Restic is a free, open-source command-line backup tool with encryption and deduplication. Learn about its features, supported backends, pros, cons and FAQs.
Category
File Management
Pricing
Free and open source, no paid tiers, from Free
Verified
Not yet
Last updated
July 19, 2026
Founded
2015
WindowsOpen SourceSelf-HostedMac
Overview
Restic is a free, open-source command-line backup program first released in September 2015 under the BSD 2-Clause license, written in Go and maintained by original author Alexander Neumann along with an active GitHub community.
It runs as a single static binary with no server or database required, and is designed for developers and sysadmins who need scriptable, verifiable, encrypted backups across a wide range of storage backends.
Key Features
Restic's design centers on content-defined chunking for deduplication, client-side AES-256 encryption, and snapshot-based incremental backups, plus built-in commands to verify that backups are actually restorable.
It supports many storage backends including local disks, SFTP, a REST server, Amazon S3, Backblaze B2, Azure Blob Storage, Google Cloud Storage, and dozens more via its rclone integration.
Pricing
Restic is entirely free and open source with no paid tiers, subscriptions, or company behind it. There is no cost for the software itself.
The only costs users incur come from whichever storage backend they choose to back up to, such as cloud object storage fees for S3 or Backblaze B2.
Key Features
Client-side AES-256 encryption — All backup data is encrypted before it leaves the source machine.
Deduplication via content-defined chunking — Only changed portions of files are stored and transferred on each backup.
Snapshot-based incremental backups — Efficient, point-in-time snapshots that build on previous backups.
Built-in backup verification — Commands to check repository integrity and verify restores actually work.
Wide backend support — Works with local disks, SFTP, S3, Backblaze B2, Azure, Google Cloud, and more via rclone.
Cross-platform single binary — Runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, FreeBSD, and OpenBSD with no separate install.
Scriptable CLI — Suited for automation via cron jobs, systemd timers, or CI/CD pipelines.
Free and open source — Released under the BSD 2-Clause license with no cost or vendor lock-in.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Completely free with no subscription or paid tiers
Strong encryption and deduplication built in by default
Wide range of supported storage backends, including via rclone
Verifiable backups reduce the risk of silent backup corruption
Lightweight single-binary install that's easy to automate via scripts or cron
Cons
No official graphical user interface, command-line only
No official vendor support; relies on community forums and GitHub issues
Steeper learning curve for non-technical users compared to consumer backup apps
No built-in scheduling; must be paired with cron, systemd timers, or third-party wrappers
No managed storage included; users must bring and pay for their own backend
Pricing
Open Source $0 free, unlimited use
Frequently Asked Questions
Is restic free?
Yes, restic is completely free and open source with no paid tiers.
What license does restic use?
Restic is released under the BSD 2-Clause license.
What storage backends does restic support?
Local disks, SFTP, a REST server, Amazon S3, Backblaze B2, Azure Blob Storage, Google Cloud Storage, and many more via rclone.
Does restic encrypt backups?
Yes, all data is encrypted client-side using AES-256 before it's stored.
Does restic have a graphical user interface?
Not officially; restic is a command-line tool, though third-party GUIs exist.
What platforms does restic support?
Linux, macOS, Windows, FreeBSD, and OpenBSD.
Who maintains restic?
Restic was created by Alexander Neumann and is maintained by a small core team and community contributors on GitHub.
How do I schedule restic backups?
Restic has no built-in scheduler; users typically pair it with cron, systemd timers, or third-party wrapper tools.