Kopia: Open-Source Backup Ledger 2026

Part of the Open-Source Backup Ledger (edition 2026-10-02). How the scores work: methodology.

Snapshot

Kind: Backup tool
Licence: Apache-2.0
Backer: Community project with core maintainers from Kasten by Veeam; data mover inside Kasten K10 and Velero
Paid edition or support: No direct support; Veeam/Kasten support covers it inside their products
Latest release: 0.23.1, 2026-06-16
Next signal: Memory reduction, large files over high-latency links, server session hardening
Archetype: Vendor-sponsored engine
Evidence grade: A. Release dates verified against GitHub.

Scope of the scores: A backup tool with an optional server mode and desktop UI. Early development before 2019 had no releases, so history starts in 2019.

Scorecard

Dimension	Score	Direction
Capability today	59.6 / 100	higher is better
Momentum since end of 2022	+0.0 points	higher is better
Credibility	20.0 / 25	higher is better
Sustainability risk	7.5 / 25	lower is better
Technical lock-in	4.5 / 25	lower is better
Support and ecosystem	11.0 / 20	higher is better
AI leverage	1.5 / 20	higher is better
Ledger Index	58.3 / 100	balanced weights

Capability by domain

Scores 0 to 5 against fixed anchors; total is weighted to 100.

Domain (weight)	2016	2019	2022	Today
Virtual and physical servers (12)	n/a	2.5	2.5	2.5
Databases and applications (12)	n/a	1.5	2	2
Recovery (14)	n/a	3	3	3
Cyber resilience (14)	n/a	2.5	3.5	3.5
Storage efficiency and targets (10)	n/a	3.5	4.5	4.5
Long-term retention and tape (6)	n/a	3	3	3
Replication and DR (10)	n/a	n/a	3	3
Security and compliance (8)	n/a	2.5	3.5	3.5
New-platform support (VMware exit) (8)	n/a	1	1	1
Management at scale and automation (6)	n/a	3.5	4	4
Total / 100	not released	45.4	59.6	59.6

Year by year: 2019: 45.4 · 2020: 45.4 · 2021: 45.4 · 2022: 59.6 · 2023: 59.6 · 2024: 59.6 · 2025: 59.6 · 2026: 59.6

What moved the score

Year	Domain	Change	Points	Trigger
2022	Cyber resilience	2.5 → 3.5	+2.8	S3 Object Lock; append-only server mode
2022	Databases and applications	1.5 → 2	+1.2	Pre/post snapshot actions
2022	Management at scale and automation	3.5 → 4	+0.6	KopiaUI desktop app; multi-user server
2022	Security and compliance	2.5 → 3.5	+1.6	Server ACLs per user, TLS
2022	Storage efficiency and targets	3.5 → 4.5	+2.0	Pluggable compression; Azure

Direction, 2023 to 2026

Each item carries one theme and one driver (V vision, C customer need, M market window, U upstream, P portfolio).

Date	Item	Theme	Driver
2023-05	0.13: multi-user server ACLs	D9 Security	C
2023-10	0.15: scheduled maintenance	D10 Scale and automation	C
2024-04	0.17: S3 Object Lock verification	D4 Cyber resilience	M
2025-05	0.20: lower memory use	D10 Scale and automation	U
2026-05	0.23: faster multi-threaded restore	D3 Recovery	C

Centre of gravity: Scale and automation (2), Security (1), Cyber resilience (1)
Driver mix: Vision 0%, Customer need 60%, Market window 20%, Upstream 20%, Portfolio 0%

Credibility: 20.0 / 25

Criterion	Score	Basis
Cadence	4	Two to six releases a year
Roadmap transparency	4.5	Public issues and milestones
Say-do	4.5	6 of 6 shipped within 4 to 11 months
Velocity	4	Active
Lifecycle stability	3	Still 0.x; format changes handled in place

Say-do record, 2023 to 2026: 6 items since 2023, all shipped within 4 to 11 months.

Sustainability risk: 7.5 / 25 (lower is better)

Criterion	Score	Basis
Maintainer concentration	2.5	Two leads, top author about 40%
Backer health	2	Engineering from Kasten by Veeam; depends on that interest
Licence-change risk	1	Apache-2.0
Abandonment signs	0.5	Active
Security response	1.5	Active fixes

Project health: 14,233 stars; 891 open issues (median 61 days), 54 open PRs (43 days). 15 to 22 distinct authors a year since 2022.

Technical lock-in: 4.5 / 25 (lower is better)

Criterion	Score	Basis
Formats	2	Own repository format
Export path	1	Restore or mount
Stack coupling	0.5	Single Go binary
Hardware / cloud coupling	0	Any local or cloud target
Skills and tooling coupling	1	Common skills

Support and ecosystem: 11.0 / 20

Criterion	Score	Basis
Paid support	1.5	Indirect through Veeam/Kasten products
Consultants and partners	2	Cloud-native consultancies
Documentation	3.5	Good documentation
Community and packaging	4	Large community; official APT/RPM repositories; desktop UI

AI leverage: 1.5 / 20

Strand	Today	Latest step
AI for protection / protecting AI	0	none
AI platform stack	0	none
AI-assisted operations	0	none
Agent openness	1.5	2019: Server REST API, JSON output

No AI features.

Reading

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.

Open questions and evidence caveats

Its direction follows Kubernetes needs of its main sponsor.