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Backup · head to head

Borg Backup vs Restic

Borg Backup logo

Borg Backup

Backup

Deduplicating archiver with compression and encryption

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Restic logo

Restic

Backup

Fast, secure, and efficient backup program

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; Restic cold storage is not natively supported; restoring from S3 Glacier and S3 Glacier Deep Archive is only available as an experimental feature behind a feature flag
  • They diverge on capability: Borg Backup covers Compression, Restic covers Cryptographic verification.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Borg Backup and Restic differ
AttributeBorg BackupRestic
PlatformsLinux, MacWindows, Mac, Linux
Founded20152014

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (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 Borg Backup

  • Compression
  • Authenticated encryption
  • Pruning
  • Mount archives
  • SSH
  • BorgBase
  • rsync.net
  • Hetzner Storage Box

Only in Restic

  • Cryptographic verification
  • Encryption
  • Multiple backends
  • Snapshot management
  • AWS S3
  • Azure
  • Google Cloud
  • Backblaze B2

Both cover

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

Restic

  • Encrypted deduplicated backups to S3, B2, SFTP and local disk from the command linenot Borg Backup
  • Scripted server backups with snapshot retention policiesnot 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

Restic

  • Cold storage is not natively supported; restoring from S3 Glacier and S3 Glacier Deep Archive is only available as an experimental feature behind a feature flag
  • A Windows file whose name contains a character Windows treats as invalid cannot be read by restic and has to be renamed
  • Antivirus real-time protection degrades performance on Windows unless the restic binary is added to an exclusions list
  • On large repositories the built-in five minute stuck-request timeout fires during file listing and has to be raised manually with --stuck-request-timeout

Pricing, plan by plan

Borg Backup

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Deduplication
    • Compression
    • Encryption

Restic

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Content-defined chunking
    • Encryption
    • Multiple backends

Which should you pick?

Choose Borg Backup if

  • You need compression.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Mac.
  • You also want authenticated encryption.
Borg Backup review

Choose Restic if

  • You need cryptographic verification.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, Linux.
  • You also want encryption.
Restic review

Questions people ask

Is Borg Backup or Restic better?
Neither clearly leads. Borg Backup starts at Free and Restic at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Borg Backup or Restic?
Borg Backup starts at Free and Restic at Free.
Does Borg Backup or Restic run on more platforms?
Borg Backup runs on Linux, Mac. Restic runs on Windows, Mac, Linux.
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 Restic is typically brought in for.
What can Borg Backup do that Restic cannot?
Borg Backup covers Compression, Authenticated encryption, Pruning, Mount archives. Restic covers Cryptographic verification, Encryption, Multiple backends, Snapshot management. Both handle Content-defined chunking, Deduplication, Linux support, Mac support.

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
Restic: How much does restic cost?

Restic is entirely free to use and completely open source. There are no subscription tiers, paid plans, or licensing costs.

Source
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
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
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