Softwr

File Storage · head to head

Duplicati vs Skopeo

Duplicati logo

Duplicati

File Storage

Free open-source backup with encryption

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Skopeo logo

Skopeo

Cloud

Inspect, copy and sign container images without pulling them

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Duplicati no managed service or commercial support; Skopeo single-purpose: it neither builds nor runs images, so it is one tool in a chain rather than a solution
  • They diverge on capability: Duplicati covers AES-256 encryption, Skopeo covers Remote inspection.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Duplicati and Skopeo actually diverge.

Attributes where Duplicati and Skopeo differ
AttributeDuplicatiSkopeo
Pricing modelUnknownOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxLinux, macOS
CategoryFile StorageCloud
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 Skopeo

  • Remote inspection
  • Registry-to-registry copy
  • Format conversion
  • Image signing

What people use each for

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

Duplicati

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

Skopeo

  • Promoting images between staging and production registries without a round tripnot Duplicati
  • Inspecting an image’s contents before deciding to deploy itnot Duplicati
  • Mirroring images into an air-gapped or internal registrynot 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

Skopeo

  • Single-purpose: it neither builds nor runs images, so it is one tool in a chain rather than a solution
  • Command syntax with transport prefixes such as docker:// is unusual and trips people up initially
  • Documentation is sparse compared with the rest of the container ecosystem

Pricing, plan by plan

Duplicati

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Duplicati review.

Skopeo

Free
  • SkopeoFree
    • 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 Skopeo if

  • You need remote inspection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS.
  • You also want registry-to-registry copy.
Skopeo review

Questions people ask

Is Duplicati or Skopeo better?
Neither clearly leads. Duplicati starts at Free and Skopeo at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Duplicati or Skopeo?
Duplicati starts at Free and Skopeo at Free.
Does Duplicati or Skopeo run on more platforms?
Duplicati runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Skopeo runs on Linux, macOS.
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 Skopeo is typically brought in for.
What can Duplicati do that Skopeo cannot?
Duplicati covers AES-256 encryption, Incremental backup, Deduplication, Multiple cloud backends. Skopeo covers Remote inspection, Registry-to-registry copy, Format conversion, Image signing.

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
Skopeo: Is Skopeo free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

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
Skopeo: Why copy images without pulling them?

A registry-to-registry copy avoids downloading and re-uploading gigabytes, which is faster and much cheaper on bandwidth in CI.

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
Skopeo: Can Skopeo run containers?

No. It only inspects, copies, signs and deletes images. Running them is Podman’s or Docker’s job.

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