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The most important feature of a backup is not how quickly it runs or how many options it offers: it is whether it contains the files you need and lets you restore them. BorgBackup is a capable open-source option for people comfortable with command-line tools; restic and Kopia are worth considering if their platforms or workflows suit you better. Whichever you choose, save its credentials, check that backups complete, and test restoring a file before you rely on it.
What should you do if files are already missing?
First, avoid writing new data to the drive that held the missing files. New activity can overwrite data that recovery software might otherwise find. Check the Recycle Bin or Trash, cloud-sync history, and any existing backup or external drive. If you find a backup, restore the needed files to a different location first, then confirm they open correctly.
If there is no backup, these file-backup tools cannot recreate files that were never saved to a repository. They are for protecting files going forward, not a promise of recovery after the fact. This guide covers file backups and snapshots, not a complete operating-system or device image.
Which open-source backup tool should you choose?
There is no universal winner in the project descriptions. Choose by operating system, preferred workflow, storage destination, and how confidently you can manage passwords and recovery checks.
#1 Best Overall
- Easily store and access 2TB to content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
| Tool | Documented workflow and platforms | Storage and recovery details |
|---|---|---|
| BorgBackup (Borg) | Command-line program; uses content-defined chunking to deduplicate data. Optional compression and authenticated encryption are documented. | Repositories can be on a local disk or USB drive, or on a machine reachable over SSH. Archives can be mounted as filesystems, and documentation covers restoring archives and checking repositories. |
| restic | Project overview describes support for Linux, BSD, Mac, and Windows, and distribution as a single executable. | Supports self-hosted and online storage destinations. The project emphasizes verifying that files can be restored; its README warns that losing the repository password makes the data irrecoverable. |
| Kopia | Provides a GUI to connect repositories, manage snapshots and policies, and restore data. | Supports flexible storage locations and content-based snapshots. The project recommends regular repository consistency checks and warns that it cannot recover data if the backed-up repository file is corrupt. |
Choose Borg for a command-line workflow
Borg is a free, open-source deduplicating backup program. Its official documentation says its goal is “to provide an efficient and secure way to backup data.” Deduplication can avoid storing repeated content across archives; compression and authenticated encryption are available options. These features do not remove the need to protect repository access and verify that an archive can be restored.
The Borg site lists version 1.4.5 as the stable series, released July 19, 2026, and labels Borg 2.0 beta as testing rather than production-ready. Check the project’s current guidance before installing, because release status can change. See the Borg project site and its Borg 1.4.5 documentation.
Rank #2
- Easily store and access 5TB of content on the go with the Seagate portable drive, a USB external hard Drive
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
Choose restic if its platform support fits
restic’s overview describes Linux, BSD, Mac, and Windows support, a single executable, and transfers of changed parts. It highlights cryptography and the ability to verify that files can be restored. Its README gives a critical warning: “Losing your password means that your data is irrecoverably lost.” Keep the repository password somewhere secure and accessible to you, not only on the computer being backed up. Read the restic project overview and README before setting up a repository.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsChoose Kopia if a GUI matters
Kopia documents a graphical interface for connecting to repositories, managing snapshots and policies, and restoring data. It also supports configurable policies and multiple storage locations. Its documentation cautions that a corrupt backed-up repository file can make recovery impossible and recommends regular consistency checks. See Kopia’s feature documentation.
Rank #3
- Easily store and access 1TB to content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive.Specific uses: Personal
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop. Reformatting may be required for Mac
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
How can you set up a backup that is useful in a real recovery?
- List the files that matter. Identify folders such as documents, photos, and project files. Confirm the backup tool’s selected paths include them; an otherwise successful job can still miss an unselected folder.
- Choose a destination you can access later. Borg supports a local disk, USB drive, or SSH-accessible machine. A USB external hard drive is one reasonable destination, but it is only one part of a backup plan. The project descriptions do not establish an ideal capacity, interface, or drive model, so match storage to your own files and update needs.
- Set up encryption and preserve credentials. If using encrypted storage, store the required password or recovery information in a secure place you can reach if your computer fails. For restic, losing the repository password means the data cannot be recovered, according to the project README.
- Run an initial backup, then inspect the result. Follow the selected project’s current setup instructions. Check the job output or application status, and confirm that the intended folders and recent files appear in the repository or snapshot.
- Perform a small restore test. Restore a few representative files to a separate folder, then open them. This checks more than whether a backup job ran: it exercises access to the repository and the restore path.
- Schedule integrity checks and review backups. Use the chosen tool’s documented repository-check or consistency-check procedure, and review job results periodically. A stored backup can be incomplete, inaccessible, or corrupted; checks and restore tests can expose problems before an emergency.
How do you restore deleted files from a backup?
Use the restore function or documented restore procedure for the tool that created the backup. Select a snapshot or archive from before the deletion, find the needed files, and restore them to a separate location rather than immediately overwriting current files. Open the restored copies and confirm they are the versions you need before moving them into place.
Borg documentation covers archive restoration and repository checks; restic describes restore verification; Kopia documents restore workflows and consistency checks. The exact screens and commands depend on the tool and version, so use the current documentation linked above rather than relying on a generic command that may not fit your setup.
Rank #4
- Easily store and access 4TB of content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive.Specific uses: Personal
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
What can go wrong even when you have a backup?
- The right files were never included. Check the paths and exclusions, then restore-test representative files from each important folder.
- You cannot unlock the repository. Keep required credentials safe and available independently of the machine being backed up. Restic explicitly warns that a lost repository password makes data irrecoverable.
- The repository or its stored data is damaged. Kopia says it cannot recover data when the backed-up repository file itself is corrupt and recommends regular consistency checks. Follow your tool’s integrity-check guidance and keep backup copies in a way that does not leave every copy exposed to the same failure.
- The backup exists, but the restore is untested. A completed job is not proof that a file can be recovered. Test a small restore and inspect the result.
How should you choose between a command line and a graphical interface?
Pick the workflow you will actually maintain. Borg and restic are command-line-oriented choices in the descriptions here, while Kopia documents a GUI for repository, snapshot, policy, and restore management. A graphical interface may make browsing and routine management more approachable; command-line tools may suit people who prefer terminal-based configuration. Neither interface alone proves that a backup is complete or recoverable, so make the restore test part of your decision.
Quick Recap
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