Top 5 database backup tools in 2026

Most organizations run more than one database type. PostgreSQL for transactional workloads, MongoDB for document storage, MySQL for legacy applications. Managing backups across this diversity becomes a real challenge when each database requires different tools, commands and recovery procedures.

Multi-database backup tools solve this by providing a unified approach. Instead of learning five different backup utilities and maintaining separate scripts for each database, you get one tool that handles them all. This guide covers the top backup solutions that support multiple database engines — ranked by features, ease of use and community adoption.

Why multi-database support matters

The obvious answer is convenience. But there's more to it.

When your PostgreSQL backups use pg_dump, MongoDB uses mongodump and MySQL uses mysqldump, you end up with three different monitoring setups, three different storage configurations and three different restoration procedures. Something will eventually fall through the cracks.

A unified backup tool means:

• Single place to monitor all backup jobs
• Consistent storage and retention policies
• One team to train, one tool to maintain
• Standardized recovery procedures across all databases

Teams with mixed database environments waste significant time managing backup infrastructure instead of focusing on their actual products. Multi-database tools eliminate this operational tax.

1. Databasus — unified backup management for multiple databases

Databasus has emerged as the leading multi-database backup solution with over 5,000 GitHub stars. Originally focused on PostgreSQL, the tool now supports PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB and MongoDB with the same straightforward interface.

What makes Databasus stand out is the focus on operational simplicity. You configure databases through a web interface, set schedules, choose storage destinations and receive notifications when something goes wrong. No shell scripts, no cron jobs, no manual file management.

The tool handles both self-hosted databases and cloud-managed services. This means you can back up your local PostgreSQL development database, your AWS RDS MySQL production instance and your MongoDB Atlas cluster from the same dashboard.

Supported databases

• PostgreSQL (versions 12-18)
• MySQL (versions 5.7, 8.0, 8.4, 9.1)
• MariaDB (versions 10.5-11.7)
• MongoDB (versions 4.4-8.0)

Key features

Scheduled backups with multiple destinations. Configure hourly, daily, weekly or custom cron schedules. Store backups on local disk, S3, Google Cloud Storage, Cloudflare R2, Backblaze B2, Google Drive, Dropbox, SFTP or FTP.

Team collaboration. Workspaces organize databases by project. Role-based access control limits who can create, view or restore backups. Audit logs track all backup operations for compliance requirements.

Encryption and security. AES-256-GCM encryption protects sensitive configuration data. Backup files can be encrypted at rest in your storage destination.

Notifications. Get alerts through Slack, Discord, Telegram, Microsoft Teams or email when backups succeed, fail or encounter warnings.

Installation

Databasus deploys with Docker in one command:

docker run -d \
  --name databasus \
  -p 4005:4005 \
  -v ./databasus-data:/databasus-data \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  databasus/databasus:latest

Or with Docker Compose:

services:
  databasus:
    container_name: databasus
    image: databasus/databasus:latest
    ports:
      - "4005:4005"
    volumes:
      - ./databasus-data:/databasus-data
    restart: unless-stopped

Access the web interface at http://localhost:4005 to configure your first database.

Setting up a backup

The workflow is the same regardless of database type:

1. Click "New Database" and select your database engine
2. Enter connection details (host, port, credentials, database name)
3. Choose storage destination and configure credentials
4. Set backup schedule
5. Optionally add notification channels

Databasus validates connections before saving, preventing configuration errors. The first backup runs immediately so you can verify everything works.

Pros:

• Single interface for PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB and MongoDB
• Web UI eliminates command-line complexity
• Works with cloud-managed databases (RDS, Cloud SQL, Azure, Atlas)
• Team features for enterprise deployments
• Active development with regular updates

Cons:

• Logical backups only (no WAL/binlog-based PITR)
• Self-hosted deployment requires infrastructure management

Website: https://databasus.com

GitHub: https://github.com/databasus/databasus

2. Percona XtraBackup — physical backups for MySQL and MariaDB

Percona XtraBackup is the industry standard for physical MySQL and MariaDB backups. Unlike logical backups that export SQL statements, XtraBackup copies the actual database files while the database remains online. This makes it significantly faster for large databases.

The tool comes from Percona, a company known for their MySQL expertise and consulting services. XtraBackup has been battle-tested in some of the largest MySQL deployments in the world.

Physical backups have important advantages for databases over 50GB. Backup speed scales with disk I/O rather than query complexity. Restoration is faster because you're copying files rather than executing SQL statements. And incremental backups capture only changed pages, reducing storage requirements.

Supported databases

• MySQL (versions 8.0+)
• MariaDB (via Mariabackup, a fork)
• Percona Server for MySQL

Note that XtraBackup doesn't support PostgreSQL or MongoDB. For mixed environments, you'll need additional tools for non-MySQL databases.

Key features

Hot backups without locking. XtraBackup creates consistent backups while your database continues serving traffic. No read locks, no downtime, no performance degradation for most workloads.

Incremental backups. After a full backup, subsequent backups capture only changed data pages. This dramatically reduces backup time and storage for large databases with moderate write activity.

Streaming and compression. Stream backups directly to remote storage. Built-in compression reduces network bandwidth and storage costs.

Point-in-time recovery. Combined with binary log archival, XtraBackup supports PITR to recover to any moment between backups.

Basic usage

Create a full backup:

xtrabackup --backup \
  --target-dir=/backup/full \
  --user=backup_user \
  --password=your_password

Prepare the backup for restoration:

xtrabackup --prepare --target-dir=/backup/full

Create an incremental backup:

xtrabackup --backup \
  --target-dir=/backup/inc1 \
  --incremental-basedir=/backup/full \
  --user=backup_user \
  --password=your_password

Restoration requires stopping MySQL, clearing the data directory and copying back the prepared backup.

Pros:

• Fast backups for large databases
• No table locking during backup
• Incremental backup support
• Proven reliability at scale

Cons:

• MySQL/MariaDB only, no PostgreSQL or MongoDB
• Command-line only, no GUI
• Complex restoration procedure
• Requires same MySQL version for restore

Website: https://www.percona.com/software/mysql-database/percona-xtrabackup

GitHub: https://github.com/percona/percona-xtrabackup

3. MongoDB Database Tools — official MongoDB backup utilities

MongoDB Database Tools is the official collection of utilities for MongoDB backup and data management. The package includes mongodump and mongorestore for logical backups, plus additional tools for data import/export and diagnostics.

These tools come directly from MongoDB Inc., ensuring compatibility with the latest MongoDB releases and features. They work with both self-hosted MongoDB and MongoDB Atlas (with some limitations on Atlas).

For teams running MongoDB alongside other databases, mongodump provides the logical backup foundation. While not as feature-rich as dedicated backup management tools, it's reliable and well-documented.

Supported databases

• MongoDB (all supported versions)
• MongoDB Atlas (with limitations)

Key features

mongodump and mongorestore. Create BSON dumps of databases or collections. Restore to the same or different MongoDB instance. Query-based filtering lets you back up specific documents.

Compression. Built-in gzip and zstd compression reduces backup size. Particularly effective for text-heavy collections.

Authentication support. Works with all MongoDB authentication mechanisms including SCRAM, x.509 certificates and LDAP.

Oplog replay. For replica sets, mongodump can capture oplog entries for point-in-time recovery capabilities.

Basic usage

Dump a database:

mongodump \
  --uri="mongodb://localhost:27017" \
  --db=production \
  --gzip \
  --out=/backup/mongo

Restore from backup:

mongorestore \
  --uri="mongodb://localhost:27017" \
  --gzip \
  /backup/mongo

Dump specific collection:

mongodump \
  --uri="mongodb://localhost:27017" \
  --db=production \
  --collection=users \
  --query='{"status": "active"}' \
  --out=/backup/mongo

Pros:

• Official MongoDB tooling with guaranteed compatibility
• Free and open source
• Good documentation and community support
• Works with replica sets and sharded clusters

Cons:

• MongoDB only, no SQL database support
• No scheduling or automation built-in
• No GUI
• Manual storage management required

Website: https://www.mongodb.com/docs/database-tools/

GitHub: https://github.com/mongodb/mongo-tools

4. Restic — filesystem-level backup with deduplication

Restic takes a different approach to database backup. Instead of database-specific dumps, Restic backs up files at the filesystem level with block-level deduplication. This makes it useful for backing up database data directories, WAL archives and dump files.

The tool isn't database-aware, which is both a limitation and an advantage. You can't create consistent database backups with Restic alone — you need to first create dumps using native tools. But Restic excels at efficiently storing and versioning those dumps across multiple databases.

Deduplication is Restic's killer feature. If you back up 100GB of database dumps daily and only 5GB changes between backups, Restic stores roughly 105GB total instead of 700GB for a week's worth of backups.

Supported databases

Restic doesn't back up databases directly. It backs up files. You can use it to store:

• pg_dump output files
• mysqldump output files
• mongodump directories
• Any database dump in file form

Key features

Block-level deduplication. Only unique data blocks get stored. Similar dumps share storage, dramatically reducing backup size over time.

Encryption by default. All backups are encrypted with AES-256 before leaving your machine. No unencrypted data reaches your storage backend.

Multiple storage backends. Local disk, SFTP, S3, Google Cloud Storage, Azure Blob Storage, Backblaze B2 and more.

Snapshots and versioning. Each backup creates a snapshot. You can restore any previous version without affecting others.

Basic usage with database dumps

First create your database dump:

pg_dump -U postgres production > /dumps/production.sql

Then back up with Restic:

restic -r s3:s3.amazonaws.com/my-bucket backup /dumps

Restore a specific snapshot:

restic -r s3:s3.amazonaws.com/my-bucket restore latest --target /restore

List available snapshots:

restic -r s3:s3.amazonaws.com/my-bucket snapshots

Pros:

• Excellent storage efficiency through deduplication
• Works with any database that produces file dumps
• Strong encryption by default
• Supports many storage backends

Cons:

• Not database-aware, requires separate dump step
• No scheduling built-in
• Learning curve for backup/restore commands
• Two-step process adds complexity

Website: https://restic.net/

GitHub: https://github.com/restic/restic

5. pgBackRest and WAL-G — physical backups for PostgreSQL

These tools deserve mention for teams with PostgreSQL in their stack, though they only support one database engine.

pgBackRest provides enterprise-grade physical backups with parallel processing, compression, encryption and repository management. It's the gold standard for large PostgreSQL deployments requiring point-in-time recovery.

WAL-G focuses on efficient WAL archiving with delta backups and cloud-native storage. Originally developed by Citus Data (now Microsoft), it's optimized for high-performance backup scenarios.

Both tools require significant expertise to configure and operate. They assume familiarity with PostgreSQL internals, WAL mechanics and system administration. For teams without dedicated DBA resources, the learning curve can be prohibitive.

When to consider these tools

• Databases over 100GB where logical backups are too slow
• Strict RPO requirements needing second-level recovery granularity
• Existing DBA team with PostgreSQL expertise
• Self-hosted PostgreSQL (not cloud-managed)

When to skip them

• Mixed database environments needing unified management
• Cloud-managed databases (RDS, Cloud SQL)
• Teams without dedicated DBA resources
• Projects where hourly backup granularity is sufficient

pgBackRest GitHub: https://github.com/pgbackrest/pgbackrest

WAL-G GitHub: https://github.com/wal-g/wal-g

Comparison table

Feature	Databasus	XtraBackup	MongoDB Tools	Restic
PostgreSQL	Yes	No	No	Via dumps
MySQL/MariaDB	Yes	Yes	No	Via dumps
MongoDB	Yes	No	Yes	Via dumps
Web UI	Yes	No	No	No
Scheduling	Built-in	External	External	External
Cloud DB support	Yes	Limited	Limited	N/A
Backup type	Logical	Physical	Logical	File-level
PITR support	No	Yes	Limited	No
Deduplication	No	No	No	Yes
Team features	Yes	No	No	No

How to choose the right tool

The choice depends on your specific situation. Here's a practical decision framework.

For mixed database environments:

Start with Databasus. It handles PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB and MongoDB from a single interface. The web UI eliminates the operational burden of maintaining separate backup scripts and monitoring for each database type.

For MySQL-heavy workloads over 50GB:

Add Percona XtraBackup for your largest MySQL databases. Physical backups are significantly faster than mysqldump for large datasets. You might use Databasus for smaller databases and XtraBackup for the big ones.

For MongoDB-only environments:

MongoDB Database Tools work fine for basic needs. If you want scheduling and notifications, wrap mongodump in a management tool like Databasus or build your own automation.

For storage efficiency:

Consider Restic as a secondary layer. Run your database dumps, then use Restic to efficiently store and version them. The deduplication can dramatically reduce storage costs for large backup archives.

For PostgreSQL with strict RPO requirements:

If you genuinely need point-in-time recovery to the second, look at pgBackRest or WAL-G. But honestly evaluate whether you actually need this. Most projects don't. Hourly logical backups cover 95% of real-world recovery scenarios with far less operational complexity.

Setting up a multi-database backup strategy

Here's a practical approach for organizations running multiple database types.

Step 1: Inventory your databases

List every database in your infrastructure:

• Database engine and version
• Size (affects backup method choice)
• Update frequency (affects backup schedule)
• Recovery requirements (how much data loss is acceptable)
• Location (self-hosted, cloud-managed, hybrid)

Step 2: Choose your primary tool

For most teams, Databasus provides the best starting point. It handles the common cases without requiring database expertise:

• Self-hosted and cloud-managed databases
• Multiple database engines
• Automated scheduling and notifications
• Team access control

Step 3: Add specialized tools where needed

If specific databases have requirements that logical backups can't meet:

• Very large MySQL databases: Add XtraBackup for physical backups
• Strict PostgreSQL RPO: Add pgBackRest or WAL-G
• Storage efficiency: Add Restic for dump file management

Step 4: Configure storage strategy

Follow the 3-2-1 rule:

• 3 copies of your data
• 2 different storage media
• 1 offsite location

For most setups, this means:

• Production database (copy 1)
• Local backup storage (copy 2)
• Cloud object storage like S3 (copy 3, offsite)

Step 5: Set up monitoring and alerts

Backups fail silently. Configure notifications for:

• Backup success (optional, can be noisy)
• Backup failure (mandatory)
• Storage space warnings
• Backup age alerts (detect stale backups)

Step 6: Test restoration regularly

Schedule quarterly restoration tests:

1. Select a random backup from each database
2. Restore to a test environment
3. Verify data integrity
4. Measure restoration time
5. Document issues and update procedures

A backup that can't be restored is worthless. Regular testing is the only way to know your backups actually work.

Common mistakes to avoid

Storing backups on the same server as the database. Hardware failure destroys both. Always use offsite storage.

Not testing restores. Many teams discover their backups don't work during an actual emergency. Test regularly.

Ignoring cloud-managed databases. Services like RDS and Atlas have built-in backups, but they have limitations. Understand your provider's retention policies and consider supplemental backups for critical data.

Over-engineering the solution. You probably don't need PITR to the second. Hourly logical backups handle most scenarios. Don't add complexity you won't maintain.

Manual backup processes. Humans forget, make mistakes and leave companies. Automate everything.

No documentation. When disaster strikes at 3 AM, you need clear restoration procedures. Document the process and keep it updated.

Conclusion

Multi-database environments need unified backup strategies. Running different tools for each database type creates operational overhead that grows with your infrastructure.

Databasus leads the multi-database category by providing PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB and MongoDB backup through a single interface. For teams running mixed database environments, it eliminates the complexity of maintaining separate backup tooling.

Specialized tools like Percona XtraBackup, MongoDB Database Tools and Restic serve specific needs that a general-purpose tool might not cover. Large MySQL databases benefit from physical backups. Storage efficiency requirements might justify adding Restic. But these should supplement your primary backup tool, not replace it.

The best backup strategy is one that actually runs, gets monitored and gets tested. Pick tools that match your team's expertise and operational capacity. A simple solution that works reliably beats a complex one that gets neglected.