Softwr

File Storage · head to head

Duplicati vs GitHub

Duplicati logo

Duplicati

File Storage

Free open-source backup with encryption

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
GitHub logo

GitHub

Technology

Where the world builds software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Duplicati no managed service or commercial support; GitHub acquired by Microsoft in 2018, reducing pure independence despite operational autonomy
  • They diverge on capability: Duplicati covers AES-256 encryption, GitHub covers Git repositories.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Duplicati and GitHub actually diverge.

Attributes where Duplicati and GitHub differ
AttributeDuplicatiGitHub
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWeb, Desktop, Mobile
CategoryFile StorageTechnology

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), founded (2008).

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
  • Deduplication
  • Multiple cloud backends
  • Compression
  • Web interface
  • AWS S3
  • Google Drive

Only in GitHub

  • Git repositories
  • Pull requests
  • Code review
  • Issues & projects
  • GitHub Actions CI/CD
  • GitHub Pages
  • Security scanning
  • Dependency management

Both cover

  • Azure

What people use each for

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

Duplicati

  • Data protectionnot GitHub
  • Disaster recoverynot GitHub
  • Business continuitynot GitHub
  • Ransomware protectionnot GitHub
  • Compliancenot GitHub

GitHub

  • Version controlnot Duplicati
  • Code collaborationnot Duplicati
  • CI/CD pipelinesnot Duplicati
  • Project managementnot Duplicati
  • Documentation hostingnot Duplicati

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

GitHub

  • Acquired by Microsoft in 2018, reducing pure independence despite operational autonomy
  • Primary focus on source control differs from purpose-built project management tools like Jira
  • Pricing for enterprise features and private repositories adds up compared to some self-hosted alternatives

Pricing, plan by plan

Duplicati

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Duplicati review.

GitHub

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited public/private repos
    • 2,000 CI/CD minutes/month
    • 500MB package storage
  • Team$4/month
    • Everything in Free
    • 3,000 CI/CD minutes/month
    • 2GB package storage
  • Enterprise$21/month
    • Everything in Team
    • 50,000 CI/CD minutes/month
    • 50GB package storage

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 GitHub if

  • You need git repositories.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want pull requests.
GitHub review

Questions people ask

Is Duplicati or GitHub better?
Neither clearly leads. Duplicati starts at Free and GitHub at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Duplicati or GitHub?
Duplicati starts at Free and GitHub at Free.
Does Duplicati or GitHub run on more platforms?
Duplicati runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. GitHub runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
Can I use Duplicati for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Duplicati best used for?
Duplicati is most often used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection. Of those, data protection and disaster recovery are not what GitHub is typically brought in for.
What can Duplicati do that GitHub cannot?
Duplicati covers AES-256 encryption, Incremental backup, Deduplication, Multiple cloud backends. GitHub covers Git repositories, Pull requests, Code review, Issues & projects. Both handle Azure.

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
GitHub: What is a Git repository and how does GitHub use it?

A repository is the centralized database that stores the complete collection of files and folders for a codebase, along with the revision history. GitHub uses Git to provide distributed version control access to repositories with version tracking, branching, and collaboration features.

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
GitHub: How does GitHub authentication work?

When you connect to a GitHub repository from Git, you need to authenticate with GitHub using either HTTPS or SSH. GitHub supports multiple authentication methods including passwords, personal access tokens, SSH keys, and GitHub Apps.

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
GitHub: How long has GitHub been operating?

GitHub was founded in 2008 and launched publicly on April 10, 2008, making it the dominant git hosting platform for nearly two decades.

Source
GitHub: Who owns GitHub and when did the acquisition occur?

Microsoft acquired GitHub for $7.5 billion USD, with the deal announced June 4, 2018 and completed October 26, 2018. GitHub operates as an independent subsidiary within Microsoft.

Source
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