Softwr

File Storage · head to head

Cloudian vs Wasabi

Cloudian logo

Cloudian

File Storage

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Wasabi logo

Wasabi

Cloud

Hot cloud storage without egress fees

From
$7.99/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.; Wasabi 90-day minimum storage duration with no option to delete before full period without penalty
  • They diverge on capability: Cloudian covers S3 API compatibility, Wasabi covers Hot Cloud Storage.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cloudian and Wasabi actually diverge.

Attributes where Cloudian and Wasabi differ
AttributeCloudianWasabi
Starting priceOn request$7.99/month
Pricing modelquoteUnknown
PlatformsLinuxWeb, API
CategoryFile StorageCloud
FoundedUnknown2015

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

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
  • Erasure coding
  • Multi-tenancy
  • Hybrid tiering
  • HyperStore appliances

Only in Wasabi

  • Hot Cloud Storage
  • S3 Compatible API
  • Versioning
  • Multi-region
  • Data Migration Tools
  • Immutability
  • Ransomware Protection
  • Veeam

Both cover

  • Object Lock

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

Wasabi

  • Backup and recoverynot Cloudian
  • Media storagenot Cloudian
  • Archive replacementnot Cloudian
  • Ransomware protectionnot 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.

Wasabi

  • 90-day minimum storage duration with no option to delete before full period without penalty
  • Significantly smaller global footprint than AWS with only 16 regions, resulting in higher latency for users in underserved regions
  • Performance can degrade with high-volume transactions requiring throughput management strategies
  • Hot storage only, no cold/archival storage tier for long-term data at lower cost
  • Support responsiveness gaps with teams experiencing multi-day waits for critical issue resolution

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

Wasabi

$7.99/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Wasabi review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Cloudian if

  • You need s3 api compatibility.
  • You work on Linux.
  • You also want erasure coding.
Cloudian review

Choose Wasabi if

  • You need hot cloud storage.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want s3 compatible api.
Wasabi review

Questions people ask

Is Cloudian or Wasabi better?
Neither clearly leads. Cloudian starts at On request and Wasabi at $7.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cloudian or Wasabi?
Cloudian starts at On request and Wasabi at $7.99/month.
Does Cloudian or Wasabi run on more platforms?
Cloudian runs on Linux. Wasabi runs on Web, API.
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 Wasabi is typically brought in for.
What can Cloudian do that Wasabi cannot?
Cloudian covers S3 API compatibility, Erasure coding, Multi-tenancy, Hybrid tiering. Wasabi covers Hot Cloud Storage, S3 Compatible API, Versioning, Multi-region. Both handle Object Lock.

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.

Wasabi: What is Wasabi's pricing structure?

Wasabi offers pay-as-you-go pricing at $7.99 per TB per month as of July 2026, with no egress or API request fees. Reserved capacity plans are available for multi-year terms with volume discounts.

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.

Wasabi: Does Wasabi charge for data downloads or API calls?

No. Wasabi includes zero egress fees and zero API request fees, which is a major cost advantage over AWS S3. Customers can plan their budget to the penny without worrying about surprise data transfer charges.

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.

Wasabi: Is there a minimum storage duration requirement?

Yes. Wasabi enforces a 90-day minimum storage term. Users who delete data before 90 days are still charged for the full 90-day period.

Source
Wasabi: Is Wasabi S3-compatible?

Yes. Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage is fully S3-compatible, meaning organizations can integrate it into existing workflows without rewriting application code used with AWS S3.

Share

Related pages

More on Cloudian

More on Wasabi

Keep looking

Other head to heads