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Backup · head to head

Kopia vs Rewind

Kopia logo

Kopia

Backup

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Rewind logo

Rewind

Backup

SaaS backup for cloud business applications

From
$29/month
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.; Rewind cannot back up all QuickBooks Online data due to API limitations, excluding company info, exchange rates, and payroll data
  • They diverge on capability: Kopia covers Content defined chunking, Rewind covers Automated backup.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kopia and Rewind actually diverge.

Attributes where Kopia and Rewind differ
AttributeKopiaRewind
Starting priceFree$29/month
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, macOS, Windows, DockerWeb
FoundedUnknown2015

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 Rewind

  • Automated backup
  • One-click restore
  • Version comparison
  • Continuous protection
  • Bulk restore
  • Activity monitoring
  • Shopify
  • BigCommerce

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 Rewind
  • Deduplicating backups of several similar machines into one repository so common content is stored oncenot Rewind
  • Replacing a chunk based tool whose per object charges made a cheap bucket expensivenot Rewind
  • Keeping an encrypted offsite copy where the storage provider must never be able to read the contentsnot Rewind

Rewind

  • Data protectionnot Kopia
  • Disaster recoverynot Kopia
  • Business continuitynot Kopia
  • Ransomware protectionnot Kopia
  • Compliancenot 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.

Rewind

  • Cannot back up all QuickBooks Online data due to API limitations, excluding company info, exchange rates, and payroll data
  • Backup restore speed is slow for large datasets, causing significant delays during critical recovery situations
  • Cannot back up Shopify inventory tracking quantities, weight, measurement, or cost per item

Pricing, plan by plan

Kopia

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

Rewind

$29/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Rewind review.

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 Rewind if

  • You need automated backup.
  • You also want one-click restore.
Rewind review

Questions people ask

Is Kopia or Rewind better?
Neither clearly leads. Kopia starts at Free and Rewind at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kopia or Rewind?
Kopia has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Kopia and $29/month for Rewind.
Does Kopia or Rewind run on more platforms?
Kopia runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker. Rewind runs on Web.
Can I use Kopia for free?
Yes. Kopia has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Rewind starts at $29/month.
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 Rewind is typically brought in for.
What can Kopia do that Rewind cannot?
Kopia covers Content defined chunking, Global deduplication, Pack blobs, Client side encryption. Rewind covers Automated backup, One-click restore, Version comparison, Continuous protection.

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.

Rewind: How long does Rewind keep backup snapshots?

Rewind keeps backup snapshots for 365 days, making them easily accessible for on-demand restores. This provides over a year of recovery options.

Source
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.

Rewind: What SaaS applications does Rewind back up?

Rewind backs up Shopify, BigCommerce, GitHub, Jira, Confluence, QuickBooks Online, Trello, monday.com, Klaviyo, Mailchimp, and Zendesk Suite, among others.

Source
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.

Rewind: Is Rewind compliant with data protection regulations?

Rewind is SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, DORA, HIPAA, and CCPA compliant with AES-256 encryption and role-based access control.

Source
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.

Rewind: Can you restore individual items or only full backups?

Rewind supports granular, item-level recovery understanding parent-child dependencies, allowing you to restore specific files, orders, or customer information without full dataset rollback.

Source
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