Time Machine vs rdiff-backup

Struggling to choose between Time Machine and rdiff-backup? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Time Machine is a Backup & Sync solution with tags like apple, macos, backup, time-machine.

It boasts features such as Automated, scheduled backups, Hourly, daily, and weekly backup options, Backup to external hard drives or network-attached storage, Ability to restore individual files or the entire system, Incremental backups to save space, Time-based browsing of backed-up files and pros including Simple and easy to use, Seamless integration with macOS, Reliable and efficient backup process, Allows for quick and easy restores.

On the other hand, rdiff-backup is a Backup & Sync product tagged with open-source, incremental, backup, utility, directory, network, remote.

Its standout features include Incremental backup utility, Preserves different versions of files, Supports backing up to remote servers over SSH, Preserves file permissions, ownerships, and timestamps, Compression of backup data, Encryption of backup data, and it shines with pros like Space efficient incremental backups, Easy to set up and use, Cross-platform support, Open source with community support, Flexible backup configurations.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

Time Machine

Time Machine

Time Machine is a backup software application developed by Apple for macOS. It allows users to create hourly, daily, and weekly full-system backups onto a secondary internal or external hard disk.

Categories:
apple macos backup time-machine

Time Machine Features

  1. Automated, scheduled backups
  2. Hourly, daily, and weekly backup options
  3. Backup to external hard drives or network-attached storage
  4. Ability to restore individual files or the entire system
  5. Incremental backups to save space
  6. Time-based browsing of backed-up files

Pricing

  • Free

Pros

Simple and easy to use

Seamless integration with macOS

Reliable and efficient backup process

Allows for quick and easy restores

Cons

Requires a separate storage device

Limited customization options

Backup speed can be slow for large data sets

No support for Windows or other operating systems


rdiff-backup

rdiff-backup

rdiff-backup is an open source utility that backs up one directory to another, storing incremental differences instead of full file copies to save space. It supports remoting backups over a network.

Categories:
open-source incremental backup utility directory network remote

Rdiff-backup Features

  1. Incremental backup utility
  2. Preserves different versions of files
  3. Supports backing up to remote servers over SSH
  4. Preserves file permissions, ownerships, and timestamps
  5. Compression of backup data
  6. Encryption of backup data

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Space efficient incremental backups

Easy to set up and use

Cross-platform support

Open source with community support

Flexible backup configurations

Cons

Slower than full file copy backups

No graphical user interface

Steep learning curve for advanced features

Limited reporting capabilities

No built-in backup catalog