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File Storage · head to head

Cloudian vs Sync.com

Cloudian logo

Cloudian

File Storage

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sync.com logo

Sync.com

File Storage

Cloud storage, backup and sharing with end-to-end encryption

From
$8/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.; Sync.com all Teams plans require a minimum of 3 users
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cloudian and Sync.com actually diverge.

Attributes where Cloudian and Sync.com differ
AttributeCloudianSync.com
Starting priceOn request$8/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsLinuxWeb

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 Sync.com

Nothing recorded that Cloudian does not also cover.

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 Sync.com
  • An organisation restoring hundreds of terabytes regularly where public cloud egress charges make cloud storage untenablenot Sync.com
  • A university or government body with data residency rules preventing use of public cloud object storagenot Sync.com
  • A media archive holding petabytes of finished content where per-terabyte capital cost beats per-gigabyte monthly cloud feesnot Sync.com

Sync.com

  • Sharing patient records between healthcare providers with HIPAA compliancenot Cloudian
  • Managing confidential legal documents with encrypted folders and version historynot Cloudian
  • Providing secure client portals for financial advisors sharing sensitive datanot Cloudian
  • Maintaining GDPR-compliant file storage for European customer datanot Cloudian
  • Enabling remote work access to sensitive files without third-party trackingnot 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.

Sync.com

  • All Teams plans require a minimum of 3 users
  • The advertised low monthly rate (e.g. $4/month for Teams 1TB) is a promotional annual rate described as 50% off; the standard monthly price is $8/month without the promotion
  • Enterprise pricing for 100+ users is custom and requires contacting a dedicated account manager

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

Sync.com

$8/month
  • Teams 1TB$8/month
    • 1 TB secure storage
    • Advanced sharing
    • Administrator account
  • Teams 2TB$12/month
    • 2 TB secure storage
    • Custom branding
    • Role-based access control
  • Teams 10TB$18/month
    • 10 TB secure storage
    • VIP support
    • 365-day history
  • Sync Enterprise$undefined/mo
    • Custom storage limits
    • Custom branding
    • Role-based access control

Which should you pick?

Choose Cloudian if

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

Choose Sync.com if

Nothing in the data separates Sync.com from Cloudian on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Sync.com review

Questions people ask

Is Cloudian or Sync.com better?
Neither clearly leads. Cloudian starts at On request and Sync.com at $8/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cloudian or Sync.com?
Cloudian starts at On request and Sync.com at $8/month.
Does Cloudian or Sync.com run on more platforms?
Cloudian runs on Linux. Sync.com runs on 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 Sync.com is typically brought in for.
What can Cloudian do that Sync.com cannot?
Cloudian covers S3 API compatibility, Object Lock, Erasure coding, Multi-tenancy.

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.

Sync.com: What are the Sync.com team plan price differences?

Sync.com offers three main team tiers: Teams 1TB at $8/month per user (annual), Teams 2TB at $12/month per user (annual), and Teams 10TB at $18/month per user (annual). All require a minimum of 3 users. Higher tiers include enhanced features like custom branding, admin delegation, and longer file history.

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.

Sync.com: Does Sync.com offer a free trial?

Yes, Sync.com offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card required. All plans also include a full 30-day money-back guarantee.

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.

Sync.com: What file history retention does Sync.com provide?

Sync.com Teams 1TB includes 180-day file history. Teams 2TB and Teams 10TB offer 365-day history. This history duration applies across all shared files and team folders.

Source
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