Top 10 Free Open Source Backup Software for Windows 10/11 (2026 Picks)

Losing data hurts more than buying hardware. If you run a small business, manage a few servers, or just have one important laptop, you need backup software that is stable, affordable, and easy to restore from.
This guide walks through what open source backup software is, why people in the data backup and storage industry love it, and which free tools work best on Windows 10/11 and other systems.
By the end, you’ll know which backup tool fits your skills, your budget, and how far you want to go with automation and off‑site protection.

What Is Open Source Backup Software?

Open source backup software is backup software whose source code is public. Anyone can use it, review it, change it, and share it.

In real life, that means:

• You don’t pay license fees for the software itself.

• You can see what the code does instead of trusting a black box.

• If you have technical skills, you can tweak it for your own environment.

Core advantages of open source backup tools:

• More control – you decide how your backups run, where data goes, and how restores work.

• High flexibility – scripts, plugins, and custom workflows are easy to build.

• Cost savings – great when you back up a lot of data or many machines.

The flip side:

• Some tools are command‑line only and assume you’re comfortable with Linux or scripting.

• You usually need to read docs and community posts instead of calling a vendor hotline.

If you’re okay with a bit of learning, open source backup software can give you a powerful, low‑cost backup setup.

When Open Source Feels Too Hard: GUI Backup Alternatives

Not everyone wants to type backup commands at 2 a.m.

Many open source backup tools are made by and for admins. They’re fast and flexible, but the first setup can feel like solving a puzzle: install, configure, test, fix a typo, try again.

If you’d rather click through a wizard, a graphical backup program might fit better. A typical GUI backup tool will let you:

• Pick files, disks, or your whole system with a few clicks.

• Set a schedule (daily, weekly, on event) and forget it.

• Choose backup targets like local disks, NAS, cloud storage, or a remote server.

• Restore one file or a full system from a simple interface.

A good workaround is:

• Use open source backup tools where you want full control (servers, lab machines, Linux boxes).

• Use a GUI backup app on desktops or for less technical users so they can actually run backups on their own.

Top 10 Best Free Open Source Backup Software (Windows 10/11 and More)

Now let’s go through ten popular open source backup programs. Each has a slightly different personality. Picture how you’d actually use it day‑to‑day, not just how “powerful” it sounds.

1. Clonezilla

• Supported systems: Windows, macOS, Linux

Clonezilla is like a disk cloning Swiss army knife. You boot into Clonezilla from a USB, pick a source disk or partition, pick a destination, and let it image the whole thing.

Useful when you:

• Want a full system image before a risky update.

• Need to clone one setup to many machines.

Highlights:

• Works with many file systems (NTFS, FAT32, EXT2/3/4, and more).

• Has live mode (boot and clone without installing) and server mode (clone many machines over the network).

• Handles LVM2, RAID, and UEFI boot.

It’s not pretty, but it does heavy disk backups and restores very well once you get used to its text interface.

2. Duplicati

• Supported systems: Windows, macOS, Linux

Duplicati focuses on file‑level backups, especially to online storage. You create a backup job, choose folders, pick a destination, and let it run on schedule.

Key points:

• Stores backups locally or in the cloud (Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage, Azure, and others).

• Supports encryption, so your cloud backup isn’t just plain files sitting out there.

• Uses incremental backups, so only changes are uploaded after the first run.

• Has a web interface, so you manage everything from your browser.

If you want free, encrypted online backup without getting into low‑level scripts, Duplicati is a solid option.

3. Amanda Network Backup

• Supported systems: Windows, Linux, Unix

Amanda is built for backing up many machines at once. Think of it as the “backup conductor” of a small network.

What it does well:

• Backs up multiple machines at the same time to tapes or disks.

• Lets you centralize backup policies: one place to manage schedules and retention.

• Generates detailed reports so you know what is protected.

It also has optional modules for things like databases and virtual machines. Amanda makes sense if you have several servers or workstations and want one system in the middle to manage all backups.

4. Cobian Backup

• Supported systems: Windows

Cobian Backup is designed for Windows users who like a simple interface but still want strong features.

You can:

• Back up files to local drives, network shares, or FTP servers.

• Use compression and encryption to save space and secure data.

• Run incremental backups so only changed files are copied.

Cobian Backup is free for personal and commercial use. If you’re on Windows and want a light, reliable scheduled file backup solution without a big learning curve, Cobian is a friendly choice.

5. Casync

• Supported systems: Linux

Casync focuses on efficient syncing and backup for Linux systems. It’s more of a command‑line tool for people who like to automate things.

Features:

• Incremental backup so only changed data is sent.

• Versioning, so you can roll back to older states.

• Encryption support to keep backup data safe.

People use Casync in scripts and automation pipelines when they want fast, efficient transfers between machines or environments.

6. rdiff-backup

• Supported systems: Linux

rdiff-backup mixes backup and sync ideas. You push data to a remote or local backup location, and it keeps historical versions while storing differences efficiently.

Highlights:

• Uses the rsync algorithm to send only changes, which saves bandwidth.

• Stores increments so you can restore any point in time.

• Supports data de‑duplication, so identical files are stored once even if they appear in many folders.

• Works over SSH and other protocols, and can send email notifications.

rdiff-backup is a good fit when you want efficient remote backups from Linux boxes, especially over slower links.

7. Syncthing

• Supported systems: macOS, Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris, OpenBSD

Syncthing is more of a continuous file sync tool than a classic “take snapshot and archive” backup app, but a lot of people use it as part of their backup strategy.

What it does:

• Syncs folders between devices: PCs, laptops, phones, servers.

• Uses peer‑to‑peer transfers, so data goes directly between your devices.

• Encrypts data in transit and uses a device ID system for security.

You install Syncthing on each device, add folders, and choose which devices share which folder. It’s great for keeping several machines in sync and can serve as one layer of your backup plan when combined with snapshots or versioning on one of the endpoints.

8. UrBackup

• Supported systems: Windows, Linux, macOS

UrBackup is a client/server backup system that tries to be easy to set up and easy to restore from.

It offers:

• Both image backups (whole system) and file backups.

• Incremental and block‑level backups to speed up recurring jobs.

• Optional encryption for extra security.

• A web interface to manage clients, schedules, and restores.

UrBackup is popular for home labs and small businesses that want centralized backups with a minimal headache.

9. BackupPC

• Supported systems: Linux, Windows, macOS

BackupPC is designed for backing up many machines to one central backup server. It aims for high efficiency when you have lots of similar files across systems.

Key strengths:

• Strong compression and de‑duplication, so large environments use less disk space.

• Incremental backups to speed up daily jobs.

• Web interface for managing hosts, viewing logs, and restoring files.

If you’re running a small to mid‑sized environment with many desktops or servers, BackupPC can be a very space‑efficient backbone for your backup strategy.

10. Bareos

• Supported systems: Linux, Windows, macOS

Bareos (a fork of Bacula) is an enterprise‑grade backup and recovery suite. It’s modular and can handle complex environments.

It supports:

• Multiple backup devices (tape drives, disk storage, etc.).

• A centralized management console and flexible scheduling.

• Encryption and compression for sensitive data.

• Backups of virtual machines and many server workloads.

Bareos makes sense when you have mixed systems, strict retention rules, and need a robust, scriptable backup platform.

Where Should You Store Your Backups?

Choosing backup software is only half the game. You also have to decide where the data lives.

Common choices:

• Local disk/NAS – fast, cheap, but vulnerable to theft, fire, and power issues.

• Cloud storage – good durability and global access, but performance depends on the provider and network.

• Dedicated servers – full control, high performance, and the flexibility to run your own backup stack.

If you push backups off‑site, the server on the other end matters a lot. Slow disks or overloaded shared hosting turn every restore into a long wait.

One practical option is to rent a dedicated server just for backups and monitoring. You install your preferred open source backup software and own the setup end‑to‑end.

👉 Spin up a GTHost dedicated server in minutes and turn it into a fast off‑site backup target

Because GTHost gives you instant dedicated servers in multiple locations, you can keep backups physically separate from production, keep speeds high, and still control every part of the stack yourself.

How to Choose the Right Open Source Backup Tool

When you look at all these tools, it’s easy to feel stuck. To keep it simple, ask:

• What do I actually want to protect? Files only, or entire systems?

• Who will manage it? A single admin, a small team, or non‑technical users?

• How often do I need backups? Hourly, daily, weekly?

• Where will the backups live? Local NAS, cloud, or a dedicated backup server?

• How fast do restores need to be? Can you wait hours, or do you need near‑instant recovery?

Quick rules of thumb:

• For disk images and system clones, look at Clonezilla or Bareos.

• For online encrypted backups, try Duplicati.

• For many clients on a network, consider Amanda, BackupPC, or UrBackup.

• For file sync between devices, use Syncthing plus another tool that stores history.

Start small: protect one machine first, test a restore, then roll the setup out to more systems.

More FAQs on Open Source Backup Software

What is the best open source backup software on Windows 10?

There is no single “best,” but these open source backup programs are often used on Windows 10/11:

• Clonezilla

• Duplicati

• Amanda Network Backup

• Cobian Backup

• Syncthing

• UrBackup

• BackupPC

• Bareos

Pick based on what you need most: image backups, online encrypted backups, or centralized management.

What is the best free online backup service?

If you want free, encrypted online backups using open source backup software, Duplicati is a strong candidate. It can:

• Store encrypted backups on services that support FTP, SSH, WebDAV, and many cloud providers.

• Use AES‑256 encryption and compression to keep backups safe and smaller.

You control where the backup goes and which provider you trust.

How do I back up files on Windows 10?

A simple approach:

1. Install a backup tool that supports Windows (for example, Cobian Backup, Duplicati, or another open source backup solution).

2. Choose what to protect: important folders, entire drives, or your system.

3. Pick a backup destination such as an external drive, NAS, cloud storage, or a dedicated server.

4. Set a schedule (daily or weekly) and let it run automatically.

5. Test a restore of a small folder so you know it actually works.

The key is not just “having” backup software, but checking that your restore process is clear and tested.

What are the three main types of backups?

In backup practice you usually see three types:

• Full backup – copies everything you select to the backup destination.

• Incremental backup – copies only files (or blocks) changed since the last backup of any type.

• Differential backup – copies everything changed since the last full backup.

Most modern backup software mixes these to balance speed, storage usage, and restore time.

Conclusion

Open source backup software gives you a lot of control, strong reliability, and the chance to protect many machines without drowning in license fees. Tools like Clonezilla, Duplicati, Amanda, Cobian, Syncthing, UrBackup, BackupPC, and Bareos cover everything from quick laptop backups to full multi‑server environments on Windows 10/11 and beyond.
To really sleep well, you also need a stable off‑site target for those backups—👉 that’s why GTHost is suitable for off‑site backup scenarios, giving you instant dedicated servers you fully control.