Backup · head to head
Duplicacy vs rustic
rustic
Backup
Rust reimplementation of restic that reads and writes the same repository format
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Duplicacy web GUI pricing tier not specified on product page; rustic the project is small with a short list of active maintainers, so bus factor is a genuine consideration for software whose job is to still work in five years.
- They diverge on capability: Duplicacy covers Lock-free deduplication, rustic covers restic format compatibility.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Duplicacy and rustic actually diverge.
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 Duplicacy
- Lock-free deduplication
- Client-side encryption
- Multiple computers
- Erasure coding
- Variable-size chunking
- RSA encryption
- AWS S3
- Azure
Only in rustic
- restic format compatibility
- Configuration profiles
- Deduplicated encrypted backups
- Cold and append only storage support
- Multiple back ends
- Library crates
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Duplicacy
- Client-side encrypted cloud backupsnot rustic
- Lock-free deduplication for efficient backup storagenot rustic
- Multi-destination backup supportnot rustic
rustic
- An existing restic user who wants configuration files rather than long command lines in cronnot Duplicacy
- Backing up a memory constrained machine where the reference implementation is uncomfortably heavynot Duplicacy
- Writing to append only or cold object storage where the default tooling assumes rewritable bucketsnot Duplicacy
- Keeping a second implementation available so a long lived archive does not depend on one codebasenot Duplicacy
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Duplicacy
- Web GUI pricing tier not specified on product page
rustic
- The project is small with a short list of active maintainers, so bus factor is a genuine consideration for software whose job is to still work in five years.
- It inherits the restic repository format, so design limits in that format, including the cost of pruning large repositories, are inherited rather than fixed.
- Command names, flags and behaviour do not map one to one onto restic, so scripts and runbooks need rewriting rather than a binary swap.
- Far fewer people have performed a real restore from it under pressure, and backup software is one of the few categories where being second most used is itself a risk.
- Alternating between rustic and restic against one repository works but doubles the surface for a version incompatibility to corrupt state, so most operators should pick one and stay with it.
Pricing, plan by plan
Duplicacy
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Duplicacy review.
rustic
Free- rusticFree
- Full functionality, no data limit
- All supported storage back ends
- Community support via GitHub
Which should you pick?
Choose Duplicacy if
- You need lock-free deduplication.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on macOS, Linux, Windows.
- You also want client-side encryption.
Choose rustic if
- You need restic format compatibility.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, macOS, Windows.
- You also want configuration profiles.
Questions people ask
- Is Duplicacy or rustic better?
- Neither clearly leads. Duplicacy starts at Free and rustic at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Duplicacy or rustic?
- Duplicacy starts at Free and rustic at Free.
- Does Duplicacy or rustic run on more platforms?
- Duplicacy runs on macOS, Linux, Windows. rustic runs on Linux, macOS, Windows.
- Can I use Duplicacy for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Duplicacy best used for?
- Duplicacy is most often used for client-side encrypted cloud backups, lock-free deduplication for efficient backup storage, multi-destination backup support. Of those, client-side encrypted cloud backups and lock-free deduplication for efficient backup storage are not what rustic is typically brought in for.
- What can Duplicacy do that rustic cannot?
- Duplicacy covers Lock-free deduplication, Client-side encryption, Multiple computers, Erasure coding. rustic covers restic format compatibility, Configuration profiles, Deduplicated encrypted backups, Cold and append only storage support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Duplicacy: What is the cost of the Duplicacy command line version for commercial use?
The commercial license for Duplicacy's command line version costs $50 per machine per year. The CLI version is free for individual users.
Sourcerustic: Can it read my existing restic repository?
Yes, that is the point of the project. Take a copy and verify before you rely on it, as with any change to backup tooling.
Duplicacy: Is pricing available for the Duplicacy Web GUI edition?
No pricing information is provided for the Web Edition (GUI) on the Duplicacy website. You would need to contact [email protected] for Web Edition pricing details.
Sourcerustic: Should I switch from restic?
Only for a specific reason such as configuration profiles, memory use or cold storage handling. Compatibility means there is no cost to trying and no cost to going back.
Duplicacy: Are volume discounts available for IT service providers?
Yes, volume discounts are available for IT service providers and resellers. Contact [email protected] to discuss volume pricing options.
Sourcerustic: Is it production ready?
It is used in production by a small community, but it is younger and less exercised than the implementation it is compatible with. Test restores accordingly.
Duplicacy: What backup modes and features are included in the free version?
The free version includes file, disk, partition, and system backup with full, incremental, and differential backup modes. It also offers scheduled backups, encryption, and emergency disk creation.
Sourcerustic: Does it support the same back ends?
The common ones, including local, SFTP, S3 compatible storage and rclone. Check the current list before committing to an unusual target.
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