Restic vs. Borg: A Comparison of Backup Solutions

When it comes to backing up your data you have options to choose from. Two used tools are Restic and Borg. While both tools aim to provide secure backups they do have some differences. In this article we will closely examine Restic, vs. Borg by comparing their features and performance. This will help you determine the backup tool for your specific needs.

Before delving into specifics lets briefly explore what Borg and Restic are. Both are command line tools that utilize deduplication and encryption techniques to ensure backups. Borg was initially released in 2015 while Restic came out in 2016. Both tools are source and freely available.

Both Borg and Restic offer a range of features that contribute to their popularity as solutions. Some of the features of Borg include compression, encryption and deduplication capabilities. On the hand Restic provides features such as backups, encryption support and compatibility, with various backends. Understanding these characteristics is crucial when deciding which tool aligns best with your requirements.

Key Takeaways

• Borg and Restic are two used command line tools that prioritize secure backups through deduplication and encryption.
• While Borg offers compression, encryption and deduplication Restic stands out with its support, for backups, encryption and a wide range of backends.
• When deciding between Borg and Restic it’s important to consider the specific features and performance of each tool to determine which one best suits your needs.

Understanding Borg and Restic

When it comes to selecting a solution two popular choices are Borg and Restic. Both tools are open source options that offer features like encryption, compression and deduplication. However there are some distinctions between them that may influence your decision.

One notable difference between Borg and Restic lies in their approach to repositories. With Borg each user has their repository for backups. This can potentially lead to data duplication across repositories. On the hand Restic takes a shared repository approach where a group of users shares an S3 bucket. While this approach allows for storage space utilization in Restic it may not be ideal for larger organizations with numerous users.

Another aspect where Borg and Restic differ is, in terms of performance. Some users have shared their experiences stating that Borg can be faster, than Restic for both incremental backups. However there are also reports from others suggesting the opposite. It’s important to remember that performance can vary depending on factors like your hardware and the size of your backups.

To provide you with an understanding of the difference between Borg and Restic we have prepared a comparison table;

Feature	Borg	Restic
Backup repositories	Each user has a dedicated repository	Shared repository approach
Deduplication	Yes	Yes
Compression	Yes	Yes
Encryption	Yes	Yes
Performance	Can be faster for some users	Can be faster for some users
Ease of use	Command-line interface	Command-line interface
Community support	Active community	Active community

Ultimately the decision between Borg and Restic comes down to your needs and preferences. Both tools are reliable and offer features so it’s advantageous to try out both options to determine which one suits you best.

Key Features

When comparing Restic and Borg it is crucial to consider their features. Below we will delve into each feature. Compare how each backup solution handles them.

Backup and Restore

Both Restic and Borg offer backup and restore functionality. Restic adopts a “model where each backup represents a snapshot of the data. On the other hand Borg follows a “model where only changes since the last backup are stored. This means that while Borg backups tend to be smaller in size and faster in execution Restic backups may provide resilience, against corruption.

Deduplication and Compression

Both Restic and Borg utilize data deduplication and compression techniques to reduce storage utilization.

Restic employs Zlib. Deduplication techniques to optimize storage in a shared repository whereas Borg uses lz4 compression and deduplication, within backup repositories. Borgs approach maximizes storage efficiency while Restics approach offers performance and easier management.

Encryption and Security

When it comes to encryption and security both Restic and Borg provide support for backups. Offer various security features. Restic utilizes AES 256 encryption, enabling both backups. On the hand Borg uses authenticated encryption for encrypted backups. Both solutions integrate with SSH, S3, rclone and cloud storage providers. Additionally Borg supports rsync.net for backups.

Repository Management

In terms of repository management strategies Restic follows a shared repository model that allows multiple users to access the repository. In contrast Borg adopts a repository model where each user has their separate repository. This means that Restic is more suitable for teams with shared backup requirements as it facilitates management. However Borg provides control and security for users.

Support for Different Storage Options

Restic and Borg offer support for various storage options such, as local storage, remote storage, S3 integration and cloud storage providers. Moreover Restic includes Backblaze B2 compatibility while Borg supports rsync.net.

Restic also provides support, for cloud storage providers like Google Cloud Storage, Microsoft Azure and others.

Incremental Backup

As mentioned before Borg follows a model where only the changes since the last backup are stored. Restic also allows for backups although it is not the default behavior. Borgs approach can lead to quicker backups while Restics approach offers flexibility in scheduling backups.

Performance

Both Restic and Borg are designed to be efficient and fast. They differ in their approaches to optimizing performance. Restic is optimized for low memory usage. Can be faster for backups. On the hand Borg is optimized for CPU usage. Can be faster for larger backups. Additionally Restic includes a cache feature that improves performance when accessing used data.

Operating Systems and File Systems

Both Restic and Borg are compatible with operating systems and file systems. Restic supports Windows, macOS, Linux and FreeBSD while Borg supports Unix operating systems. Both solutions also work with file systems such, as NTFS, ext4 and ZFS.

GUI and Command Line Interface

While both Restic and Borg provide a command line interface (CLI) Restic goes a step further by offering a web based GUI called Restic Web.

Borg may not have a graphical user interface (GUI). It does provide integration, with Borgmatic, a tool that simplifies backup setup and management.

Memory and Local Cache

Regarding memory usage and local cache Restic is designed to optimize memory consumption and includes a cache feature. On the hand Borg doesn’t have a built in cache feature but still utilizes less RAM than Restic when backing up large amounts of data.

Additional Features

In terms of features, both Restic and Borg offer options. They support snapshots, replication and static binary builds. Restic also provides support for SFTP and HTTP protocols while Borg offers support for zlib compression and a versatile command line interface.

Feature	Restic	Borg
Backup Model	Snapshot	Incremental
Deduplication	Across all backups in shared repository	Within each backup repository
Compression	zlib	lz4
Encryption	AES-256	Authenticated encryption
Repository Management	Shared repository	Dedicated repository
Storage Options	S3, cloud storage providers, Backblaze B2	S3, cloud storage providers, rsync.net
Incremental Backup	Yes	Yes
Performance	Low memory usage	CPU usage
Operating Systems	Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD	Unix-like
GUI	Restic-Web	None
Memory	Local cache feature	Less RAM usage
Additional Features	SFTP, HTTP	zlib compression, more flexible CLI

Considering everything mentioned above both Restic and Borg offer backup solutions with their strengths and weaknesses. Choosing the option depends on your backup requirements and preferences.

Comparing Borg and Restic

When it comes to data backup solutions, Borg and Restic are two popular options. Both are open-source, offer encryption and support incremental backup. In this section, we will compare Borg and Restic in terms of backup performance, security, features, and more.

Performance

When comparing Borg to Restic as data backup solutions they are both choices among users. They are source provide encryption capabilities and support backups. In this section we will delve deeper into comparing Borg and Restic in terms of performance security features, available functionalities, etc.

Security

Performance wise, both Borg and Restic deliver fast backup speeds; however generally speaking Borg tends to be faster, than Restic. According to a test conducted by Hostinger Restics time was around 111.517 seconds while Borg took approximately 211.332 seconds. The faster speed of Borg ensures backups making it a preferable choice, for backups.

Features

In terms of security, both Borg and Restic provide encryption for data. However Borg offers security features such as HMAC SHA256 message authentication and AES 256 encryption in CTR mode. On the hand Restic uses AES 256 encryption in GCM mode. Although both options offer encryption Borgs additional security features make it a better choice for those who prioritize security.

Regarding features, both Borg and Restic offer a variety of functionalities to simplify data backup and restoration processes. Borg includes features like data compression and deduplication within the repository the ability to mount backups in directories and support for S3, SSH and rclone. Similarly Restic also provides features such as compression, encryption capabilities and support for storage backends.

However Borg goes further with functionalities, like backup pruning that allows removing old backups to free up storage space. Additionally Borg offers a tool which automates tasks.

Restic however doesn’t have these capabilities making it a preferable choice, for those who prefer a backup solution.

Size of the Backup Repository

Both Borg and Restic utilize repositories to store backup data. Borgs repository size is generally smaller than that of Restic because it uses zlib compression. On the hand Restic uses a binary and doesn’t require any additional dependencies making it easier to use across various operating systems.

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

Neither Borg nor Restic comes with a graphical user interface (GUI). However Borg offers third party tools like Borgweb and Vorta that provide GUIs for management. In contrast Restic lacks third party tools, which may make it less suitable for those who prefer a GUI.

In summary both Borg and Restic are backup solutions. Differ in terms of performance security features, repository size and GUI availability. The better fit, between the two depends on your needs.

Choosing Between Borg and Restic

When deciding between Borg and Restic for data backup purposes there are factors to consider. Each backup solution has its strengths and weaknesses; ultimately your choice should be based on your requirements and preferences.

There are differences, between Borg and Restic when it comes to how they approach creating backups. Borg achieves this by taking a snapshot of the file system while Restic utilizes a deduplication algorithm for creation. As a result Borg backups can be quicker to generate. Might consume disk space compared to Restic backups.

Another crucial aspect to consider is the security of your backups. Both Borg and Restic employ encryption measures to safeguard your data; however their encryption methods differ. Borg relies on a passphrase for encryption whereas Restic combines a file and passphrase. Consequently Borg backups may be more susceptible to brute force attacks whereas Restic backups tend to offer security.

In terms of performance certain tests have indicated that Restic tends to outperform Borg in terms of speed. However it is worth noting that by tuning settings such as adjusting the compression level Borgs performance can be improved.

To assist you in making a decision between these two options we have compiled a comparison table highlighting some features of both Borg and Restic.

Feature	Borg	Restic
Backup Creation	Snapshot of file system	Deduplication algorithm
Encryption	Passphrase	Key file and passphrase
Performance	This can be improved by tweaking the settings	Generally faster
Usability	Command-line interface	Command-line interface and web interface
Community Support	Active community	Active community

Ultimately the choice, between using Borg or Restic boils down to your needs and preferences. Each backup solution has its strengths and weaknesses that should be carefully considered before reaching a decision.

Conclusion

After comparing Restic and Borg we have discovered that both backup solutions possess their strengths and weaknesses. Ultimately the decision, between Restic and Borg will rely on your backup requirements.

Here is a side by side comparison of Restic and Borg;

Feature	Restic	Borg
Compression	Yes	Yes
Deduplication	Yes	Yes
Encryption	Yes	Optional
Memory usage	High	Low
Server-side code	No	Yes

If you are in need of encryption, for your backups and prefer a user backup solution Restic is a choice. Additionally offers compressed backups, which can effectively conserve disk space and enhance speed.

Alternatively if you have limited memory resources and seek a backup solution Borg proves to be a superior option. Furthermore Borg allows the flexibility of opting for no encryption, which can be advantageous if protecting your backups is not essential.

Both Restic and Borg are solutions that can effectively safeguard your data. Nevertheless it is crucial to consider your backup requirements before making a decision. We recommend evaluating both solutions to ascertain which one aligns best with your needs.

In summary when it comes to choosing between Restic and Borg there isn’t a cut winner. The ultimate choice depends entirely on your backup demands. We advise assessing both options before making a decision based on what suits you best.