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Software · head to head

Borg Backup vs Comet Backup

Borg Backup logo

Borg Backup

Software

Deduplicating archiver with compression and encryption

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Comet Backup logo

Comet Backup

Software

White-label backup software for service providers

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Borg Backup has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Borg Backup linux, macOS and BSD only; Windows is not a supported platform; Comet Backup endpoint costs starting at $2 per endpoint per month on top of base plan
  • They diverge on capability: Borg Backup covers Content-defined chunking, Comet Backup covers White-label branding.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Borg Backup and Comet Backup differ
AttributeBorg BackupComet Backup
Starting priceFree$49/month
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, MacWindows, macOS, Linux
Founded20152017

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Comet Backup

  • White-label branding
  • Bring your own storage
  • End-to-end encryption
  • Chunking deduplication
  • Delta compression
  • Multi-tenant
  • AWS S3
  • Azure

Both cover

  • Linux support
  • Mac support

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 Comet Backup
  • Encrypted backup to a server you do not fully trust, since the server never sees plaintextnot Comet Backup
  • Browsing previous versions by mounting an archive over FUSEnot Comet Backup
  • Scripted server backups with no agent or daemon to runnot Comet Backup

Comet Backup

  • MSP backup and disaster recovery solutionsnot Borg Backup
  • Cloud-to-cloud backup automationnot Borg Backup
  • Ransomware protection with immutable storagenot 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

Comet Backup

  • Endpoint costs starting at $2 per endpoint per month on top of base plan
  • Storage costs vary based on destination, adding to overall expenses

Pricing, plan by plan

Borg Backup

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Deduplication
    • Compression
    • Encryption

Comet Backup

$49/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Comet Backup review.

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 Comet Backup if

  • You need white-label branding.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want bring your own storage.
Comet Backup review

Questions people ask

Is Borg Backup or Comet Backup better?
Neither clearly leads. Borg Backup starts at Free and Comet Backup at $49/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Borg Backup or Comet Backup?
Borg Backup has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Borg Backup and $49/month for Comet Backup.
Does Borg Backup or Comet Backup run on more platforms?
Borg Backup runs on Linux, Mac. Comet Backup runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Borg Backup for free?
Yes. Borg Backup has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Comet Backup starts at $49/month.
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 Comet Backup is typically brought in for.
What can Borg Backup do that Comet Backup cannot?
Borg Backup covers Content-defined chunking, Deduplication, Compression, Authenticated encryption. Comet Backup covers White-label branding, Bring your own storage, End-to-end encryption, Chunking deduplication. Both handle Linux support, Mac support.
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