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Barman

pgbarman.org

Free plan LinuxSelf-hosted
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Spec score 8.8 #3 of 27 in Database Backup Software

What it is

Barman is an open-source Python administration tool for PostgreSQL disaster recovery, designed for organizations managing business-critical databases. It supports remote backups of multiple PostgreSQL servers and local or remote recovery, including point-in-time recovery. Backup management includes catalogs, incremental and parallel operations, retention policies, and WAL archiving or streaming. Synchronous WAL streaming supports zero data loss (RPO=0). Remote transfers can use rsync over SSH or pg_basebackup; recovery can run locally or over SSH. Barman integrates with PostgreSQL and standard archiving tools such as tar, and can compress WAL files with bzip2, gzip, or a custom method. GPG encryption for backups and WAL depends on configuration. Immutable storage is supported with a required grace period in the current implementation. Its experimental cloud-streaming method is limited to S3-compatible destinations and does not support encryption or direct restores in Barman. It runs on Linux and UNIX-like systems, uses an INI configuration file, and stores metadata locally. Barman costs nothing and is distributed under GPL-3.

Spec sheet

Purpose
Barman is an open-source Python administration tool for disaster recovery of PostgreSQL servers.Read 30 Sep 2026 · pgbarman.org
Intended users
Barman is designed for organizations and database administrators managing disaster recovery for business-critical PostgreSQL databases.Read 30 Sep 2026 · pgbarman.org
Integrations
Barman integrates with PostgreSQL and standard archiving tools such as tar.Read 30 Sep 2026 · pgbarman.org
Support
Community support is available through a mailing list and GitHub bug tracker; EDB offers 24x7 production support, consulting, and training.Read 30 Sep 2026 · pgbarman.org
License
Barman's code is distributed under GNU General Public License 3.Read 30 Sep 2026 · pgbarman.org
Headquarters
Wilmington, Delaware, United StatesRead 28 Sep 2026 · pgbarman.org
Founded
2004Read 28 Sep 2026 · pgbarman.org
Backup features
Its features include backup catalogs, incremental and parallel backup and recovery, retention policies, and WAL archiving and streaming.Read 30 Sep 2026 · pgbarman.org
Backup transports
Remote backups can use rsync over SSH or pg_basebackup.Read 30 Sep 2026 · pgbarman.org
Cloud backup limitation
The documented experimental streaming-to-cloud method supports only S3-compatible destinations and does not support encryption or direct restores in Barman.Read 30 Sep 2026 · docs.pgbarman.org
Cloud providers
Optional libraries enable integrations for AWS S3 and EC2 snapshots, Azure Blob Storage and VM snapshots, and Google Cloud Storage and Compute snapshots.Read 30 Sep 2026 · docs.pgbarman.org
Community support
Community support is available through a mailing list and GitHub bug tracker.Read 30 Sep 2026 · pgbarman.org
Compression
It can compress WAL files using bzip2, gzip, or a custom method.Read 30 Sep 2026 · pgbarman.org
Configuration
Barman uses a simple INI configuration file and stores metadata locally.Read 30 Sep 2026 · pgbarman.org
Current release
The homepage lists version 3.20.1, dated 29 September 2026.Read 30 Sep 2026 · pgbarman.org
Downloads
The project lists PGDG and EDB repositories, PyPI, and GitHub releases as download sources.Read 30 Sep 2026 · pgbarman.org
Encryption
Barman supports encryption of backups and WAL files using GPG, subject to configuration requirements.Read 30 Sep 2026 · docs.pgbarman.org
Immutable storage
Barman can store backups on immutable storage to protect against malicious actors or accidental deletion, with a required grace period for its current implementation.Read 30 Sep 2026 · docs.pgbarman.org
Operating system
Barman runs on Linux or UNIX-like systems, including FreeBSD and OpenBSD, according to the 3.20.0 installation requirements.Read 30 Sep 2026 · docs.pgbarman.org
Professional support
EnterpriseDB offers 24x7 production support, consulting, and training for Postgres and Barman.Read 30 Sep 2026 · pgbarman.org
Recovery
Barman supports point-in-time recovery and both local and remote recovery.Read 30 Sep 2026 · pgbarman.org
Remote access
Remote backups can use rsync over SSH or pg_basebackup, and recovery can be local or over SSH.Read 30 Sep 2026 · pgbarman.org
Remote backups
Barman supports remote backups of multiple PostgreSQL servers for business-critical environments.Read 30 Sep 2026 · pgbarman.org
Retention
Barman manages retention policies for backups and WAL files.Read 30 Sep 2026 · pgbarman.org
WAL support
Barman supports WAL archiving and streaming, including synchronous WAL streaming for zero data loss (RPO=0).Read 30 Sep 2026 · pgbarman.org

Plans and prices

Barman Free Open-source PostgreSQL disaster recovery tool Read 30 Sep 2026 · pgbarman.org

Every Barman plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Supports point-in-time and remote recovery.
  • Offers incremental and parallel backup and recovery.
  • Synchronous WAL streaming supports RPO=0.
  • Free under GPL-3.

Limits

  • GPG encryption depends on configuration.
  • Experimental cloud streaming supports only S3-compatible destinations.
  • Cloud streaming does not support encryption or direct Barman restores.
  • Immutable storage requires a grace period.

Who it suits

Barman suits database administrators and organizations managing disaster recovery for business-critical PostgreSQL databases. It is for users prepared to operate a self-hosted tool on Linux or a UNIX-like system.

Verdict

Barman provides extensive backup, WAL, retention, and recovery capabilities for PostgreSQL. Its cloud-streaming limitations and configuration requirements for encryption are important considerations.

Where Specifiction places it

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