Time Machine Alternatives for Linux

Time Machine is not available for Linux but there are plenty of alternatives that runs on Linux with similar functionality. The best Linux alternative is Duplicati, which is both free and Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 50 alternatives to Time Machine and many of them are available for Linux so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Linux alternatives to Time Machine are TimeShift, Restic, Déjà Dup and UrBackup.

Time Machine iconTime Machine
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Time Machine is the breakthrough automatic backup that’s built right into Mac OS X. It keeps an up-to-date copy of...

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Time Machine alternatives page was last updated Jul 17, 2023
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  1. Duplicati icon

    Duplicati

     345 likes
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    Duplicati stores encrypted, incremental backups with AES-256 encryption and GPG, compatible with Windows, Linux, MacOS. Supports cloud services like OneDrive, Google Drive, and includes a built-in scheduler, auto-updater. Run backups through a web interface or command line.

    132 Duplicati alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • DK flagDenmark
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    Duplicati screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Incremental Backup
    2.  Schedule Backup
    3.  Automatic Backup
    4.  Encrypted Backup
    5.  Data deduplication
    6.  File Versioning
    7.  Ad-free
    8.  Scheduling
    9.  Local Storage
    10.  Cloud Sync
    11.  Guided configuration
    12.  AES-256 Encryption

    Duplicati VS Time Machine

     
    Comments about Duplicati as an Alternative to Time Machine
    Guest
    Positive Sep 20, 2020
    2

    Only backs up the changes instead of the whole file, just like Time Machine.

    Guest
    Negative Mar 6, 2020
    -15

    because it saves the whole backup every time, not just the changes like time machine does

    Time Machine Icon
    Duplicati icon

    • Most users think Duplicati is a great Time Machine alternative.

    • Duplicati is the most popular Windows, Mac & Linux alternative to Time Machine.

    • Duplicati is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Time Machine.

    • Duplicati is Freemium and Open SourceTime Machine is Free and Proprietary
    • Duplicati is Privacy focusedTime Machine is not according to our users
  2. TimeShift icon

    TimeShift

     69 likes
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    TimeShift for Linux is an application that provides functionality similar to the System Restore feature in Windows and Time Machine tool in Mac OS. TimeShift protects your system by taking incremental snapshots of file system at regular intervals.

    30 TimeShift alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • IE flagIreland
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Linux
    TimeShift screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Incremental Backup
    2.  Support for BTRFS
    3.  Schedule Backup
    4.  Ad-free
    5.  No registration required
    6.  No Tracking
    7.  Works Offline
    8.  Differential Backup

    TimeShift VS Time Machine

     
    Comments about TimeShift as an Alternative to Time Machine
    Paul
    Positive Jul 17, 2023
    0

    Great piece of software to take snapshots of your system and easily restore it.

    Time Machine Icon
    TimeShift icon

    • Most users think TimeShift is a great Time Machine alternative.

    • TimeShift is Free and Open SourceTime Machine is Free and Proprietary
    • TimeShift is LightweightTime Machine is not according to our users
  4. Restic icon

    Restic

     63 likes
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    restic is a program that does backups right. The design goals are: Easy, Fast, Verifiable, Secure, Efficient, Free.

    57 Restic alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Arch Linux
    • FreeBSD
    • OpenBSD
    Restic screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Encrypted Backup
    2.  Data deduplication
    3.  Incremental Backup
    4.  Remote backup
    5.  Command line interface
    6.  Data Compression
    7.  Schedule Backup
    8.  Works Offline
    9.  Portable
    10.  File Versioning
    11.  Ad-free

    Restic VS Time Machine

     
  5. Déjà Dup icon

    Déjà Dup

     77 likes
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    Déjà Dup is a simple backup tool. It hides the complexity of doing backups the Right Way (encrypted, off-site, and regularly) and uses Duplicity as the backend.

    89 Déjà Dup alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • GNOME
    Déjà Dup screenshot 1

    Déjà Dup Features

    1.  Encrypted Backup
    2.  Schedule Backup
    3.  Incremental Backup
    4.  Remote backup
    5.  Ad-free
    6.  Works Offline
    7.  Selective Synchronization

    Déjà Dup VS Time Machine

     
  6. UrBackup icon

    UrBackup

     38 likes
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    UrBackup is a open source client/server backup system, that through a combination of image and file backups accomplishes both data safety and a fast restoration time.

    45 UrBackup alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • FreeBSD
    UrBackup screenshot 1

    UrBackup Features

    1.  Automatic Backup
    2.  Schedule Backup
    3.  Incremental Backup
    4.  Encrypted Backup
    5.  Multiuser mode support

    UrBackup VS Time Machine

     
  7. Back In Time icon

    Back In Time

     50 likes
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    Back In Time is a simple backup tool for Linux, inspired by "FlyBack project".

    54 Back In Time alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Linux
    Back In Time screenshot 1

    Back In Time Features

    1.  Incremental Backup
    2.  Schedule Backup
    3.  Time-machine

    Back In Time VS Time Machine

     
  9. Veeam Agent icon

    Veeam Agent

     21 likes
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    Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows and Veeam Agent for Linux work with Veeam Availability Suite to deliver Availability for ALL workloads — virtual, physical and cloud — from a single management console, extending Veeam’s leadership position from being the best for VMware vSphere...

    44 Veeam Agent alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • CH flagSwitzerland

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    Status page

    Veeam Agent Features

    1.  Incremental Backup
    2.  NTFS Partition Recovery
    3.  Encrypted Backup
    4.  Barmetal backup

    Veeam Agent VS Time Machine

     
  10. Duplicacy icon

    Duplicacy

     15 likes
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    Duplicacy is a new generation local and cloud backup tool that supports cross-computer deduplication. It is free for personal use and source code is available to commercial users.

    License model

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Duplicacy screenshot 1

    Duplicacy Features

    1. Microsoft OneDrive icon  Onedrive integration
    2.  Cloud based
    3.  Incremental Backup
    4.  Data deduplication

    Duplicacy VS Time Machine

     
  11. Time Machine for Linux icon

    Time Machine for Linux

     4 likes
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    Use Time Machine to automatically back up your personal data, including apps, music, photos and documents. Having a backup allows you to recover files that you later delete or can't access.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Linux
    Time Machine for Linux screenshot 1

    Time Machine for Linux Features

    1.  Automatic Backup
    2.  Schedule Backup
    3.  Incremental Backup

    Time Machine for Linux VS Time Machine

     
  12. ShadowProtect icon

    ShadowProtect

     16 likes
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    Fast and reliable disk-based backup that captures full, differential and incremental point-in-time backup images of your entire system. This includes the operating system, applications, configuration settings and data.

    License model

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    ShadowProtect screenshot 1

    ShadowProtect Features

    1.  VirtualBoot technology

    ShadowProtect VS Time Machine

     
10 of 36 Time Machine alternatives