Alternatives to rsnapshot
Filesystem snapshot backups using rsync and hard links. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
rsnapshot
Filesystem snapshot backups using rsync and hard links.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as rsnapshot.
Back In Time
Graphical front-end for incremental rsync backups on Linux.
Back In Time uses the same rsync and hard-link approach with a graphical Linux interface and file manager restores, but it does not run on macOS.
rdiff-backup
Reverse incremental backup that keeps the newest copy as a plain mirror.
rdiff-backup keeps the newest copy as a plain mirror with reverse deltas for history, running on Windows too, though restoring old versions replays many increments.
BorgBackup
A deduplicating archiver for Linux, macOS and BSD that makes daily backups cost almost nothing beyond the day’s changes.
BorgBackup adds encryption, compression and deduplication over SSH, but archives need Borg or a FUSE mount to browse instead of being plain directories.
restic
A single-executable backup program that makes encrypted, deduplicated snapshots and can send them almost anywhere.
Restic adds client-side encryption and deduplicated snapshots to cloud and SFTP backends on Windows, macOS and Linux, with snapshots mountable through FUSE.
bup
Command-line backup system built on the git packfile format with deduplication and fast incremental saves.
bup stores deduplicated backups in git packfile format with fast incremental saves, handling large files such as VM images well, from the command line.
Disk ARchive (dar)
Command-line archiver and backup tool with compression, encryption and differential archives.
Disk ARchive adds built-in compression, encryption and differential archives, but it produces archive files rather than browsable snapshot directories.
Kopia
An encrypted snapshot backup tool with both a command line and a proper desktop app, pointed at whatever storage you choose.
Kopia adds encryption, compression, deduplication and a desktop app on Windows, macOS and Linux, storing snapshots in a repository rather than hard-linked folders.
Timeshift
System restore for Linux: scheduled snapshots you can roll back to after an update goes wrong.
Timeshift takes scheduled rsync or BTRFS snapshots on Linux aimed at rolling back system files, and by default does not back up personal documents.
Also worth comparing
These listings name rsnapshot as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.
Grsync
Graphical front end for rsync with saved sessions.
rsnapshot uses rsync and hard links from the command line to keep browsable dated snapshots on macOS and Linux, without any graphical interface.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
Lsyncd
A live syncing daemon that watches local directories and mirrors changes to remote targets with rsync.
btrbk
Backup tool for Btrfs that takes atomic snapshots and sends them incrementally to backup locations.
Rdiffweb
Self-hosted web interface for browsing, managing and restoring rdiff-backup backup repositories.
borgmatic
Configure Borg backups, database dumps and monitoring in one place.
BackupPC
Back up computers to a centrally managed server.
