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Duplicati vs Arq Backup

Duplicati logo

Duplicati

Software

Free open-source backup with encryption

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Arq Backup logo

Arq Backup

Software

Mac and Windows backup to your own cloud storage

From
$50/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Duplicati has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Duplicati no managed service or commercial support; Arq Backup runs on Mac and Windows only
  • They diverge on capability: Duplicati covers AES-256 encryption, Arq Backup covers Client-side encryption.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Duplicati and Arq Backup actually diverge.

Attributes where Duplicati and Arq Backup differ
AttributeDuplicatiArq Backup
Starting priceFree$50/year
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWindows, Mac
Founded20082009

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

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 Duplicati

  • AES-256 encryption
  • Incremental backup
  • Multiple cloud backends
  • Compression
  • Web interface
  • Google Drive
  • OneDrive
  • SFTP

Only in Arq Backup

  • Client-side encryption
  • Hourly backups
  • Network backup
  • Immutable backups
  • Budget controls
  • Google Cloud
  • Backblaze B2
  • Wasabi

Both cover

  • Deduplication
  • AWS S3
  • Azure
  • Dropbox
  • Windows support
  • Mac support

What people use each for

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

Duplicati

  • Data protection
  • Disaster recovery
  • Business continuity
  • Ransomware protection
  • Compliance

Arq Backup

  • Data protection
  • Disaster recovery
  • Business continuity
  • Ransomware protection
  • Compliance

Both are used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection, compliance, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

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

Duplicati

  • No managed service or commercial support
  • Relies on community support
  • No enterprise features

Arq Backup

  • Runs on Mac and Windows only
  • Arq 7 is licensed per computer, and continuing to receive updates after the first year costs $25 per year per computer
  • Arq Premium covers up to 5 computers, so larger households or teams need more than one subscription
  • Arq Premium includes 1TB of storage and charges $0.0059 per GB per month beyond it

Pricing, plan by plan

Duplicati

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Duplicati review.

Arq Backup

$50/year
  • Arq Premium$50/year
    • 5 computers
    • Arq Cloud storage option
    • Email support

Which should you pick?

Choose Duplicati if

  • You need aes-256 encryption.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want incremental backup.
Duplicati review

Choose Arq Backup if

  • You need client-side encryption.
  • You work on Windows, Mac.
  • You also want hourly backups.
Arq Backup review

Questions people ask

Is Duplicati or Arq Backup better?
Neither clearly leads. Duplicati starts at Free and Arq Backup at $50/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Duplicati or Arq Backup?
Duplicati has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Duplicati and $50/year for Arq Backup.
Does Duplicati or Arq Backup run on more platforms?
Duplicati runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Arq Backup runs on Windows, Mac.
Can I use Duplicati for free?
Yes. Duplicati has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Arq Backup starts at $50/year.
What is Duplicati best used for?
Duplicati is most often used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection.
What can Duplicati do that Arq Backup cannot?
Duplicati covers AES-256 encryption, Incremental backup, Multiple cloud backends, Compression. Arq Backup covers Client-side encryption, Hourly backups, Network backup, Immutable backups. Both handle Deduplication, AWS S3, Azure, Dropbox.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Duplicati: Is Duplicati free?

Yes. Duplicati is completely free and open-source under the LGPL license. There are no premium tiers, trials, or limitations.

Source
Duplicati: What does Duplicati support?

Duplicati supports zero-trust, fully encrypted backups to local storage, network drives, and cloud services. It includes deduplication and incremental backups.

Source
Duplicati: What are the platforms?

Duplicati runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It can back up data to local storage, network drives, or cloud providers.

Source
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