Capsule BridgeTimeCapsuleSMB or Capsule Bridge? An honest comparison for Time Capsule owners
Published: 2026-10-29 · Capsule Bridge
Short answer: TimeCapsuleSMB changes the software on your Time Capsule so that modern Macs can talk to it. Capsule Bridge leaves the Time Capsule alone and talks to it in its old language (AFP) from an app. We make Capsule Bridge, so weigh our view accordingly, and read what the other project says too.
| TimeCapsuleSMB | Capsule Bridge | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Open-source community project | App for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Android (coming soon) |
| How it works | Installs a newer Samba file-sharing server on the Time Capsule | Speaks AFP, the protocol the Time Capsule already uses. Nothing is installed on the device |
| Changes the Time Capsule? | Yes, it adds software to the device | No. The free version only reads |
| What you need | A Mac on macOS 14 or later (or a Linux computer), the Time Capsule's password, and some command-line tools | The Time Capsule's password and the app |
| Phones and tablets | They use normal SMB sharing once the device is set up | The app runs on iPhone, iPad and Android |
| Status | Reviewers describe it as early-stage | Not released yet |
What TimeCapsuleSMB does well
It gives the Time Capsule modern file sharing, so a Mac can use it as a normal network disk again. The Register reports that the project includes the pieces Time Machine needs. The device has very little free memory, and on some models the software has to be loaded again after a restart.
What Capsule Bridge does well
Nothing changes on the Time Capsule, so there is nothing to undo. The disk appears in Finder on the Mac and in Files on iPhone and iPad, and you copy your files out. A Mac's Time Machine backup can be mirrored to the disk as a copy. Capsule Bridge does not make macOS Time Machine itself back up to the Time Capsule.
Which one fits you?
- You want your old files back and do not want to touch the device: an app that speaks AFP, or an older Mac.
- You want the Time Capsule to keep working as a Time Machine disk and are comfortable with command-line tools: look at TimeCapsuleSMB, after copying your important files elsewhere.
- You are thinking long term: a new external drive or network disk is the lasting fix for backups.
Whatever you pick, copy your important files to a modern drive first. See our copy checklist.