Duplicati

Duplicati is backup software for computers, servers, cloud services, and storage you choose. It suits people and organizations managing varied sources across multiple destinations, especially those who want centralized policies. Its breadth and endpoint capacity are strong; the free plan’s monitoring caps and paid plans’ annual terms call for a careful fit check.

Overview

Duplicati brings backups from desktops, laptops, local servers, NAS devices, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and S3 buckets under one console. Destinations include S3, WebDAV, SFTP, and local hardware, while cloud data can also be archived to an on-premises SAN or private S3 cluster. That flexibility is valuable in mixed environments, but customers using their own storage must also plan and manage that storage themselves.

Data is encrypted locally with AES-256 before it reaches a network or cloud destination. Transfers send only changed blocks, which can reduce network congestion and cloud egress costs. Retention rules can delete older backups or keep a chosen number, giving administrators a way to manage backup history rather than let it grow unchecked.

Key features

• Centralized administration: Create backup configurations once and push them to multiple clients. Global administrators can delegate local management to regional IT staff, and sub-organizations can isolate clients under one subscription. This structure suits distributed teams better than a single-machine utility.
• Local and cloud coverage: Back up local machines to network-attached storage through SFTP or SMB, or route cloud data to local archives. The range makes Duplicati useful where systems and storage are split across locations.
• Changed-block transfers and retention: Sending only changed blocks helps limit recurring transfer volume; retention rules can remove old backups or preserve a specified count. These controls are practical for managing ongoing backups, though they do not replace choosing suitable storage capacity.
• Capacity and security: One subscription supports unlimited clients and endpoints. Local AES-256 encryption protects data before transmission, while ransomware protection is included.

Pricing

Duplicati is freemium. The Free plan costs nothing and is always free. It includes an insights dashboard, monitoring for up to 2 machines, and access to the last 200 backups. That is a useful starting point for a small setup, but the caps make it a poor fit for teams that need broader monitoring or longer history.

Pro costs $2 a month with annual billing. It supports up to 100 machines and includes 3 year monitoring retention and 100 GB storage per machine. The low monthly figure is paired with an annual commitment, and the machine and storage allowances matter for larger deployments. Pro adds alerts, AI analysis, remote management, retention, storage, and priority support.

Enterprise costs $3 a month, billed yearly under a yearly contract, with a minimum of 10 machines; contact sales. It adds organization management, configuration assistance, SSO with MFA, agent deployment, and credential management. This is the more relevant tier for organizations needing centralized identity and deployment controls, but the minimum and contract terms rule it out for small setups.

Additional storage using Duplicati integrated storage costs $0.60 a month, billed yearly, per additional 100 GB. Microsoft 365 backup costs $0.50 a month, billed yearly, per Office 365 user; it covers mailbox, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams chat and files, with restoration locally or to the tenant. Google Workspace backup is also $0.50 a month, billed yearly, per workspace user, covering Gmail, Drive, contacts, and calendar with restoration locally or to the tenant. These per-unit charges should be included when estimating the cost of expanded storage or workspace coverage.

Platforms

Duplicati supports Windows, macOS, and Linux, covering the main desktop and server operating systems in mixed environments.

Who it's for

Duplicati is a strong candidate for teams that back up a mix of endpoints, servers, cloud accounts, and storage targets, and want policies administered centrally. Regional delegation and sub-organizations make it particularly suitable for multi-site administration. Individuals can also use Pro, but those needing only a couple of monitored machines may find the free plan adequate, while anyone unwilling to manage their own storage should weigh the included integrated-storage allowances and added-storage charges.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Wide source and destination coverage supports mixed environments without locking backups to one storage type.
• Pro: Local AES-256 encryption and changed-block transfers address transmission security and recurring data movement.
• Pro: Unlimited endpoint capacity per subscription and centralized policies support broad deployments.
• Con: Free monitoring stops at 2 machines and the last 200 backups, limiting its usefulness for larger or longer-running operations.
• Con: Pro is billed annually, while Enterprise requires a yearly contract and at least 10 machines.
• Con: Storage is not bundled without limits; integrated storage beyond the included allowance has a separate yearly-billed charge.

Alternatives

Browse backup software and NAS backup software for more options by category. For a storage-focused category, see cloud backup services.

IDrive is worth comparing if mobile support or a free trial matters: it supports Android and iOS as well as desktop platforms, and its IDrive Mini plan costs $0.25 a month billed monthly for 100 GB and one user.

MSP360 Backup may suit a personal workstation user looking for file- and image-based backup with forum support on a free plan, or macOS/Linux users considering its $19.99 a year Pro plan.

Vinchin Backup & Recovery offers a permanent free edition protecting up to 3 virtual machines, a better-defined starting point for that specific workload.

VM Backup is a relevant comparison for users seeking a free edition limited to 2 VMs per host or a 30-day fully featured trial.

EaseUS Todo Backup is a Windows and macOS alternative whose free plan covers file, system, disk, and partition backup and recovery.

Bareos is another freemium option to compare.

Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows may fit a Windows user needing one free backup job targeted at a local drive, network shared folder, or Veeam backup.

AOMEI Backupper offers a perpetually free Windows PC backup plan for users whose needs are narrower than Duplicati’s mixed-platform coverage.

Verdict

Choose Duplicati if you need centralized backup across different systems and destinations, with local encryption and controls for recurring transfers and retention. Its unlimited endpoint capacity is compelling for broad deployments, but the free monitoring caps and annual paid-plan terms make it less suitable for small users who need longer history or buyers who want storage costs fully bundled.