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Backup · head to head

Kopia vs Redstor

Kopia logo

Kopia

Backup

Open source deduplicating backup with client side encryption and a repository on almost any storage

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Redstor logo

Redstor

Backup

Cloud backup for managed service providers with instant streamed recovery

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Kopia has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Kopia space is only reclaimed when maintenance runs, and in a shared repository full maintenance is owned by one client, so if that machine goes away the repository grows for ever while every backup still reports success.; Redstor it is sold through the channel, so you cannot buy it direct and your price and support quality depend entirely on the partner you engage.
  • They diverge on capability: Kopia covers Content defined chunking, Redstor covers InstantData.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kopia and Redstor actually diverge.

Attributes where Kopia and Redstor differ
AttributeKopiaRedstor
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, macOS, Windows, DockerWindows, macOS, Linux, Web

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Backup).

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 Kopia

  • Content defined chunking
  • Global deduplication
  • Pack blobs
  • Client side encryption
  • Desktop and command line
  • Repository verification

Only in Redstor

  • InstantData
  • Multi-tenant console
  • SaaS application backup
  • Regional data centres
  • Malware detection
  • White labelling

What people use each for

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

Kopia

  • Backing up laptops and workstations to cheap object storage with a desktop interface rather than a cron jobnot Redstor
  • Deduplicating backups of several similar machines into one repository so common content is stored oncenot Redstor
  • Replacing a chunk based tool whose per object charges made a cheap bucket expensivenot Redstor
  • Keeping an encrypted offsite copy where the storage provider must never be able to read the contentsnot Redstor

Redstor

  • A UK managed service provider needing client data to stay in UK data centres for public sector contractsnot Kopia
  • An MSP that wants to promise a recovery time measured in minutes rather than hours for file serversnot Kopia
  • A business needing Microsoft 365 and accounting SaaS backup managed by its IT provider in one consolenot Kopia
  • An MSP consolidating several backup products across its client base onto one multi-tenant platformnot Kopia

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Kopia

  • Space is only reclaimed when maintenance runs, and in a shared repository full maintenance is owned by one client, so if that machine goes away the repository grows for ever while every backup still reports success.
  • The repository format has changed across versions and mixing client versions against one repository is discouraged, so a fleet must be upgraded together rather than machine by machine.
  • There is no central orchestration or reporting for many machines, so monitoring a fleet means building your own alerting around exit codes.
  • Restoring many small files is slower than the backup was, because content must be reassembled from pack blobs, and this is rarely tested until the day it matters.
  • Encryption is client side with no escrow, so a lost repository password means the data is unrecoverable and there is no vendor to appeal to.

Redstor

  • It is sold through the channel, so you cannot buy it direct and your price and support quality depend entirely on the partner you engage.
  • Pricing is not published at all, and because partners resell it with their own margin, comparing quotes across MSPs is comparing partner markups rather than product cost.
  • The InstantData streaming advantage depends on network bandwidth to the data centre, so sites with poor connectivity see much less benefit than the demonstrations suggest.
  • Its footprint is concentrated in the UK, Europe and South Africa, so multinational organisations needing consistent coverage in North America or Asia will find the regional story uneven.
  • Feature depth for large enterprise virtual machine estates trails Veeam and Rubrik, so it fits small and medium client workloads rather than complex data centre recovery.

Pricing, plan by plan

Kopia

Free
  • KopiaFree
    • Full functionality, no data limit
    • Desktop application included
    • Any supported storage back end

Redstor

On request
  • Redstor Platform$undefined/year
    • Sold through managed service providers, priced per protected device or per user
    • Storage included in the per-unit price rather than billed separately
    • No egress or restore charges

Which should you pick?

Choose Kopia if

  • You need content defined chunking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker.
  • You also want global deduplication.
Kopia review

Choose Redstor if

  • You need instantdata.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, Web.
  • You also want multi-tenant console.
Redstor review

Questions people ask

Is Kopia or Redstor better?
Neither clearly leads. Kopia starts at Free and Redstor at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kopia or Redstor?
Kopia has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Kopia and On request for Redstor.
Does Kopia or Redstor run on more platforms?
Kopia runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker. Redstor runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Web.
Can I use Kopia for free?
Yes. Kopia has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Redstor starts at On request.
What is Kopia best used for?
Kopia is most often used for backing up laptops and workstations to cheap object storage with a desktop interface rather than a cron job, deduplicating backups of several similar machines into one repository so common content is stored once, replacing a chunk based tool whose per object charges made a cheap bucket expensive, keeping an encrypted offsite copy where the storage provider must never be able to read the contents. Of those, backing up laptops and workstations to cheap object storage with a desktop interface rather than a cron job and deduplicating backups of several similar machines into one repository so common content is stored once are not what Redstor is typically brought in for.
What can Kopia do that Redstor cannot?
Kopia covers Content defined chunking, Global deduplication, Pack blobs, Client side encryption. Redstor covers InstantData, Multi-tenant console, SaaS application backup, Regional data centres.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Kopia: Is a partly corrupt repository still restorable?

Partly. Deduplication means one damaged pack blob affects every snapshot referencing its contents, but unaffected files still restore. Run verification regularly rather than assuming.

Redstor: Can we buy Redstor directly?

Generally no. It is a channel product sold through managed service providers, so partner selection is part of the buying decision.

Kopia: How does it compare with restic?

Similar guarantees, with packing that behaves better on per operation billing, a desktop interface, and compression enabled by default.

Redstor: Are there restore or egress charges?

Redstor includes storage and recovery in the per-unit price rather than charging separately for egress, which is the opposite of the cloud-native backup vendors.

Kopia: Do I need to run maintenance manually?

It is scheduled automatically by default, but you must ensure the client that owns full maintenance keeps running, otherwise deleted snapshots never free space.

Redstor: Where is data stored?

UK and regional data centres, selectable by tenant, which is the reason UK public sector and legal clients tend to shortlist it.

Kopia: Can several machines share one repository?

Yes, and that is where deduplication pays off, but they should run compatible versions and only one owns full maintenance.

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