Tarsnap backup vs Duplicati - which is the better backup solution?

May 02, 2022

Introduction

As businesses worldwide move to a virtual environment, it's essential to have a reliable cloud backup and recovery solution. Two well-known solutions on the market are Tarsnap backup and Duplicati. But which one is the better backup solution?

In this blog post, we'll compare Tarsnap backup vs Duplicati to give you an unbiased and factual comparison of these two platforms. We hope that by the end, you'll have a better understanding of which backup solution is right for your business.

Backup Performance

The performance of the backup system is a critical factor when choosing a backup solution for your organization. Tarsnap backup and Duplicati differ significantly in their backup performance.

Tarsnap backup is known to be extremely fast, even when dealing with significant amounts of data. The tool uses a deduplication algorithm that reduces the amount of data that needs to be transferred during each backup. As a result, backups run quickly, and the data stored is transmitted efficiently.

On the other hand, Duplicati is slower than Tarsnap backup. It has a slower backup process due to the compression and encryption of the data before it is saved to the backup storage. While the compression and encryption improve security, it has a noticeable effect on the time it takes for backups.

Storage Pricing

When it comes to cloud backup and recovery, storage pricing is a significant consideration since you are effectively paying for the storage of your backup data. Both Tarsnap backup and Duplicati have different pricing structures for their backup storage.

Tarsnap backup uses a pay-as-you-go model, which means that you only pay for the storage you need. The storage price per GB on Tarsnap is $0.250, which many users find affordable.

Duplicati, on the other hand, offers its backup solution for free. However, the storage solution they use - like Amazon S3, Backblaze B2, Microsoft Azure, and Google Drive - charges per GB per month. Users end up paying different storage prices, depending on where they store their backup data.

Restore Time

The time it takes to restore backup data is of great importance when selecting a backup solution. In this case, Tarsnap backup and Duplicati differ significantly.

Tarsnap provides fast restoration times, as it uses a caching system that stores the most recent backup for quick access. Restoring large amounts of data is easy and fast using Tarsnap.

On the other hand, Duplicati has a relatively longer restore process, primarily because of the encryption and compression of the backup data. It's partly why Duplicati's backup process is slower.

Conclusion

Both Tarsnap backup and Duplicati offer their unique advantages and disadvantages. Tarsnap backup is a fast, pay-as-you-go backup solution that offers efficient backup storage, while Duplicati is slower but free.

When it comes to choosing between these solutions, it ultimately comes down to the organization's needs. If speed is a priority, then Tarsnap backup is a great choice. But if cost is the primary concern and you don't mind sacrificing speed, then Duplicati is a solid backup solution.

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