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File Storage · head to head

Cloudian vs IDrive

Cloudian logo

Cloudian

File Storage

S3-compatible on-premises object storage with object lock immutability

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
IDrive logo

IDrive

File Storage

Affordable online backup with multiple device support

From
$2.5/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Cloudian you operate the hardware, so capacity planning, firmware, node failures and a refresh cycle every five years return as costs that a public cloud bill hides.; IDrive the advertised annual rates are first year introductory prices, with standard pricing applying from the second year onward
  • They diverge on capability: Cloudian covers S3 API compatibility, IDrive covers Multiple device backup.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cloudian and IDrive actually diverge.

Attributes where Cloudian and IDrive differ
AttributeCloudianIDrive
Starting priceOn request$2.5/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsLinuxWindows, Mac, Linux, Web
FoundedUnknown1995

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (File Storage).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Cloudian

  • S3 API compatibility
  • Object Lock
  • Erasure coding
  • Multi-tenancy
  • Hybrid tiering
  • HyperStore appliances

Only in IDrive

  • Multiple device backup
  • True archiving
  • Continuous protection
  • IDrive Express
  • Snapshots
  • File sharing
  • iOS
  • Android

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Cloudian

  • A backup team needing an immutable target so a compromised administrator account cannot delete the backupsnot IDrive
  • An organisation restoring hundreds of terabytes regularly where public cloud egress charges make cloud storage untenablenot IDrive
  • A university or government body with data residency rules preventing use of public cloud object storagenot IDrive
  • A media archive holding petabytes of finished content where per-terabyte capital cost beats per-gigabyte monthly cloud feesnot IDrive

IDrive

  • Online backup for computers, servers and mobile devicesnot Cloudian
  • Backing up multiple machines under one accountnot Cloudian

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Cloudian

  • You operate the hardware, so capacity planning, firmware, node failures and a refresh cycle every five years return as costs that a public cloud bill hides.
  • Per-terabyte licensing plus servers means high upfront cost, and the crossover point against public cloud only arrives at meaningful scale, typically hundreds of terabytes and up.
  • S3 compatibility is high but not identical to Amazon, so occasional applications depending on newer or less common S3 features need testing rather than assumption.
  • Small deployments need a minimum node count for erasure coding to be meaningful, which sets a practical floor on entry cost regardless of how little data you have.
  • Performance is object storage performance, so it is not a substitute for block or high-throughput file storage and buyers occasionally deploy it for the wrong workload.

IDrive

  • The advertised annual rates are first year introductory prices, with standard pricing applying from the second year onward
  • The two year offer discounts only the first year, so the second year reverts to the full rate
  • Team plans tie user and computer counts to the storage tier, so 10 TB means exactly 10 computers
  • Business storage costs far more per terabyte than Personal, at $719.88 a year for 1.25 TB against $143.88 for 5 TB

Pricing, plan by plan

Cloudian

On request
  • Cloudian HyperStore$undefined/year
    • Licensed per usable terabyte, subscription or perpetual
    • Software-only on your hardware or as Cloudian appliances
    • No egress or API request charges

IDrive

$2.5/month
  • IDrive Personal$2.5/month
    • Promotional pricing: $2.50/month (billed annually)
    • Regular pricing: $6.99/month
    • 50% savings with annual billing
  • IDrive Team$null/month
    • Cloud backup service for small business
  • IDrive Business$null/month
    • Backup for computers and servers
  • IDrive 360 Enterprise Backup$null/month
    • Endpoint, servers, and SaaS cloud backup
    • For MSPs and IT teams

Which should you pick?

Choose Cloudian if

  • You need s3 api compatibility.
  • You work on Linux.
  • You also want object lock.
Cloudian review

Choose IDrive if

  • You need multiple device backup.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, Linux, Web.
  • You also want true archiving.
IDrive review

Questions people ask

Is Cloudian or IDrive better?
Neither clearly leads. Cloudian starts at On request and IDrive at $2.5/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cloudian or IDrive?
Cloudian starts at On request and IDrive at $2.5/month.
Does Cloudian or IDrive run on more platforms?
Cloudian runs on Linux. IDrive runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Web.
What is Cloudian best used for?
Cloudian is most often used for a backup team needing an immutable target so a compromised administrator account cannot delete the backups, an organisation restoring hundreds of terabytes regularly where public cloud egress charges make cloud storage untenable, a university or government body with data residency rules preventing use of public cloud object storage, a media archive holding petabytes of finished content where per-terabyte capital cost beats per-gigabyte monthly cloud fees. Of those, a backup team needing an immutable target so a compromised administrator account cannot delete the backups and an organisation restoring hundreds of terabytes regularly where public cloud egress charges make cloud storage untenable are not what IDrive is typically brought in for.
What can Cloudian do that IDrive cannot?
Cloudian covers S3 API compatibility, Object Lock, Erasure coding, Multi-tenancy. IDrive covers Multiple device backup, True archiving, Continuous protection, IDrive Express.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cloudian: Does object lock really stop ransomware deleting backups?

Within the retention period, yes, provided the lock is set in compliance mode. That is precisely why it is the common answer to backup-targeting ransomware.

IDrive: How much does IDrive Personal cost?

IDrive Personal starts at $2.50/month when billed annually, representing a 50% discount from the regular price of $6.99/month. A 7-day free trial is available without requiring a credit card.

Source
Cloudian: Are there egress charges?

No. That is the central cost argument against public cloud object storage, and it only becomes visible when you have to restore at volume.

IDrive: What is the price for IDrive Cloud Applications Backup?

IDrive Cloud Applications Backup costs $20 per seat per year with unlimited storage. This covers backups for Microsoft 365, Microsoft Entra ID, Google Workspace, Salesforce, Dropbox, and Box.

Source
Cloudian: Can we use our own servers?

Yes, HyperStore is software-defined and runs on qualified commodity hardware, or you can buy Cloudian appliances if you would rather not certify your own.

IDrive: How much does IDrive e2 cloud object storage cost?

IDrive e2 starts at $29.75 per year for 1 TB (first-year promotional pricing; regular price $59.50/year). IDrive markets this as 90% cheaper than AWS pricing for equivalent storage.

Source
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