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File Storage · head to head

Duplicati vs Rufus

Duplicati logo

Duplicati

File Storage

Free open-source backup with encryption

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Rufus logo

Rufus

Utilities

Create bootable USB drives on Windows

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Duplicati no managed service or commercial support; Rufus windows only, with no macOS or Linux build
  • They diverge on capability: Duplicati covers AES-256 encryption, Rufus covers Bootable USB creation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Duplicati and Rufus actually diverge.

Attributes where Duplicati and Rufus differ
AttributeDuplicatiRufus
Pricing modelUnknownOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWindows
CategoryFile StorageUtilities
Founded2008Unknown

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
  • Deduplication
  • Multiple cloud backends
  • Compression
  • Web interface
  • AWS S3
  • Azure

Only in Rufus

  • Bootable USB creation
  • No installation
  • Partition scheme control
  • Windows install customisation

What people use each for

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

Duplicati

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

Rufus

  • Writing a Linux or Windows installer to a USB sticknot Duplicati
  • Creating live USB media with a persistent partitionnot Duplicati
  • Recovering a machine that will not boot from its internal drivenot 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

Rufus

  • Windows only, with no macOS or Linux build
  • Single-purpose: it writes drives and does nothing else
  • Some of its Windows setup bypass options work around vendor requirements and may not survive future releases

Pricing, plan by plan

Duplicati

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Duplicati review.

Rufus

Free
  • RufusFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community 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 Rufus if

  • You need bootable usb creation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want no installation.
Rufus review

Questions people ask

Is Duplicati or Rufus better?
Neither clearly leads. Duplicati starts at Free and Rufus at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Duplicati or Rufus?
Duplicati starts at Free and Rufus at Free.
Does Duplicati or Rufus run on more platforms?
Duplicati runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Rufus runs on Windows.
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 Rufus is typically brought in for.
What can Duplicati do that Rufus cannot?
Duplicati covers AES-256 encryption, Incremental backup, Deduplication, Multiple cloud backends. Rufus covers Bootable USB creation, No installation, Partition scheme control, Windows install customisation.

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
Rufus: Is Rufus free?

Yes, open source under the GPL.

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
Rufus: Does Rufus run on macOS or Linux?

No, it is Windows only. balenaEtcher is the usual cross-platform equivalent.

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
Rufus: Why choose Rufus over the built-in tools?

It is faster than most alternatives and gives explicit control over partition scheme and target system, which matters when a machine will not boot from default media.

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