UrBackup Review, Pricing & Features

UrBackup is a free, open-source backup system combining image and file backups with fast restore. See its features, licensing, and how it compares.

Category
File Management
Pricing
open-source, from Free
Verified
Not yet
Last updated
July 19, 2026
Founded
2011
Free PlanOpen SourceSelf-Hosted

What Is UrBackup

UrBackup is a free, open-source backup system built around a client-server architecture, created by developer Martin Raiber with the project active since roughly 2011. It combines full image backups with continuous incremental file backups so that both bare-metal recovery and quick file-level restores are possible from the same system.

The software is distributed under the AGPLv3+ open-source license, so anyone can install, use, and modify it, including for commercial purposes, without paying license fees. It runs across Windows, Linux, macOS, FreeBSD, and several NAS platforms.

Key Features

UrBackup clients continuously monitor watched folders for changes, allowing fast incremental backups without waiting for a scheduled full scan, and can back up files that are actively open, such as email archives. The server provides a web interface for configuring jobs and checking client status, plus deduplication that stores identical files across multiple clients only once.

Restores can be performed through the web interface, the client app, directly via Windows Explorer, or from a bootable USB or CD for full bare-metal system recovery. UrBackup also supports backing up remote and mobile clients over the internet, not just devices on a local network.

Pricing

UrBackup is entirely free and open source under the AGPLv3+ license, with no paid tiers or per-device licensing costs disclosed publicly. Users are responsible for their own server and client hardware, and community support is available through the project's forums and GitHub issue tracker.

Key Features

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Completely free and open source with no per-device fees
  • Combines image and file-level backup in one system
  • Handles open files without interrupting active use
  • Deduplication reduces storage costs across many clients
  • Supports remote/internet backups, not just LAN

Cons

  • Interface is more utilitarian than modern commercial backup dashboards
  • No official vendor support contract; relies on community and forums
  • Initial setup and tuning require some technical/sysadmin skill
  • Smaller ecosystem of integrations compared to commercial backup suites

Pricing

Frequently Asked Questions

Is UrBackup really free?

Yes, UrBackup is free, open-source software licensed under AGPLv3+, usable for both personal and commercial purposes.

Who created UrBackup?

UrBackup was created by developer Martin Raiber, with the project active since around 2011.

Does UrBackup support bare-metal recovery?

Yes, you can restore a full system from a bootable USB or CD after hardware failure or a crash.

What operating systems does UrBackup support?

It supports Windows, Linux, macOS, FreeBSD, and several NAS platforms for both server and client.

Can UrBackup back up files that are currently open?

Yes, it can back up open files such as active Outlook archives without interrupting the running application.

Does UrBackup deduplicate data?

Yes, identical files stored by multiple clients are only stored once on the server to save space.

Can UrBackup back up remote devices over the internet?

Yes, it supports backing up remote and mobile clients over the internet in addition to local network clients.

How many UrBackup servers are in use?

The project reports more than 21,000 active server instances with auto-update enabled.

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