full maintenance is owned by one client, so if that machine goes away the repository grows for ever while every backup still reports success.
  • The repository format has changed across versions and mixing client versions against one repository is discouraged, so a fleet must be upgraded together rather than machine by machine.
  • There is no central orchestration or reporting for many machines, so monitoring a fleet means building your own alerting around exit codes.
  • Restoring many small files is slower than the backup was, because content must be reassembled from pack blobs, and this is rarely tested until the day it matters.
  • Encryption is client side with no escrow, so a lost repository password means the data is unrecoverable and there is no vendor to appeal to.

Pricing, plan by plan

Apple Time Machine

Free
  • Built-inFree
    • Automatic backup
    • Visual restore
    • Network backup

Kopia

Free
  • KopiaFree
    • Full functionality, no data limit
    • Desktop application included
    • Any supported storage back end

Which should you pick?

Choose Apple Time Machine if

  • You need automatic backup.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mac.
  • You also want hourly snapshots.
Apple Time Machine review

Choose Kopia if

  • You need content defined chunking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker.
  • You also want global deduplication.
Kopia review

Questions people ask

Is Apple Time Machine or Kopia better?
Neither clearly leads. Apple Time Machine starts at Free and Kopia at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apple Time Machine or Kopia?
Apple Time Machine starts at Free and Kopia at Free.
Does Apple Time Machine or Kopia run on more platforms?
Apple Time Machine runs on Mac. Kopia runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker.
Can I use Apple Time Machine for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Apple Time Machine best used for?
Apple Time Machine is most often used for automatic versioned local backups of a mac to an external drive, restoring a mac or migrating to a new one from a local backup history. Of those, automatic versioned local backups of a mac to an external drive and restoring a mac or migrating to a new one from a local backup history are not what Kopia is typically brought in for.
What can Apple Time Machine do that Kopia cannot?
Apple Time Machine covers Automatic backup, Hourly snapshots, Visual restore interface, Network backup. Kopia covers Content defined chunking, Global deduplication, Pack blobs, Client side encryption.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Apple Time Machine: Does Time Machine charge a subscription or licensing fee?

No. Time Machine is a built-in feature of macOS with no subscription or licensing costs.

Source
Kopia: Is a partly corrupt repository still restorable?

Partly. Deduplication means one damaged pack blob affects every snapshot referencing its contents, but unaffected files still restore. Run verification regularly rather than assuming.

Apple Time Machine: What storage capacity do I need for Time Machine backups?

Apple recommends using a storage device with at least twice the storage capacity of your Mac. For example, if your Mac has 1TB of storage, your backup disk should ideally have at least 2TB.

Source
Kopia: How does it compare with restic?

Similar guarantees, with packing that behaves better on per operation billing, a desktop interface, and compression enabled by default.

Apple Time Machine: How long does Time Machine keep my backups?

Time Machine automatically maintains hourly backups for the past 24 hours, daily backups for the past month, and weekly backups for all previous months. The oldest backups are deleted when your backup disk is full.

Source
Kopia: Do I need to run maintenance manually?

It is scheduled automatically by default, but you must ensure the client that owns full maintenance keeps running, otherwise deleted snapshots never free space.

Kopia: Can several machines share one repository?

Yes, and that is where deduplication pays off, but they should run compatible versions and only one owns full maintenance.

Share

Related pages

More on Apple Time Machine

More on Kopia

Keep looking

Other head to heads