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Backup · head to head

Borg Backup vs Zipkin

Borg Backup logo

Borg Backup

Backup

Deduplicating archiver with compression and encryption

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zipkin logo

Zipkin

Cloud

Distributed tracing system for microservice latency

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; Zipkin less active development and smaller community momentum than Jaeger
  • They diverge on capability: Borg Backup covers Content-defined chunking, Zipkin covers Trace collection and search.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Borg Backup and Zipkin differ
AttributeBorg BackupZipkin
Pricing modelfreeOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsLinux, MacLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted
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 Zipkin

  • Trace collection and search
  • Dependency diagram
  • Simple deployment
  • Pluggable storage

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

Zipkin

  • Adding distributed tracing quickly without standing up heavy infrastructurenot Borg Backup
  • Java and Spring Boot estates, where instrumentation support is long-establishednot Borg Backup
  • Small deployments where Jaeger is more than the problem requiresnot 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

Zipkin

  • Less active development and smaller community momentum than Jaeger
  • Fewer features: sampling, storage options and UI are all more limited
  • The interface is dated and slower to work with on large trace volumes
  • Tracing alone still leaves metrics and logs in separate tools during an incident

Pricing, plan by plan

Borg Backup

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Deduplication
    • Compression
    • Encryption

Zipkin

Free
  • ZipkinFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • 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 Zipkin if

  • You need trace collection and search.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
  • You also want dependency diagram.
Zipkin review

Questions people ask

Is Borg Backup or Zipkin better?
Neither clearly leads. Borg Backup starts at Free and Zipkin at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Borg Backup or Zipkin?
Borg Backup starts at Free and Zipkin at Free.
Does Borg Backup or Zipkin run on more platforms?
Borg Backup runs on Linux, Mac. Zipkin runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
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 Zipkin is typically brought in for.
What can Borg Backup do that Zipkin cannot?
Borg Backup covers Content-defined chunking, Deduplication, Compression, Authenticated encryption. Zipkin covers Trace collection and search, Dependency diagram, Simple deployment, Pluggable storage.

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
Zipkin: Is Zipkin free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

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
Zipkin: Zipkin or Jaeger?

Jaeger has more momentum, more features and CNCF backing. Zipkin is lighter and quicker to stand up, and remains well supported in the Java and Spring ecosystem.

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
Zipkin: Does Zipkin work with OpenTelemetry?

Yes. OpenTelemetry can export to Zipkin, which is now the usual way to instrument for it.

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