Duplicati vs Restic: Which Backup Tool to Self-Host?

Quick Verdict

Restic is the better choice for most self-hosters who are comfortable with the command line. It’s faster, more reliable, and has better deduplication. Duplicati is better if you need a web UI for configuring backups or prefer a point-and-click interface over writing scripts.

Overview

Duplicati is a backup tool with a web-based UI that supports 25+ backup destinations. Restic is a command-line backup tool that prioritizes speed, simplicity, and reliability. Both encrypt backups by default and support incremental backups with deduplication.

Feature Comparison

Feature	Duplicati	Restic
Interface	Web UI	Command line
Docker deployment	Yes (LSIO image)	Not typical (CLI tool)
Backup destinations	25+ (S3, B2, SFTP, Google Drive, etc.)	15+ (S3, B2, SFTP, REST, etc.)
Encryption	AES-256	AES-256 (always on)
Deduplication	Block-level	Content-defined chunking (superior)
Incremental backups	Yes	Yes (snapshot-based)
Backup scheduling	Built-in (web UI)	External (cron/systemd timer)
Backup verification	Yes (built-in)	Yes (restic check)
Restore granularity	File/folder level	File/folder level
Mount backups	No	Yes (restic mount via FUSE)
Compression	Yes (built-in)	Yes (zstd, since v0.16)
Speed	Moderate	Fast
Reliability	Good (some reported DB corruption)	Excellent
RAM usage	~200-500 MB	~100-500 MB (varies with repo size)
Community	Active	Very active
Maturity	Stable (but “beta” since 2016)	Stable (v0.18.x)

Installation Complexity

Duplicati runs as a Docker container via the LinuxServer.io image (lscr.io/linuxserver/duplicati:v2.2.0.3). The web UI at port 8200 handles everything — selecting sources, choosing a destination, setting a schedule, configuring encryption. No command line needed.

Restic is a CLI tool — you install it with apt install restic or use the official Docker image for one-off runs. Backups are configured by writing scripts and scheduling them with cron or systemd timers. There’s no web UI.

For users who prefer GUIs, Duplicati is significantly easier to set up. For users who prefer scripts, Restic is simpler and more predictable.

Performance and Resource Usage

Restic is faster for both backup and restore operations, largely due to its superior deduplication algorithm (content-defined chunking). It processes changes more efficiently and uses less network bandwidth for incremental backups.

Duplicati’s deduplication is block-level, which works well but isn’t as efficient as Restic’s approach for large file changes.

Both can be memory-hungry when processing large backup sets, but Restic generally uses less memory for equivalent workloads.

Community and Support

Both have active communities. Restic has more GitHub stars, more frequent releases, and is more commonly recommended in self-hosting communities. Duplicati has been in “beta” since 2016, which concerns some users despite it being widely used in production.

Use Cases

Choose Duplicati If…

• You want a web UI for backup management
• You prefer point-and-click over command line
• You need backup scheduling without writing cron jobs
• You want a Docker-native backup solution
• You’re backing up to Google Drive, OneDrive, or other consumer cloud storage

Choose Restic If…

• You’re comfortable with the command line
• You want the fastest backup/restore performance
• You need to mount and browse backups (FUSE mount)
• Reliability is your top priority
• You’re backing up to S3, B2, or SFTP
• You want to integrate backups into existing automation scripts

Final Verdict

Restic wins for reliability and performance. Its deduplication is superior, restores are faster, and the FUSE mount feature for browsing backups is genuinely useful. If you can write a backup script, Restic is the better tool.

Duplicati wins for accessibility. The web UI lowers the barrier to entry significantly. If you want backups running without touching the command line, Duplicati delivers.

Consider also: Borgmatic wraps BorgBackup (Restic’s main competitor) with a YAML config file and Docker support, offering a middle ground between Restic’s bare CLI and Duplicati’s full GUI.

Related

• How to Self-Host Duplicati
• How to Self-Host Restic
• How to Self-Host Borgmatic
• Duplicati vs Borgmatic
• Borgmatic vs Restic
• Best Self-Hosted Backup Tools
• Backup Strategy (3-2-1 Rule)