InstantBackup vs MineBackup
InstantBackup
github.comMineBackup
github.comSide by side
| Figure | InstantBackup | MineBackup |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Minecraft Backup Software | 8.2 (#7) | 8.3 (#5) |
| Compression | A dedicated thread pool compresses backups with ZSTD without blocking the game main thread. | The program uses a built-in 7-Zip core for compression. |
| Integrations | Scheduled backups can check whether players are online and exclude Carpet fake players. | KnotLink lets MineBackup communicate with mods or other tools to request a save before backup; the companion mod must be version 3.0.0 or newer. |
| License | The project is licensed under GNU GPL version 3.0 or later. | The repository identifies its license as GPL-3.0. |
| Purpose | InstantBackup is an incremental world backup mod for Minecraft dedicated servers. | MineBackup is a GUI program for backing up and restoring Minecraft saves, and it can also back up any folder on a PC. |
| Support | The author invites questions and suggestions through the repository's GitHub Issues. | The project directs users to GitHub Issues to report bugs or request features. |
Plans
In their own words
InstantBackup
InstantBackup is a free Minecraft Java dedicated-server mod for incremental world backups. It uses XXHash64 to detect changes and saves only new or modified files. Identical content is shared between backup versions, and blobs are compressed with ZSTD by a dedicated thread pool. Backups can be run manually, scheduled, or managed through an offline command-line interface after the server shuts down. In-game commands create, list, export, delete, and configure backups; every such command requires OP level 2. Scheduling supports intervals, checks whether players are online, and can exclude Carpet fake players. The mod supports Fabric, Forge, and NeoForge for listed Minecraft versions from 1.18.2 through 1.21.11. The default retention cap is 30 versions, while a setting of zero means unlimited. There is no one-click in-game restore: the recommended route exports a ZIP, stops the server, replaces the world directory, and restarts it. The project is licensed under GPL version 3.0 or later, and its listed 1.0.0-beta release is a pre-release.
MineBackup
MineBackup is a free, open-source GUI program for backing up and restoring Minecraft saves, and it can also back up any folder on a PC. It offers Full backups and Smart incremental backups, which are intended to reduce time and storage use. Users can restore from a local backup or a .7z archive, with compression handled by a built-in 7-Zip core. A hotkey can trigger a live backup, and exit detection can start one when Minecraft closes. First-run setup can discover supported game locations and launcher data, including HMCL, Prism Launcher, and Modrinth App. KnotLink lets mods or other tools request a save before backup; hot restore requires the MineBackup companion mod, version 3.0.0 or newer. A headless CLI can create Full or Smart backups, verify archive chains, and perform confirmed cold restores. Server packages are available for Windows and Linux, with scheduling guidance for systemd on Linux and Task Scheduler on Windows. Desktop releases list Windows x64, Linux x86_64, and Apple Silicon macOS 15 or later. The project directs bug reports and feature requests to GitHub Issues. Smart incremental detection is not guaranteed to catch changes that preserve both file size and modification time.