File Storage & Backup · head to head
TrueNAS vs Duplicati
TrueNAS
File Storage & Backup
Open-source ZFS storage operating system for network-attached storage
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Duplicati
File Storage & Backup
Free open-source backup with encryption
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: TrueNAS requires self-hosting on x86 hardware, no managed cloud offering; organisations must provision, configure, and maintain their own infrastructure; Duplicati no managed service or commercial support
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which TrueNAS and Duplicati actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (File Storage & 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 TrueNAS
Nothing recorded that Duplicati does not also cover.
Only in Duplicati
- AES-256 encryption
- Incremental backup
- Deduplication
- Multiple cloud backends
- Compression
- Web interface
- AWS S3
- Azure
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
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
Duplicati
- Data protectionnot TrueNAS
- Disaster recoverynot TrueNAS
- Business continuitynot TrueNAS
- Ransomware protectionnot TrueNAS
- Compliancenot TrueNAS
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Duplicati
- No managed service or commercial support
- Relies on community support
- No enterprise features
Pricing, plan by plan
TrueNAS
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the TrueNAS review.
Duplicati
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Duplicati review.
Which should you pick?
Choose TrueNAS if
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Self-hosted, Linux, Web, API.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is TrueNAS or Duplicati better?
- Neither clearly leads. TrueNAS starts at Free and Duplicati at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, TrueNAS or Duplicati?
- TrueNAS starts at Free and Duplicati at Free.
- Does TrueNAS or Duplicati run on more platforms?
- TrueNAS runs on Self-hosted, Linux, Web, API. Duplicati runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
- Can I use TrueNAS for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is TrueNAS best used for?
- TrueNAS is most often used for on-premises backup and archival storage for enterprises, home lab and small business network-attached storage, media server storage for video, photo, and document libraries, disaster recovery and business continuity replication. Of those, on-premises backup and archival storage for enterprises and home lab and small business network-attached storage are not what Duplicati is typically brought in for.
- What can TrueNAS do that Duplicati cannot?
- Duplicati covers AES-256 encryption, Incremental backup, Deduplication, Multiple cloud backends.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
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.
SourceDuplicati: Is Duplicati free?
Yes. Duplicati is completely free and open-source under the LGPL license. There are no premium tiers, trials, or limitations.
SourceTrueNAS: 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.
SourceDuplicati: 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.
SourceTrueNAS: 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.
SourceDuplicati: 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