Borg Backup Explorer vs BBS Manager
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
Borg Backup Explorer
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Borg Backup Explorer opens the backups you already have. It connects to your own Borg repository over SSH, lists its archives, and lets you walk through them like a file manager - to find the one file you need and get it back, without restoring anything else and without sitting down at a computer. WHAT IT DOES - Browse every archive in a Borg repository, folder by folder - Preview photos and documents before downloading them - Download a single file and open it in any app on your phone - Keep what you downloaded, or delete it when you no longer need it - Show hidden files, or leave them out of the way ON YOUR PHONE, AND NOWHERE ELSE The app talks to your backup host itself, over SSH. Your SSH key and your repository password never leave the phone, and there is no server in between that sees anything. The first time an archive is opened it is read through once to build an index, which takes a while and is best done on Wi-Fi; everything after that is fast. WHAT YOU NEED An existing Borg repository you can reach over SSH, the SSH key for it, and the repository passphrase. This app does not create backups and does not change them - it only reads. Nothing in your repository is ever written to or deleted. PRO The app is free for one repository and for files up to 2 MB, previews included. A pro account downloads files of any size and lets you configure more than one repository. It is a subscription, monthly or yearly. PRIVACY The app holds your SSH key and repository password to connect, and nothing else. There are no accounts to create and no personal data is collected. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.insoso.at/borg-backup-explorer.html
BBS Manager
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BBS Manager is an optional companion iOS application to your open-source Borg Backup Server. BBS Manager requires a paid monthly subscription in order to use the app with a 7-day free trial to test it out. BBS Manager does not provide any tunnel service to your Borg Backup Server installation ā you'll need to provide the connectivity to access your server if it's behind your company firewall. KNOW BEFORE IT MATTERS Most backup failures are discovered weeks later, when you need the backup. BBS Manager gives you real-time status, errors, and even tells when a client goes offline for too long based on its client profile. Every alert is a per-device toggle, so your phone and your iPad can care about different things: ⢠Backup failed, or completed with warnings ⢠Backup completed ā off by default, for those who like seeing "it ran" ⢠Client offline, with how long it has been quiet ⢠Scheduled backup missed because the client was offline ⢠Storage running low ⢠SSL certificate not renewing WATCH IT LIVE The dashboard shows your whole installation at a glance: clients online, jobs running with live progress, storage capacity, server health. Open a client for its plans, schedules, repositories and full backup history ā including which runs finished with warnings, not just which failed. RUN IT FROM ANYWHERE ⢠Trigger a backup now, edit, pause or resume a schedule ⢠Manage local disks and remote SSH targets like Hetzner Storage Box, BorgBase and rsync.net ⢠View, monitor, edit storage repos and perform maintenance tasks ⢠Replace a client's API key instantly if one leaks ⢠Organize machines with client profiles: laptops, servers, registers, each with its own schedule, retention and failure rules ⢠Get notices about your SSL certificate that your agents depend on, and renew it with a tap if it's out-of-date ⢠Even upgrade the server itself ā it waits for running jobs, enters maintenance mode, upgrades and comes back on its own, with a single click YOUR SERVER, YOUR DATA BBS Manager talks directly to your server over your own TLS. Backup contents never pass through anyone else's cloud, and there is nothing to subscribe to on the server side ā Borg Backup Server is an MIT-Licensed open-source orchestrator built on BorgBackup's proven deduplicating, encrypted backup engine created by Thomas Waldmann. For more info about Borg Backup Server, visit: https://borgbackupserver.com/ REQUIREMENTS Requires your own Borg Backup Server installation (v2.93 or later) ā free download at borgbackupserver.com (MIT-Licensed). Spin it up on a Docker Container (or Bare Metal/VM) in just minutes and start backing up your data from Linux, Mac and Windows clients. Push notifications require the server's push service to be enabled. The BBS Manager app must be able to access your installation of Borg Backup Server over the internet or on your local LAN depending on how you have it configured. BBS Manager requires a monthly subscription in order to support the infrastructure and development of the app including the push notification service and the API integrations. BBS Manager is not open-source. Terms of Use: https://borgbackupserver.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://borgbackupserver.com/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
Borg Backup Explorer and BBS Manager are too close to call on the numbers: across 5 compared parameters ā price, ads, in-app purchases and device support among them ā neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.
Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Borg Backup Explorer sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and BBS Manager sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
| Parameter | Borg Backup Explorer | BBS Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | ā |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.2 | 16.4 ā better |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 8 MB | 65 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | insoso GmbH | Marc Pope |
In-app purchases
Borg Backup Explorer
- Pro Account$3.991 Month
- Pro Account$39.991 Year
- Pro Account$3.99
BBS Manager
- BBS Admin$3.991 Month
Questions
Is Borg Backup Explorer free?
Is BBS Manager free?
Do Borg Backup Explorer or BBS Manager have ads?
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