Linode Backup Service vs BorgBackup
A detailed comparison to help you choose between Linode Backup Service and BorgBackup.
Quick Verdict
3.3/5
Linode Backup Service
0 reviews
4.3/5
BorgBackup
0 reviews
BorgBackup is rated higher (4.3 vs 3.3). Linode's managed backup service creates automatic daily, weekly, and biweekly backups of your Linode VPS. Stored for 2 or 4 weeks. Simple restore via Linode dashboard. BorgBackup is a free, open source, deduplicating backup program for Linux/macOS with compression, encryption, and deduplication. Pairs with BorgBase for managed repository hosting. Our long-standing pick for self-hosters.
Linode Backup Service Automatic backups for Linode VPS | BorgBackup Open source deduplicating backup — free self-hosted | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Rating | 3.3 (0 reviews) | 4.3 (0 reviews)✓ |
| Pricing model | paid | free |
| Starting price | From $2/mo | Free✓ |
| Best for | Akamai Cloud (Linode) users wanting a zero-maintenance restore safety net for single instances — especially as one layer alongside off-site storage. | Technical users and self-hosters who want deduplicated, encrypted, versioned backups to storage they control, without per-gigabyte vendor fees |
| Features | ||
| IPv6 | ||
| DDoS protection | ||
| Automated backups | ✓ | |
| Snapshots | ✓ | |
| Managed option | ||
| Bare metal | ||
| GPU available | ||
| S3-compatible | ||
| Hourly billing | ✓ | |
| Free tier | ✓ | |
| Tags | ||
| Tags | backups includedeu datacenterus datacenterapac datacenter | free tieropen sourceself hostable |
| Visit Linode Backup Service → | Visit BorgBackup → | |
Linode Backup Service
Pros
- + Cheap and effortless: from $2/month, one-click enable, no software to install
- + Live full-disk snapshots taken while the instance runs — no downtime
- + Four restore points including a persistent manual snapshot slot
- + Managed via Cloud Manager, Linode CLI, and REST API for fleet scripting
- + Free with Linode Managed ($100/instance/month)
Cons
- - Automated retention capped at 14 days — shallow for compliance or ransomware scenarios
- - Stored in the same data center as the instance — off-host but not off-site
- - Excludes attached Volumes and encrypted disks (unencrypted ext3/ext4 only)
- - Backups are deleted together with the instance; not an archive
- - Not available in distributed compute regions; priced per instance
BorgBackup
Pros
- + Deduplication plus per-repo compression makes repeated backups far cheaper in storage than full-image schemes
- + Authenticated encryption with a documented untrusted-server model; append-only mode defends backup history against compromise
- + Free BSD-licensed software with a decade-long public track record and detailed on-disk format documentation
- + Runs against any filesystem or SSH target — no lock-in, no required vendor
- + Mature companion ecosystem: Borgmatic for config-driven runs, Vorta for desktop GUI, BorgBase for hosted repos
Cons
- - Command-line only with no official GUI; keyfile and retention semantics take real learning
- - No native S3/object-storage repository mode in 1.4.x — cloud-object workflows need rclone-style workarounds
- - File-level tool: consistent database or VM backups need hooks or snapshots; no bare-metal restore agents
- - Support is community-based unless you pay for consulting or a hosting provider's SLA
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