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Backup · head to head

UrBackup vs Zipkin

UrBackup logo

UrBackup

Backup

Open source client server backup doing both file and whole disk image backups of Windows machines

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zipkin logo

Zipkin

Cloud

Distributed tracing system for microservice latency

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: UrBackup backups are stored on the server without encryption at rest by default, so the backup server holds a readable copy of every machine it protects and becomes the highest value target on the network.; Zipkin less active development and smaller community momentum than Jaeger
  • They diverge on capability: UrBackup covers Windows image backups, Zipkin covers Trace collection and search.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which UrBackup and Zipkin actually diverge.

Attributes where UrBackup and Zipkin differ
AttributeUrBackupZipkin
PlatformsLinux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSDLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted
CategoryBackupCloud

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), 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 UrBackup

  • Windows image backups
  • File backups
  • Web interface
  • Client discovery
  • Internet mode
  • Filesystem deduplication

Only in Zipkin

  • Trace collection and search
  • Dependency diagram
  • Simple deployment
  • Pluggable storage

What people use each for

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

UrBackup

  • A small office with Windows workstations that needs bare metal restore without per seat licensingnot Zipkin
  • Schools and labs where machines are re-imaged often and a known good image must be recoverablenot Zipkin
  • Backing up a mixed fleet to one server on premises with a web interface non specialists can usenot Zipkin
  • Replacing an expiring commercial endpoint backup licence where the budget is the constraintnot Zipkin

Zipkin

  • Adding distributed tracing quickly without standing up heavy infrastructurenot UrBackup
  • Java and Spring Boot estates, where instrumentation support is long-establishednot UrBackup
  • Small deployments where Jaeger is more than the problem requiresnot UrBackup

Where each one falls short

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

UrBackup

  • Backups are stored on the server without encryption at rest by default, so the backup server holds a readable copy of every machine it protects and becomes the highest value target on the network.
  • Deduplication relies on filesystem features such as hard links, btrfs or ZFS, so a server built on the wrong filesystem silently consumes far more space and the fix is a rebuild rather than a setting.
  • There is no native object storage target, so offsite copies mean replicating the server storage with another tool rather than backing up to a bucket directly.
  • Restoring a full Windows image requires booting a restore environment, which is a manual, on site procedure that needs to be rehearsed before the day it is needed.
  • A single server holds everything and there is no built in clustering, so its own failure removes every recovery point at once unless you have separately solved replication.

Zipkin

  • Less active development and smaller community momentum than Jaeger
  • Fewer features: sampling, storage options and UI are all more limited
  • The interface is dated and slower to work with on large trace volumes
  • Tracing alone still leaves metrics and logs in separate tools during an incident

Pricing, plan by plan

UrBackup

Free
  • UrBackupFree
    • Full functionality, unlimited clients
    • File and image backups
    • Web administration interface

Zipkin

Free
  • ZipkinFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose UrBackup if

  • You need windows image backups.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD.
  • You also want file backups.
UrBackup review

Choose Zipkin if

  • You need trace collection and search.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
  • You also want dependency diagram.
Zipkin review

Questions people ask

Is UrBackup or Zipkin better?
Neither clearly leads. UrBackup starts at Free and Zipkin at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, UrBackup or Zipkin?
UrBackup starts at Free and Zipkin at Free.
Does UrBackup or Zipkin run on more platforms?
UrBackup runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD. Zipkin runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
Can I use UrBackup for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is UrBackup best used for?
UrBackup is most often used for a small office with windows workstations that needs bare metal restore without per seat licensing, schools and labs where machines are re-imaged often and a known good image must be recoverable, backing up a mixed fleet to one server on premises with a web interface non specialists can use, replacing an expiring commercial endpoint backup licence where the budget is the constraint. Of those, a small office with windows workstations that needs bare metal restore without per seat licensing and schools and labs where machines are re-imaged often and a known good image must be recoverable are not what Zipkin is typically brought in for.
What can UrBackup do that Zipkin cannot?
UrBackup covers Windows image backups, File backups, Web interface, Client discovery. Zipkin covers Trace collection and search, Dependency diagram, Simple deployment, Pluggable storage.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

UrBackup: Does it back up Linux servers as well?

File backups yes, image backups no. The image path is Windows only through volume shadow copy.

Zipkin: Is Zipkin free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

UrBackup: Is the data encrypted?

Transport can be encrypted, and there is optional client side file encryption, but the default server storage is not encrypted at rest. Use full disk encryption on the server.

Zipkin: Zipkin or Jaeger?

Jaeger has more momentum, more features and CNCF backing. Zipkin is lighter and quicker to stand up, and remains well supported in the Java and Spring ecosystem.

UrBackup: Can I back up to Amazon S3?

Not directly. The server writes to local or mounted storage, so cloud copies are made by replicating that storage separately.

Zipkin: Does Zipkin work with OpenTelemetry?

Yes. OpenTelemetry can export to Zipkin, which is now the usual way to instrument for it.

UrBackup: How many clients can one server handle?

Dozens is routine on decent hardware. The limit is usually storage input and output during overlapping backup windows rather than client count.

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