Head-to-head · Backup Software
Bareos vs Retrospect Backup
Bareos leads on 1 check, Retrospect Backup on 0, and 4 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreBareos · 6.5/10
- Free planonly Bareos
- Most featuresRetrospect Backup · 4 of 4
Bareos scores higher on our rubric for backup software: 6.5 against 3.0 out of 10; our editors rank them #26 and #80.
Bareos offers free plan; Retrospect Backup doesn't.
Bareos is the better fit for open-source, self-hosted infrastructure backup. Retrospect Backup is the better fit for long-running mixed-platform backup operations.
- Bareos fits best
Open-source, self-hosted infrastructure backup
- Retrospect Backup fits best
Long-running mixed-platform backup operations
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Side by side
| Feature | Bareos 6.5/10 Visit ↗ | Retrospect Backup 3.0/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 6.5 | 3.0 |
| Ranking | #26 in Backup Software | #80 in Backup Software |
| Best for | Open-source, self-hosted infrastructure backup | Long-running mixed-platform backup operations |
| Pricing model | Free plan + paid | Paid |
| Starting price | — | — |
| Free plan | ✓ (best) | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Deployment | Self-hosted, Browser extension | Desktop, Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Support | Email, Phone, Tickets, Docs, Community · 24/7 | Email, Phone, Community, Docs |
| Integrations | 10 integrations | 7 integrations |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Features Bareos 3/4 · Retrospect Backup 4/4 | ||
| Computer backup | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mobile backup | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| Server backup | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ransomware protection | ✓ | ✓ |
| Specs | ||
| Backup scope | Mixed | Mixed |
| Restore modes | Mixed | Mixed |
| Supported platforms | web, windows, macos, linux, self_hosted | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Our review | ||
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| Our verdict | Bareos is open-source backup, recovery and archiving software for organizations protecting physical servers, endpoints, virtual machines, databases and application data. It provides centralized administration across Linux, Windows, macOS… Read the review → |
Retrospect Backup is data-protection software for professionals and small-to-midsize businesses managing mixed environments. It covers Windows, macOS, and Linux servers, desktops, and notebooks, while its documented mobile workflow… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Bareos — where it wins
- Centralized management across servers, endpoints, VMs and databases
- Supports disk, tape, S3-compatible storage and air-gapped workflows
- Plugins cover VMware, Proxmox, Hyper-V and several databases
Where it doesn't
- Self-hosted setup requires infrastructure and operational administration
- Professional support and maintained packages require the paid subscription
- Its broad feature set may exceed the needs of simple endpoint backups
Retrospect Backup — where it wins
- Supports file-level, system-level, and bare-metal recovery
- Combines immutable backups, deduplication, and ransomware detection
- Monitors remote backups through a console and iOS app
Where it doesn't
- No free plan is available
- Mobile backup documentation covers iOS backups created through iTunes
- Choosing among six editions may require careful capacity planning
- Bareos6.5/10 · Free plan
A broad self-hosted backup platform with strong storage, recovery and virtualization coverage.
Visit BareosFull verdict → - Retrospect Backup3.0/10 · Paid
A broad backup platform for mixed Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and web operations.
Visit RetrospectFull verdict →
All backup software comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update