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Borg Backup vs OwnBackup

Borg Backup logo

Borg Backup

Software

Deduplicating archiver with compression and encryption

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OwnBackup logo

OwnBackup

Software

Leading backup for Salesforce and SaaS platforms

From
$5/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; OwnBackup own states its products are officially part of Salesforce, and routes pricing to Salesforce's Cloud Data Security page rather than publishing a figure of its own
  • They diverge on capability: Borg Backup covers Content-defined chunking, OwnBackup covers Automated backup.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Borg Backup and OwnBackup differ
AttributeBorg BackupOwnBackup
Starting priceFree$5/month
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, MacWeb

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown), founded (2015).

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 OwnBackup

  • Automated backup
  • Instant recovery
  • Proactive monitoring
  • Data seeding
  • Sandbox management
  • Compliance archiving
  • Salesforce
  • ServiceNow

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

OwnBackup

  • Data protectionnot Borg Backup
  • Disaster recoverynot Borg Backup
  • Business continuitynot Borg Backup
  • Ransomware protectionnot Borg Backup
  • Compliancenot 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

OwnBackup

  • Own states its products are officially part of Salesforce, and routes pricing to Salesforce's Cloud Data Security page rather than publishing a figure of its own

Pricing, plan by plan

Borg Backup

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Deduplication
    • Compression
    • Encryption

OwnBackup

$5/month
  • OwnBackup$5/month
    • Daily backup
    • Instant recovery
    • Proactive monitoring

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 OwnBackup if

  • You need automated backup.
  • You also want instant recovery.
OwnBackup review

Questions people ask

Is Borg Backup or OwnBackup better?
Neither clearly leads. Borg Backup starts at Free and OwnBackup at $5/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Borg Backup or OwnBackup?
Borg Backup has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Borg Backup and $5/month for OwnBackup.
Does Borg Backup or OwnBackup run on more platforms?
Borg Backup runs on Linux, Mac. OwnBackup runs on Web.
Can I use Borg Backup for free?
Yes. Borg Backup has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. OwnBackup starts at $5/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 OwnBackup is typically brought in for.
What can Borg Backup do that OwnBackup cannot?
Borg Backup covers Content-defined chunking, Deduplication, Compression, Authenticated encryption. OwnBackup covers Automated backup, Instant recovery, Proactive monitoring, Data seeding.
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