Backrest review: encrypted backups you schedule

Backrest is a free open-source backup tool that puts a browser page in front of restic, a program that stores encrypted copies of your files.¹⁴⁵ It suits people who want scheduled copies they can restore from the browser. You run it yourself and choose the disk or storage account.

Last checked October 28, 2026.

At a glance

What it is: A web page and background helper for restic backups.¹

Works on: Linux, macOS, Windows, FreeBSD, and Docker.¹

Price: Download from GitHub. You choose the disk or storage account.¹

Licence: GNU GPL-3.0, a free copyleft licence.⁴

Best for: People who want scheduled, encrypted backups they can restore from a browser.

Official site: garethgeorge.github.io/backrest

What Backrest does (and how it protects your privacy)

Backrest is a web-accessible backup solution built on restic.¹ Its page wraps restic’s command-line tool so you can create repositories, browse snapshots, and restore files.¹ A repository is the place the copies are kept. A snapshot is one saved view of your files at a moment in time. Backrest can stay running and start backups on a schedule, plus housekeeping such as prune, check, and forget.¹

The privacy benefit comes from restic’s encryption, and from you picking the storage. Restic encrypts repository data with AES-256 in counter mode and checks it with Poly1305-AES.⁵ AES-256 scrambles data with a secret key. The check fails if those bytes have been altered. The password is stretched with scrypt, a slow step that makes guessing harder.⁵ File contents in the repository stay unreadable without the password.⁵

You choose the storage. Backrest supports restic’s backends: S3, Backblaze B2, Azure, Google Cloud Storage, a local disk, SFTP (file transfer over a secure login), and rclone remotes.¹ Rclone is a separate tool that reaches many storage services. You can attach repositories you already made with restic.¹ If restic is not installed, Backrest downloads it on first run.¹

Key features of Backrest

Browser page: Create repositories, look through snapshots, and copy files back, on this computer or a home server.¹
Schedules: Hourly or daily intervals, or a cron expression (a compact timetable), plus how long to keep snapshots.²
Housekeeping: Scheduled prune, check, and forget.¹
Existing repositories: Import restic repositories you already have, then index their snapshots.²
Alerts: Optional notices through Discord, Slack, Shoutrrr, Gotify, or Healthchecks.¹
Hooks: Optional shell commands before or after a backup.¹
A login for the page: First launch asks for a username and password.² That login can be turned off on a local install, or when another service already checks visitors.²

Pros and cons

Pros

The source is under the GNU GPL version 3, a free copyleft licence, and you download the program from GitHub.⁴¹
Backup data in the repository is encrypted, and it stays unreadable without the repository password.⁵
You choose a local disk or a storage account restic already supports.¹
It can use repositories you already made with restic.¹
Version 1.14.1 was published on 12 July 2026 and includes restic 0.19.1.³

Cons

You run it in the background on a computer you look after.¹
Published builds cover Linux, macOS, Windows, FreeBSD, and Docker.¹ An iPhone or Android app is not in that list.¹
If the repository password is lost, restic’s documentation says the data is irrecoverably lost.⁶
An open request on the project says repository passwords and cloud credentials are stored as plain text in the configuration file.⁷
On macOS, the project says you may need to grant Full Disk Access to the program.¹
Docker images listen on every network interface (0.0.0.0:9898).¹

Is Backrest safe and private?

Restic’s design treats the computer that creates the backup as trusted, and the storage location as a place others might read or change.⁵ Stored file contents stay unreadable without the repository password, and tampered data is not decrypted.⁵ Someone who can read the storage can still try to guess the password from a copy of the repository, and can infer backup sizes from the creation timestamps of repository objects.⁵ Backrest’s guide says losing the repository credentials prevents a restore.²

After install you open http://localhost:9898 and create a username and password.¹ The usual address is 127.0.0.1:9898, which accepts connections from this computer only.¹ Docker images use 0.0.0.0:9898, and the install script can listen on every interface if you allow remote access.¹ Authentication can be turned off for a local install, or when a reverse proxy (a web server in front) already checks visitors.²

The configuration holds the repository’s encryption credentials.² On Linux and macOS the file is typically ~/.config/backrest/config.json. On Windows it is %appdata%\backrest\config.json.² An open request says repository passwords and cloud keys are stored as plain text in that file.⁷ The developer wrote that disk access exposes loaded keys, and suggested append-only storage keys for a sensitive install, with prune jobs on a separate server that holds a write key.⁷ Keep a spare password in a password manager. On Linux, gocryptfs can store that copy in an encrypted folder.

GitHub user garethgeorge publishes the program under the GNU GPL version 3.¹⁴ Version 1.14.1, dated 12 July 2026, includes restic 0.19.1.³

How to get started with Backrest

On Windows, download the installer from the releases page. It adds a tray app that starts at login.¹ On Linux or macOS, the install script in the README downloads the latest release into /usr/local/bin and sets up autostart.¹ macOS can instead use the Homebrew tap on that page.¹ For containers, the image is ghcr.io/garethgeorge/backrest.¹
On macOS, you may need to grant Full Disk Access to the Backrest program.¹
Open http://localhost:9898 and create a username and password for the page.¹
Add a repository: a name, a location, and a long password. Locations in the guide include a local folder, S3, B2, Google Cloud, SFTP, and rclone.² BellCrier’s password generator can make the password. Save it in a password manager. The guide says losing the repository password prevents a restore, and it suggests keeping a copy of the configuration in a safe place.²
Add a plan: the folders to copy, folders to skip, a schedule such as once a day, and a retention rule (a count of snapshots, or snapshots kept by age).²
Run one backup, then restore one unimportant file into a different folder before you rely on the schedule. Leave Backrest running. The Windows tray app is set to start at login.¹ The Linux and macOS install script sets up autostart.¹

Who should use Backrest (and who might prefer something else)

Backrest suits a desktop, laptop, or small home server when you want encrypted backups on a schedule and a browser page for restores. It fits if you already keep restic repositories, or if you want that format on Linux, macOS, and Windows. The restic command line remains available when you need it.¹

For a desktop window instead, Vorta is a desktop interface for Borg backups, and Duplicati schedules backups to a destination you choose. If you prefer a terminal and no web page, use restic itself, documented at restic.net.¹

Frequently asked questions

Is Backrest free?

The licence is the GNU GPL version 3, a free copyleft licence, and the install guide points to a GitHub download.⁴¹ You bring your own disk or storage account, such as S3 or B2.¹

Is Backrest safe?

Repository data is encrypted with AES-256 and checked with Poly1305-AES, and it stays unreadable without the repository password.⁵ The page normally listens only on your computer, behind a username and password.¹ An open request says the configuration file stores repository passwords in plain text, so keep that file private.⁷

Does Backrest work on Windows and Mac?

Yes. Windows has an installer and a tray app that starts at login.¹ macOS can use the install script or Homebrew.¹ You may need to grant Full Disk Access.¹ Release 1.14.1 also notes a macOS app with the tray icon on.³

Does Backrest work on iPhone?

Downloads are published for Linux, macOS, Windows, FreeBSD, and Docker.¹ An iPhone or Android app is not in that list.¹