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K8up

Free#21 of 32 in Kubernetes Backup SoftwareContainer Backup Software

K8up: A flexible, self-managed choice for PVC and application-aware Kubernetes backups. Ranked #21 of 32 in Kubernetes Backup Software by our editors (7.0/10); pricing: Open source; best for open-source PVC backup with flexible targets.

7.0/10Editor score
Visit K8up
K8up7.0 Visit K8up

At a glance

  • Editor score
    7.0 / 10
  • Pricing
    Open source
  • Best for
    Open-source PVC backup with flexible targets
  • Paid from
    Free
  • Application consistency
    Both
  • Founded
    2019
  • Facts checked
    20 Sep 2026
K8up screenshot

  • Where it wins

    • Backs up PVCs with on-demand, scheduled, and application-aware workflows
    • Supports S3, SFTP, REST, local storage, and AWS Glacier targets
    • Adds integrity checks, retention pruning, archiving, and restore options

  • Where it doesn't

    • Requires self-managed Kubernetes or OpenShift deployment through Helm
    • Application-aware backups depend on commands executed inside pods
    • Restore workflows center on PVCs or tar.gz output to S3

Our verdict on K8up

K8up is an open-source Kubernetes Operator for protecting cluster data, distributed through a Helm chart and compatible with Kubernetes and OpenShift. It is aimed at teams that need control over persistent volume claim backups, application-aware workflows, scheduling, retention, and storage destinations without adopting a hosted commercial service. Backups can be initiated on demand or run on a schedule, while application-aware operations use commands executed in pods.

The product’s strongest practical advantage is target flexibility. K8up supports S3-compatible storage, Amazon S3, MinIO, SFTP, REST, local storage, and AWS Glacier. That gives platform teams several ways to align repositories with existing storage architecture. It also uses Restic, performs backup repository integrity checks, prunes snapshots with configurable retention rules, and supports long-term archiving. These capabilities make it suitable for environments where backup lifecycle control matters as much as creating a copy of PVC data.

K8up also covers restore through the K8up CLI or restore resources, with recovery to a PVC or S3 as tar.gz. The trade-off is operational ownership: deployment, scheduling, repository management, and restore workflows remain part of the Kubernetes team’s responsibilities. Teams wanting an open-source operator with multiple targets and both volume-level and application-aware options should consider K8up. Teams seeking a hosted service or a simpler managed workflow should look elsewhere.

Your product? Our editors can test K8up in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →

K8up pricing

Plans Open sourceFree Free to use — no paid tier required for the core job.
See plans on k8up.io

K8up fact sheet

Free planNot verified
Paid fromFree
Application consistencyBoth
Persistent volume backupYes
Cross-cluster restoreNot verified
Backup frequencyScheduled
Retention optionsCustom
Immutable backupsNot verified
DeploymentSelf-hosted
SupportCommunity, Docs
Built forSmall business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate)
Integrations7 integrations: S3-compatible storage, Amazon S3, MinIO, SFTP, REST, Local storage …
PricingOpen source
Websitek8up.io
Facts checked20 Sep 2026

K8up integrations

K8up lists 7 integrations on its own site.

  • S3-compatible storage
  • Amazon S3
  • MinIO
  • SFTP
  • REST
  • Local storage
  • AWS Glacier

Alternatives to K8up

See all K8up alternatives →

Also Ranked In

K8up is ranked in 2 of our directories.

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Featured on iTechGuides

Featured on iTechGuides — K8up 7.0/10

K8up is listed in our Kubernetes Backup Software directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

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