databasus
Databasus is a self-hosted, open-source backup tool for PostgreSQL with support for MySQL, MariaDB, and MongoDB. It offers Point-in-Time Recovery, multiple storage backends (S3, Google Drive, SFTP, etc.), scheduled backups, restore verification, and team-level access controls.
Key facts
Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Repository | databasus/databasus |
| Owner | databasus |
| Primary language | Go |
| License | Apache-2.0 — OSI-approved |
| Stars | 7.6k |
| Forks | 449 |
| Open issues | 12 |
| Latest release | v3.47.1 (2026-06-24) |
| Last updated | 2026-06-24 |
| Source | https://github.com/databasus/databasus |
What databasus is
Written in Go, Databasus provides physical incremental backups and WAL streaming for PostgreSQL, logical dumps for other databases, and AES-256-GCM encryption. It includes a web UI, Docker/Kubernetes deployment, flexible retention policies, and real-time notifications via Slack, Discord, Telegram, or webhooks.
Get the databasus source
Clone the repository and explore it locally.
git clone https://github.com/databasus/databasus.gitcd databasus# follow the project's README for install & configurationNeed it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.
Best use cases
Implementation considerations
- Provision persistent storage (local, S3, NAS, etc.) and ensure adequate disk space for full, incremental, and WAL backups according to RPO targets.
- Configure database connectivity and credentials with read-only user privileges; validate backup scheduling and retention policies before production use.
- Deploy restore verification infrastructure (spare database container) and set notification channels (email, Slack, etc.) to detect backup failures early.
- Plan encryption key management for AES-256-GCM; secure and back up any key material used for encrypted backups.
- Test restore procedures on non-production replicas to confirm PITR feasibility and recovery time before relying on production backups.
When to avoid it — and what to weigh
- Vendor lock-in avoidance is paramount — Although open-source and self-hosted, migrating backup metadata and scheduling away from Databasus requires manual intervention; assess lock-in risk for your organization.
- Oracle, SQL Server, or other database engines are primary — Databasus explicitly supports only PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, and MongoDB. If your estate includes other engines, you'll need separate backup tools.
- Minimal operational overhead is required — Self-hosting Databasus demands infrastructure provisioning, Docker/Kubernetes management, monitoring, and backup verification infrastructure; use managed services if ops overhead must be minimized.
- Zero-knowledge or third-party backup assurance needed — Databasus backups remain fully under your control; if you need independent custodianship or third-party verification, managed backup services may be more appropriate.
License & commercial use
Apache License 2.0 (Apache-2.0). A permissive OSI-approved license allowing commercial use, modification, and distribution with minimal restrictions (requires notice and license copy in distributions).
Apache-2.0 explicitly permits commercial use without royalties or attribution beyond license inclusion. No commercial restrictions observed in the license text. Verify compliance with your legal team if embedding or redistributing Databasus code.
DEV.co evaluation signals
Editorial assessment — not user reviews. Directional, with an explicit confidence level.
| Signal | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Maintenance | Active |
| Documentation | Strong |
| License clarity | Clear |
| Deployment complexity | Moderate |
| DEV.co fit | Good |
| Assessment confidence | High |
Databasus implements AES-256-GCM encryption for backups, uses read-only database users by default, and never stores plaintext secrets. Encryption keys and credential management are the responsibility of the deployer. Backups remain under user control (no SaaS data custody). Audit logs track user activities. Access control is role-based within workspaces. No independent security audit data provided; review code and architecture before trusting with sensitive databases in regulated environments.
Alternatives to consider
pgBackRest
PostgreSQL-only, mature, command-line focused, no web UI; better for teams with strong CLI/automation preferences and simpler database estates.
Barman (Backup and Recovery Manager)
PostgreSQL-native, enterprise-grade, strong WAL archiving and PITR; requires greater operational complexity but offers deeper PostgreSQL integration.
Managed services (AWS RDS, Azure Database, Google Cloud SQL)
Offload backup infrastructure, compliance, and encryption to cloud provider; trade self-hosting flexibility and cost control for operational simplicity and SLA guarantees.
Build on databasus with DEV.co software developers
Deploy Databasus with our guided setup or review the full technical documentation to assess fit for your infrastructure.
Talk to DEV.coRelated on DEV.co
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databasus FAQ
Can I restore a single table or database from a backup?
What network bandwidth is required for WAL streaming?
Can I use Databasus to backup multiple PostgreSQL instances to a single S3 bucket?
Is there a managed or SaaS version of Databasus?
Software development & web development with DEV.co
From first prototype to production, DEV.co delivers software development services around tools like databasus. Our software development agency staffs experienced software developers and web developers for custom software development, web development, integrations, and ongoing support across open-source devops and beyond.
Ready to protect your PostgreSQL data?
Deploy Databasus with our guided setup or review the full technical documentation to assess fit for your infrastructure.