Softwr

Software · head to head

Duplicati vs TrueNAS

Duplicati logo

Duplicati

Software

Free open-source backup with encryption

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
TrueNAS logo

TrueNAS

Software

Open-source ZFS storage operating system for network-attached storage

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Duplicati no managed service or commercial support; TrueNAS requires self-hosting on x86 hardware, no managed cloud offering; organisations must provision, configure, and maintain their own infrastructure

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Duplicati and TrueNAS actually diverge.

Attributes where Duplicati and TrueNAS differ
AttributeDuplicatiTrueNAS
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxSelf-hosted, Linux, Web, API
Founded2008Unknown

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

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 TrueNAS

Nothing recorded that Duplicati does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Duplicati

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

TrueNAS

  • On-premises backup and archival storage for enterprisesnot Duplicati
  • Home lab and small business network-attached storagenot Duplicati
  • Media server storage for video, photo, and document librariesnot Duplicati
  • Disaster recovery and business continuity replicationnot Duplicati
  • S3-compatible object storage for cloud-native applicationsnot Duplicati
  • High-availability storage clusters for datacentresnot 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

TrueNAS

  • Requires self-hosting on x86 hardware, no managed cloud offering; organisations must provision, configure, and maintain their own infrastructure
  • ZFS filesystem entails high memory requirements (1 GB RAM per 1 TB of storage recommended), increasing costs for large deployments
  • Limited ARM/embedded support; Community Edition is primarily x86-64, reducing deployment options for edge installations
  • Clustering and replication setup requires operational expertise; misconfiguration can lead to data loss
  • Enterprise support and SLA guarantees require paid subscriptions; Community Edition relies on peer-based forums

Pricing, plan by plan

Duplicati

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Duplicati review.

TrueNAS

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the TrueNAS 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 TrueNAS if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Self-hosted, Linux, Web, API.
TrueNAS review

Questions people ask

Is Duplicati or TrueNAS better?
Neither clearly leads. Duplicati starts at Free and TrueNAS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Duplicati or TrueNAS?
Duplicati starts at Free and TrueNAS at Free.
Does Duplicati or TrueNAS run on more platforms?
Duplicati runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. TrueNAS runs on Self-hosted, Linux, Web, API.
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 TrueNAS is typically brought in for.
What can Duplicati do that TrueNAS cannot?
Duplicati covers AES-256 encryption, Incremental backup, Deduplication, Multiple cloud backends.

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
TrueNAS: What is the cost of TrueNAS Community Edition?

TrueNAS Community Edition is free and open-source. There are no licensing fees, but organisations must purchase and maintain their own x86 hardware. Enterprise Edition requires paid support contracts for production environments.

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
TrueNAS: Can I replicate TrueNAS data between sites?

Yes. TrueNAS supports snapshot-based replication over network links, enabling disaster recovery and business continuity. Replication can occur between Community Edition systems or between Enterprise Appliances.

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
TrueNAS: What storage protocols does TrueNAS support?

TrueNAS simultaneously supports NFS (network file system), SMB (Windows file sharing), iSCSI (block storage), and S3-compatible object storage, all from the same storage pool.

Source
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Duplicati

More on TrueNAS

Keep looking

Other head to heads