restic
restic is a free, open-source program for backing up files on Linux, BSD, macOS, and Windows.
What restic is
restic is a free, open-source program for backing up files on Linux, BSD, macOS, and Windows. It runs as a single executable, without requiring a server or complex setup, and transfers only the changed parts of files in later backups. Repositories can be stored locally or with backends including SFTP, Amazon S3, Backblaze B2, Azure Blob Storage, Google Cloud Storage, and rclone, among others. restic can restore snapshots and check repository metadata or the integrity of stored data. A repository requires a password, and the program supports managing multiple keys for one repository; if the password is lost, the stored data cannot be accessed. Its official binaries are reproducibly built and can be checked with SHA-256 checksums and a PGP signature. The listed scope is computer file backup and file restoration. restic does not provide mobile backup or ransomware protection.
Good
- Free and open source under the BSD 2-Clause License
- Runs as a single executable without a server
- Transfers only changed parts of backed-up files
- Supports multiple storage backends
- Can restore snapshots and check data integrity
Watch out
- No mobile backup
- No ransomware protection
- Losing the repository password prevents access to stored data
Who it suits
restic suits people who want free, open-source file backup on Linux, BSD, macOS, or Windows and can manage a repository password. Its standalone operation may suit users who do not want a server or complex setup.
Verdict
restic offers file backup and restoration across several desktop operating systems, with incremental transfers and a range of storage backends. Users should keep the repository password safe and note that mobile backup and ransomware protection are not included.
Plans and prices
From restic's own pricing page, checked 21 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Entirely free to use · no paid tiers stated · storage-provider charges are separate |
| restic | Free | No price or usage limits stated · Free to use; no charge stated |
The facts
Each one read from restic's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Backup scope
- filechecked 20 Sep 2026
- Computer backup
- Yeschecked 20 Sep 2026
- Cryptography
- The repository format uses AES-256-CTR encryption with Poly1305-AES authentication for encrypted data.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Deduplication
- Identical content is stored once across files and snapshots, reducing repeated storage and uploads.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Documentation depth
- The manual covers installation, every major backend, backup selection, snapshots, integrity checks, tuning, restore, pruning, encryption, scripting, troubleshooting, design and developer information.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Encryption
- Repository data is encrypted on the client before it is sent to the storage backend.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Encryption keys
- A repository requires a password, and multiple keys can be managed for one repository.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Incremental transfer
- After the first backup, restic transfers only file parts that changed.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Incremental transfers
- Restic transfers only the parts of backed-up files that changed.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Installation
- Official instructions provide reproducible binaries plus package instructions for Alpine, Arch, Debian, Fedora, Gentoo, macOS, Nix and Windows tooling.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Integrity checking
- The documentation provides repository checks and a full data-read check to validate stored data.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Licence
- restic is open source under the BSD 2-Clause License.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Limit: command line only
- Independent reviewers repeatedly identify the lack of a built-in graphical or web interface as a drawback for users who do not want CLI workflows.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Limit: external scheduling
- restic has no built-in scheduler, so recurring jobs normally require cron, systemd timers or another external runner.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Limit: file-level scope
- It is not a VM image backup, application-aware live-database backup or dataset replication system; databases generally need dumps first.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Limit: password recovery
- If the repository password is lost, the encrypted backup cannot be recovered and the project offers no password reset path.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Limit: pruning downtime
- Pruning can take substantial time, locks the repository and prevents backups from completing while it runs.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Mobile backup
- Nochecked 20 Sep 2026
- Official binaries
- The project says its official binaries are built reproducibly and can be checked using SHA-256 checksums and a PGP signature.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Open source
- Restic is entirely free to use and completely open source under the BSD 2-Clause License.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Operating systems
- The project supports Linux, BSD systems, macOS and Windows.checked 21 Oct 2026
- Password limitation
- The manual warns that losing the repository password means the stored data cannot be accessed.checked 11 Oct 2026
The company
- Company status
- A company-intelligence profile reports no commercial corporate entity, funding rounds or software-sales revenue for restic; it characterizes the project as community-driven open source.checked 21 Oct 2026
Money
- Free plan
- Yeschecked 20 Sep 2026
Alternatives to restic
- 1
HTTPie
Free planOpen sourceWebLinuxmacOSWindows8.3From $10 a month - 2
rclone
Free planAndroidWebAPILinux7.6Free plan - 3
Supabase
Free planAndroidiOSWebAPI7.6From $25 a month - 4
GitHub CodeQL
Free planWebExtensionLinuxmacOS7.5From $30 a month - 5
Pulumi
Free planWebAPILinuxmacOS7.4From $40 a month - 6
jq
Free planWebLinuxmacOSSelf-hosted7.2Free plan