#11 of 16 open-source backup tools · Updated October 2026
ReaR review 2026
Relax-and-Recover (ReaR) · Distro-backed recovery framework
ReaR ranks #11 of 16 open-source backup tools in the Open-Source Backup Ledger 2026, with a Ledger Index of 54.2 out of 100. ReaR is the standard way to rebuild a failed Linux server or move it to new hardware, and it ships with RHEL and SLES.
Scores
Source: Open-Source Backup Ledger 2026, edition 2026-10-02. How each score works: methodology.
Pros
- Recovery4/5
Cons
- Databases and applications0.5/5
- Long-term retention and tape1.5/5
- Cyber resilience2/5
What the Ledger says
ReaR is the standard way to rebuild a failed Linux server or move it to new hardware, and it ships with RHEL and SLES. It is a component, not a backup system: pair it with Bareos, Bacula or another product for the data itself.
No AI features.
Capability by area
Buying, lock-in and release record
Buying and licence (sustainability risk)(lower is better)
- Maintainer concentration3
- A handful of maintainers
- Backer health1
- Red Hat and SUSE ship and fund it
- Licence-change risk1
- GPLv3, distributed copyright
- Abandonment signs1
- Active, but no release since February 2025
- Security response2
- Through distribution security teams
Technical lock-in(lower is better)
- Formats0.5
- ISO images and tar archives
- Export path0.5
- Plain-text layout files
- Stack coupling0.5
- Bash scripts and standard tools
- Hardware / cloud coupling0
- x86, Arm, POWER, s390x
- Skills and tooling coupling1.5
- Linux recovery skills
Release credibility
- Cadence3
- About one release a year
- Roadmap transparency4
- Public milestones and issues
- Say-do3.5
- 5 of 5 shipped; 2.8 arrived about 19 months after planned
- Velocity3
- Moderate
- Lifecycle stability4.5
- Shipped and maintained in RHEL and SLES
Partners and services
- Paid support4
- Supported in RHEL and SLES
- Consultants and partners3.5
- Built into Bareos, Bacula and SEP
- Documentation3
- Adequate
- Community and packaging4
- Packaged in major enterprise distributions
Alternatives to ReaR
Questions about ReaR
Is ReaR any good?
ReaR ranks #11 of 16 open-source backup tools in the Open-Source Backup Ledger 2026, with a Ledger Index of 54.2 out of 100. Its strongest areas are recovery. Its weakest are databases and applications, long-term retention and tape, cyber resilience.
What are the best alternatives to ReaR?
The closest by Ledger Index are Borg (54.4), Bacula (51.8), restic (58.1), Kopia (58.3).
How is ReaR licensed and sold?
A handful of maintainers.
How much lock-in does ReaR bring?
ReaR scores 3 out of 25 on technical lock-in (lower is better). Export path: Plain-text layout files.
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