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Backup · head to head

Clonezilla vs Kopia

Clonezilla logo

Clonezilla

Backup

Free disk cloning and imaging solution

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kopia logo

Kopia

Backup

Open source deduplicating backup with client side encryption and a repository on almost any storage

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Clonezilla the destination partition must be equal to or larger than the source partition; Kopia space is only reclaimed when maintenance runs, and in a shared repository full maintenance is owned by one client, so if that machine goes away the repository grows for ever while every backup still reports success.
  • They diverge on capability: Clonezilla covers Disk/partition imaging, Kopia covers Content defined chunking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Clonezilla and Kopia actually diverge.

Attributes where Clonezilla and Kopia differ
AttributeClonezillaKopia
Pricing modelfreeOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsLinux, WindowsLinux, macOS, Windows, Docker
Founded2004Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (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 Clonezilla

  • Disk/partition imaging
  • Disk cloning
  • Multicast deployment
  • Multiple file systems
  • Encryption support
  • Unattended mode
  • PXE boot
  • DRBL

Only in Kopia

  • Content defined chunking
  • Global deduplication
  • Pack blobs
  • Client side encryption
  • Desktop and command line
  • Repository verification

What people use each for

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

Clonezilla

  • System backup and cloningnot Kopia
  • Disk imaging and restorationnot Kopia
  • Mass deployment scenariosnot Kopia
  • Enterprise-scale cloning operationsnot Kopia

Kopia

  • Backing up laptops and workstations to cheap object storage with a desktop interface rather than a cron jobnot Clonezilla
  • Deduplicating backups of several similar machines into one repository so common content is stored oncenot Clonezilla
  • Replacing a chunk based tool whose per object charges made a cheap bucket expensivenot Clonezilla
  • Keeping an encrypted offsite copy where the storage provider must never be able to read the contentsnot Clonezilla

Where each one falls short

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

Clonezilla

  • The destination partition must be equal to or larger than the source partition
  • Differential and incremental backup is not implemented
  • Online imaging and cloning is not implemented; the partition being imaged or cloned has to be unmounted first
  • The image format cannot be explored or mounted, so a single file cannot be recovered from an image
  • Recovery media spanning multiple CDs or DVDs is not implemented; the recovery ISO must fit on one disc
  • Clonezilla SE requires a DRBL server to be prepared in advance and the target machine to boot from the network
  • Runs only on x86 or x86-64 processors and needs at least 196 MB of RAM

Kopia

  • Space is only reclaimed when maintenance runs, and in a shared repository full maintenance is owned by one client, so if that machine goes away the repository grows for ever while every backup still reports success.
  • The repository format has changed across versions and mixing client versions against one repository is discouraged, so a fleet must be upgraded together rather than machine by machine.
  • There is no central orchestration or reporting for many machines, so monitoring a fleet means building your own alerting around exit codes.
  • Restoring many small files is slower than the backup was, because content must be reassembled from pack blobs, and this is rarely tested until the day it matters.
  • Encryption is client side with no escrow, so a lost repository password means the data is unrecoverable and there is no vendor to appeal to.

Pricing, plan by plan

Clonezilla

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Disk cloning
    • Multicast
    • Multiple file systems

Kopia

Free
  • KopiaFree
    • Full functionality, no data limit
    • Desktop application included
    • Any supported storage back end

Which should you pick?

Choose Clonezilla if

  • You need disk/partition imaging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows.
  • You also want disk cloning.
Clonezilla review

Choose Kopia if

  • You need content defined chunking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker.
  • You also want global deduplication.
Kopia review

Questions people ask

Is Clonezilla or Kopia better?
Neither clearly leads. Clonezilla starts at Free and Kopia at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Clonezilla or Kopia?
Clonezilla starts at Free and Kopia at Free.
Does Clonezilla or Kopia run on more platforms?
Clonezilla runs on Linux, Windows. Kopia runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker.
Can I use Clonezilla for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Clonezilla best used for?
Clonezilla is most often used for system backup and cloning, disk imaging and restoration, mass deployment scenarios, enterprise-scale cloning operations. Of those, system backup and cloning and disk imaging and restoration are not what Kopia is typically brought in for.
What can Clonezilla do that Kopia cannot?
Clonezilla covers Disk/partition imaging, Disk cloning, Multicast deployment, Multiple file systems. Kopia covers Content defined chunking, Global deduplication, Pack blobs, Client side encryption.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Clonezilla: Is Clonezilla free?

Yes, Clonezilla is completely free and open-source software licensed under GNU General Public License version 2. There are no paid versions, premium features, or subscription costs.

Source
Kopia: Is a partly corrupt repository still restorable?

Partly. Deduplication means one damaged pack blob affects every snapshot referencing its contents, but unaffected files still restore. Run verification regularly rather than assuming.

Clonezilla: What Clonezilla editions are available at no cost?

All three editions are free: Clonezilla Live for individual machine backups, Clonezilla Lite Server for mass deployment, and Clonezilla SE for large-scale enterprise cloning operations.

Source
Kopia: How does it compare with restic?

Similar guarantees, with packing that behaves better on per operation billing, a desktop interface, and compression enabled by default.

Clonezilla: Can I use Clonezilla commercially?

Yes, Clonezilla's GPL v2 license allows free commercial use. The software is open-source and requires no licensing fees for any deployment scenario.

Kopia: Do I need to run maintenance manually?

It is scheduled automatically by default, but you must ensure the client that owns full maintenance keeps running, otherwise deleted snapshots never free space.

Kopia: Can several machines share one repository?

Yes, and that is where deduplication pays off, but they should run compatible versions and only one owns full maintenance.

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