#8 of 16 open-source backup tools · Updated October 2026
Kopia review 2026
Kopia · Vendor-sponsored engine
Kopia ranks #8 of 16 open-source backup tools in the Open-Source Backup Ledger 2026, with a Ledger Index of 58.3 out of 100. Kopia is a fast, modern backup tool that also powers Kasten K10 and Velero, which keeps it well funded and active.
Scores
Source: Open-Source Backup Ledger 2026, edition 2026-10-02. How each score works: methodology.
Pros
- Storage efficiency and targets4.5/5
- Management at scale and automation4/5
Cons
- New-platform support (VMware exit)1/5
- Databases and applications2/5
- Virtual and physical servers2.5/5
What the Ledger says
Kopia is a fast, modern backup tool that also powers Kasten K10 and Velero, which keeps it well funded and active. Its server mode and desktop UI make it friendlier than restic or Borg for small teams, but it remains a file-level tool with no VM or database integration.
No AI features.
Capability by area
Buying, lock-in and release record
Buying and licence (sustainability risk)(lower is better)
- Maintainer concentration2.5
- Two leads, top author about 40%
- Backer health2
- Engineering from Kasten by Veeam; depends on that interest
- Licence-change risk1
- Apache-2.0
- Abandonment signs0.5
- Active
- Security response1.5
- Active fixes
Technical lock-in(lower is better)
- Formats2
- Own repository format
- Export path1
- Restore or mount
- Stack coupling0.5
- Single Go binary
- Hardware / cloud coupling0
- Any local or cloud target
- Skills and tooling coupling1
- Common skills
Release credibility
- Cadence4
- Two to six releases a year
- Roadmap transparency4.5
- Public issues and milestones
- Say-do4.5
- 6 of 6 shipped within 4 to 11 months
- Velocity4
- Active
- Lifecycle stability3
- Still 0.x; format changes handled in place
Partners and services
- Paid support1.5
- Indirect through Veeam/Kasten products
- Consultants and partners2
- Cloud-native consultancies
- Documentation3.5
- Good documentation
- Community and packaging4
- Large community; official APT/RPM repositories; desktop UI
Alternatives to Kopia
Questions about Kopia
Is Kopia any good?
Kopia ranks #8 of 16 open-source backup tools in the Open-Source Backup Ledger 2026, with a Ledger Index of 58.3 out of 100. Its strongest areas are storage efficiency and targets, management at scale and automation. Its weakest are new-platform support (vmware exit), databases and applications, virtual and physical servers.
What are the best alternatives to Kopia?
The closest by Ledger Index are restic (58.1), WAL-G (61.3), XtraBackup (61.3), Borg (54.4).
How is Kopia licensed and sold?
Two leads, top author about 40%.
How much lock-in does Kopia bring?
Kopia scores 4.5 out of 25 on technical lock-in (lower is better). Export path: Restore or mount.
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