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restic

Open-source command-line backup program with encryption and deduplication.

Open sourceSelf-hostableCloud storage and file sync services
Visit resticSee 4 alternatives
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About restic

restic is a command-line backup program that stores encrypted, deduplicated snapshots in a repository on a local disk, SFTP server, REST server or cloud storage such as S3, Backblaze B2, Azure and Google Cloud, with rclone as a bridge to many more. Every backup is a full snapshot that only uploads changed data, and repositories can be checked for integrity and pruned according to retention rules. It is a single static binary that runs on Linux, BSD, macOS and Windows, which makes it popular for servers and scripted backups. restic is free and open source under the BSD 2-clause licence. There is no official graphical interface, so desktop users often pair it with third-party front ends such as Backrest or resticprofile, and you need to set up scheduling yourself. Its stability and careful design have earned it a lot of trust among system administrators.

Best for: Admins and power users scripting reliable encrypted backups.

Pros and cons

What works

  • Single binary, easy to deploy on servers
  • Encrypted, deduplicated snapshots
  • Very stable and well regarded

Why people leave

  • No official GUI
  • You set up scheduling and monitoring yourself
  • Pruning large repositories can be slow

Top restic alternatives

See all 4
  1. 1Kopia logo
    Kopia

    Similar open-source model with a desktop GUI.

    66.5
  2. 2Duplicati logo
    Duplicati

    Open-source backup with a web interface for less technical users.

    62.6
  3. 3rclone logo
    rclone

    Pair with or use instead for plain file sync to cloud storage.

    59.6
  4. 4Arq Backup logo
    Arq Backup

    Graphical paid app for Mac and Windows with similar features.

    57.2

Why people left restic

In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.

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restic: common questions

Is restic free?

Yes. restic is free, open-source software that you can host yourself.

Is restic open source?

Yes. The source code is on GitHub at restic/restic. You can also run it on your own server.

What platforms does restic run on?

restic is available for Windows, macOS, Linux and Self-hosted.

What are the best alternatives to restic?

The highest-ranked restic alternatives right now are Kopia, Duplicati and rclone. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

See all 4 restic alternatives