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Backup · head to head

Borg Backup vs Caddy

Borg Backup logo

Borg Backup

Backup

Deduplicating archiver with compression and encryption

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Caddy logo

Caddy

Cloud

Web server with automatic HTTPS by default

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Borg Backup linux, macOS and BSD only; Windows is not a supported platform; Caddy smaller ecosystem than Nginx, so third-party guides and modules are fewer
  • They diverge on capability: Borg Backup covers Content-defined chunking, Caddy covers Automatic HTTPS.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Borg Backup and Caddy actually diverge.

Attributes where Borg Backup and Caddy differ
AttributeBorg BackupCaddy
Pricing modelfreeOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsLinux, MacLinux, macOS, Windows, Docker
CategoryBackupCloud
Founded2015Unknown

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

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 Borg Backup

  • Content-defined chunking
  • Deduplication
  • Compression
  • Authenticated encryption
  • Pruning
  • Mount archives
  • SSH
  • BorgBase

Only in Caddy

  • Automatic HTTPS
  • Caddyfile
  • Reverse proxy
  • Single binary

What people use each for

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

Borg Backup

  • Deduplicated backups where daily full snapshots would otherwise be expensivenot Caddy
  • Encrypted backup to a server you do not fully trust, since the server never sees plaintextnot Caddy
  • Browsing previous versions by mounting an archive over FUSEnot Caddy
  • Scripted server backups with no agent or daemon to runnot Caddy

Caddy

  • Sites and services where expired certificates have caused outages beforenot Borg Backup
  • Small deployments where Nginx configuration is more effort than the problem warrantsnot Borg Backup
  • Reverse proxying internal services with TLS without a certificate workflownot Borg Backup

Where each one falls short

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

Borg Backup

  • Linux, macOS and BSD only; Windows is not a supported platform
  • Command-line only, with no graphical interface in the project itself
  • Version 2.0 is still in beta, so production use means staying on the 1.4 line
  • Restoring requires the Borg tooling, since archives are a deduplicated chunk store rather than plain files

Caddy

  • Smaller ecosystem than Nginx, so third-party guides and modules are fewer
  • Adding plugins means rebuilding the binary rather than loading a module
  • Under very high throughput Nginx generally still benchmarks ahead
  • Automatic certificate issuance needs outbound internet access, which complicates air-gapped deployments

Pricing, plan by plan

Borg Backup

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Deduplication
    • Compression
    • Encryption

Caddy

Free
  • CaddyFree
    • Full functionality
    • Commercial use permitted
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose Borg Backup if

  • You need content-defined chunking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Mac.
  • You also want deduplication.
Borg Backup review

Choose Caddy if

  • You need automatic https.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker.
  • You also want caddyfile.
Caddy review

Questions people ask

Is Borg Backup or Caddy better?
Neither clearly leads. Borg Backup starts at Free and Caddy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Borg Backup or Caddy?
Borg Backup starts at Free and Caddy at Free.
Does Borg Backup or Caddy run on more platforms?
Borg Backup runs on Linux, Mac. Caddy runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker.
Can I use Borg Backup for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Borg Backup best used for?
Borg Backup is most often used for deduplicated backups where daily full snapshots would otherwise be expensive, encrypted backup to a server you do not fully trust, since the server never sees plaintext, browsing previous versions by mounting an archive over fuse, scripted server backups with no agent or daemon to run. Of those, deduplicated backups where daily full snapshots would otherwise be expensive and encrypted backup to a server you do not fully trust, since the server never sees plaintext are not what Caddy is typically brought in for.
What can Borg Backup do that Caddy cannot?
Borg Backup covers Content-defined chunking, Deduplication, Compression, Authenticated encryption. Caddy covers Automatic HTTPS, Caddyfile, Reverse proxy, Single binary.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Borg Backup: What is the cost of BorgBackup?

BorgBackup is completely free and open source under the BSD license with no mandatory costs for the core software.

Source
Caddy: Is Caddy free?

Yes, open source under the Apache 2.0 licence, free for commercial use.

Borg Backup: Are there paid services available for BorgBackup?

Yes, optional third-party services are available: BorgBase for specialized Borg repository hosting, Hetzner Storage Box with Borg support, and rsync.net cloud storage integration.

Source
Caddy: What does automatic HTTPS mean?

Caddy obtains certificates from Let’s Encrypt or ZeroSSL on first request and renews them before expiry, with no cron job or configuration.

Borg Backup: How can I support the BorgBackup project?

BorgBackup accepts voluntary contributions through Open Collective, GitHub Sponsors, Liberapay, and PayPal, though donations are optional.

Source
Caddy: Caddy or Nginx?

Caddy is dramatically simpler to configure and removes certificate management. Nginx has the larger ecosystem and better peak throughput.

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