Minarca vs UrBackup

Minarca is a free, open-source backup solution that places an agent on computers and uses a central server for management. It backs up Linux, Windows and macOS systems, with destinations including remote servers and external disks. Its web interface provides a dashboard, logs and statistics, while the server can keep separate repositories and disk quotas for multiple users. Minarca uses rdiff-backup for incremental backups; its maker says the reverse incremental differential method helps resist data corruption. Large restores can be handled with the local agent, while smaller datasets can be restored through the web interface. The software also creates a mirror of backed-up directories that can be accessed and restored from the filesystem, with or without the application. A central Minarca server is required to back up a desktop computer. Listed agents support Windows 10 and 11 (64-bit), macOS Catalina 10.15 and later, and 64-bit Linux, Ubuntu and Debian. The plan costs nothing and is self-hosted, with configurable user storage quotas.

UrBackup is backup software from UrBackup in Ulm, Germany, covering computers, mobile devices and servers. It runs on Android, Linux, macOS and Windows. The listed backup scope combines file and image backups, while restore modes are mixed. Ransomware protection is included. UrBackup core is AGPLv3+ open-source software with a self-hosted server for file and image backups; no price is listed for that plan. A free plan is available, with paid options from €15.50. The Change block tracking option for the UrBackup Client on Windows costs €15.50 a month, billed per client excluding VAT. It speeds incremental image and file backups, includes 2.x updates and works with UrBackup Server 2.x. A separate client for Microsoft Hyper-V 2016 or later backs up virtual-machine disks as images and restores those images to VHD or VHDX files.