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File Storage · head to head

Duplicati vs Restic

Duplicati logo

Duplicati

File Storage

Free open-source backup with encryption

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Restic logo

Restic

Backup

Fast, secure, and efficient backup program

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Duplicati no managed service or commercial support; Restic cold storage is not natively supported; restoring from S3 Glacier and S3 Glacier Deep Archive is only available as an experimental feature behind a feature flag
  • They diverge on capability: Duplicati covers AES-256 encryption, Restic covers Content-defined chunking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Duplicati and Restic actually diverge.

Attributes where Duplicati and Restic differ
AttributeDuplicatiRestic
Pricing modelUnknownfree
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWindows, Mac, Linux
CategoryFile StorageBackup
Founded20082014

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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
  • Multiple cloud backends
  • Compression
  • Web interface
  • Google Drive
  • Dropbox
  • OneDrive

Only in Restic

  • Content-defined chunking
  • Cryptographic verification
  • Encryption
  • Multiple backends
  • Snapshot management
  • Google Cloud
  • Backblaze B2
  • REST server

Both cover

  • Deduplication
  • AWS S3
  • Azure
  • SFTP
  • Windows support
  • Mac support
  • Linux support

What people use each for

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

Duplicati

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

Restic

  • Encrypted deduplicated backups to S3, B2, SFTP and local disk from the command linenot Duplicati
  • Scripted server backups with snapshot retention policiesnot 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

Restic

  • Cold storage is not natively supported; restoring from S3 Glacier and S3 Glacier Deep Archive is only available as an experimental feature behind a feature flag
  • A Windows file whose name contains a character Windows treats as invalid cannot be read by restic and has to be renamed
  • Antivirus real-time protection degrades performance on Windows unless the restic binary is added to an exclusions list
  • On large repositories the built-in five minute stuck-request timeout fires during file listing and has to be raised manually with --stuck-request-timeout

Pricing, plan by plan

Duplicati

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Duplicati review.

Restic

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Content-defined chunking
    • Encryption
    • Multiple backends

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 Restic if

  • You need content-defined chunking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, Linux.
  • You also want cryptographic verification.
Restic review

Questions people ask

Is Duplicati or Restic better?
Neither clearly leads. Duplicati starts at Free and Restic at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Duplicati or Restic?
Duplicati starts at Free and Restic at Free.
Does Duplicati or Restic run on more platforms?
Duplicati runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Restic runs on Windows, Mac, Linux.
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 Restic is typically brought in for.
What can Duplicati do that Restic cannot?
Duplicati covers AES-256 encryption, Incremental backup, Multiple cloud backends, Compression. Restic covers Content-defined chunking, Cryptographic verification, Encryption, Multiple backends. Both handle Deduplication, AWS S3, Azure, SFTP.

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
Restic: How much does restic cost?

Restic is entirely free to use and completely open source. There are no subscription tiers, paid plans, or licensing costs.

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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