pg_probackup

Free plan LinuxSelf-hostedWindows

What pg_probackup is

pg_probackup is a free utility for managing backups and recovery of PostgreSQL database clusters. It supports full backups and page-level incremental DELTA, PAGE, and PTRACK modes. Recovery options include incremental and partial restores, as well as point-in-time recovery using WAL archives. The utility can check data consistency automatically, validate backups on demand, and verify PostgreSQL instances with checkdb. Retention policies can use recovery time, backup count, or time-to-live; expired backups may be merged or deleted. Backup, restore, merge, delete, validation, and checkdb tasks can run on multiple parallel threads. It can operate with remote PostgreSQL instances and take backups from standby servers. Postgres Pro Enterprise edition supports S3 storage through MinIO, Amazon S3, and VK Cloud. The repository lists compatibility with PostgreSQL 13 through 18. Linux packages are documented and Windows installers are provided. Remote backup over SSH is not supported on Windows, and SSH operations require matching local and remote pg_probackup versions.

Who it suits

It suits PostgreSQL administrators who need configurable backup retention, recovery options, validation, or remote and standby-server operations.

What it does well

Supports full and page-level incremental backups
Offers partial and point-in-time recovery
Retention can be based on time or backup count
Operations can run across multiple threads

What to know first

Remote backup over SSH is unsupported on Windows
SSH operations require matching local and remote versions

Limits

The software license disclaims maintenance, support, updates, and warranties. Remote SSH backup is unavailable on Windows, and SSH operations require matching local and remote versions.

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Community Edition	Backup and recovery utility · PostgreSQL clusters	Free

As github.com lists them, read 30 Sept 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

Open the pg_probackup GitHub repository.
For Linux, follow the documented package installation route.
For Windows, use an installer from the release assets.
Set up pg_probackup for the PostgreSQL cluster you want to protect.
Configure backup, recovery, and retention operations for your needs.

Verdict

pg_probackup offers several backup modes and recovery paths, along with validation and retention controls. Check the Windows SSH restriction and version-matching requirement before planning remote operations.

Questions

How much does pg_probackup cost?

The Community Edition is listed as free.

Which databases does it support?

Listed databases are PostgreSQL, Postgres Pro Standard, Postgres Pro Enterprise, and Postgres Pro Shardman.

Which PostgreSQL versions are compatible?

The repository lists PostgreSQL versions 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18.

Does it support point-in-time recovery?

Yes. Point-in-time recovery uses WAL archives.

Can it store backups in S3?

Postgres Pro Enterprise edition supports S3 storage through MinIO, Amazon S3, and VK Cloud.

What platforms can I install it on?

The listed platforms are Linux, self-hosted, and Windows. Linux packages are documented, and Windows installers are available in release assets.

Facts from pg_probackup's own pages

Backup modes: It supports full backups and page-level incremental DELTA, PAGE, and PTRACK backups. · postgrespro.github.io, 30 Sept 2026
Cloud storage: The Postgres Pro Enterprise edition supports S3 storage through MinIO, Amazon S3, and VK Cloud, transferring backup data without intermediate storage. · postgrespro.com, 30 Sept 2026
Installation: Windows installers are provided in release assets and Linux installation packages are documented. · github.com, 30 Sept 2026
License: The software may be used, copied, modified, and distributed for any purpose without fee, while the license disclaims maintenance, support, updates, and warranties. · github.com, 30 Sept 2026
Notable limits: Remote backup through SSH is not supported on Windows, and remote and local pg_probackup versions must match for SSH operations. · github.com, 30 Sept 2026
Parallelization: Backup, restore, merge, delete, validate, and checkdb operations can run on multiple parallel threads. · postgrespro.github.io, 30 Sept 2026
PostgreSQL compatibility: The repository states compatibility with PostgreSQL 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18. · github.com, 30 Sept 2026
Purpose: pg_probackup manages backup and recovery of PostgreSQL database clusters. · github.com, 30 Sept 2026
Recovery: It supports incremental restore, partial restore, and point-in-time recovery using WAL archives. · postgrespro.github.io, 30 Sept 2026
Remote operations: The utility supports backing up or restoring PostgreSQL instances on remote systems. · postgrespro.github.io, 30 Sept 2026
Retention: Retention policies can be based on recovery time, backup count, or a backup time-to-live value, with expired backups merged or deleted. · postgrespro.github.io, 30 Sept 2026
Standby backups: Backups can be taken from a standby server to avoid extra load on the master. · github.com, 30 Sept 2026
Support: Postgres Professional offers 24x7x365 technical support for Postgres Pro, including Tier 2 and Tier 3 assistance. · postgrespro.com, 30 Sept 2026
Validation: It provides automatic data consistency checks, on-demand backup validation, and PostgreSQL instance verification with checkdb. · postgrespro.github.io, 30 Sept 2026

Where pg_probackup stands on Freedom251

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