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File Storage · head to head

Duplicati vs Kubernetes

Duplicati logo

Duplicati

File Storage

Free open-source backup with encryption

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kubernetes logo

Kubernetes

Technology

Production-grade container orchestration

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Duplicati no managed service or commercial support; Kubernetes complex initial setup and configuration with multiple interdependent components
  • They diverge on capability: Duplicati covers AES-256 encryption, Kubernetes covers Container orchestration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Duplicati and Kubernetes actually diverge.

Attributes where Duplicati and Kubernetes differ
AttributeDuplicatiKubernetes
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxLinux, Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure)
CategoryFile StorageTechnology
Founded20082014

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), 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 Duplicati

  • AES-256 encryption
  • Incremental backup
  • Deduplication
  • Multiple cloud backends
  • Compression
  • Web interface
  • AWS S3
  • Azure

Only in Kubernetes

  • Container orchestration
  • Automatic scaling
  • Self-healing
  • Service discovery
  • Load balancing
  • Storage orchestration
  • Automated rollouts
  • Secret management

What people use each for

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

Duplicati

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

Kubernetes

  • Microservices deploymentnot Duplicati
  • Cloud-native applicationsnot Duplicati
  • CI/CD pipelinesnot Duplicati
  • Multi-cloud deploymentsnot Duplicati
  • Edge computingnot 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

Kubernetes

  • Complex initial setup and configuration with multiple interdependent components
  • Significant resource requirements for both hardware infrastructure and specialized human expertise
  • Expensive specialized talent in Kubernetes domain; hiring costs prohibitive for many organizations
  • New security challenges around container isolation and network security requiring robust measures
  • Requires continuous maintenance and updates to stay current with releases and security patches

Pricing, plan by plan

Duplicati

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Duplicati review.

Kubernetes

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Kubernetes review.

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 Kubernetes if

  • You need container orchestration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure).
  • You also want automatic scaling.
Kubernetes review

Questions people ask

Is Duplicati or Kubernetes better?
Neither clearly leads. Duplicati starts at Free and Kubernetes at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Duplicati or Kubernetes?
Duplicati starts at Free and Kubernetes at Free.
Does Duplicati or Kubernetes run on more platforms?
Duplicati runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Kubernetes runs on Linux, Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure).
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 Kubernetes is typically brought in for.
What can Duplicati do that Kubernetes cannot?
Duplicati covers AES-256 encryption, Incremental backup, Deduplication, Multiple cloud backends. Kubernetes covers Container orchestration, Automatic scaling, Self-healing, Service discovery.

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
Kubernetes: What is Kubernetes used for?

Kubernetes is a container orchestration platform that automates deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications across clusters of machines.

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
Kubernetes: Is Kubernetes free?

Yes, Kubernetes is free, open-source software maintained by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation. However, running Kubernetes clusters requires infrastructure investment.

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
Kubernetes: How hard is it to learn Kubernetes?

Kubernetes has a steep learning curve. It requires deep knowledge of containerization, networking, and distributed systems. Teams without prior container experience should expect significant training time.

Source
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