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File Storage · head to head

Duplicati vs Storj

Duplicati logo

Duplicati

File Storage

Free open-source backup with encryption

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Storj logo

Storj

File Storage

S3-compatible object storage distributed in encrypted pieces across independently operated nodes

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Duplicati no managed service or commercial support; Storj billing includes a per segment charge and every object consumes at least one segment, so a bucket holding millions of small files can cost several times what the four dollar per terabyte headline implies.
  • They diverge on capability: Duplicati covers AES-256 encryption, Storj covers Erasure coded distribution.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Duplicati and Storj actually diverge.

Attributes where Duplicati and Storj differ
AttributeDuplicatiStorj
Pricing modelUnknownPer terabyte per month
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWeb, API, Linux, macOS, Windows
Founded2008Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Duplicati

  • AES-256 encryption
  • Incremental backup
  • Deduplication
  • Multiple cloud backends
  • Compression
  • Web interface
  • AWS S3
  • Azure

Only in Storj

  • Erasure coded distribution
  • Client side encryption
  • S3-compatible gateway
  • Native uplink access
  • Object Lock and versioning
  • Storj Select

What people use each for

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

Duplicati

  • Data protectionnot Storj
  • Disaster recoverynot Storj
  • Business continuitynot Storj
  • Ransomware protectionnot Storj
  • Compliancenot Storj

Storj

  • An offsite backup or archive target where the data is large, written once and occasionally restorednot Duplicati
  • Serving large media files internationally without paying hyperscaler egress ratesnot Duplicati
  • Storing data where the objection to AWS, Azure or Google is jurisdiction and concentration rather than costnot Duplicati
  • A second, independent copy of a dataset that already lives in a hyperscaler bucketnot Duplicati

Where each one falls short

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

Duplicati

  • No managed service or commercial support
  • Relies on community support
  • No enterprise features

Storj

  • Billing includes a per segment charge and every object consumes at least one segment, so a bucket holding millions of small files can cost several times what the four dollar per terabyte headline implies.
  • Reconstructing an object requires responses from dozens of independent nodes, so time to first byte is noticeably higher than a centralised bucket and it is a poor fit behind a latency sensitive read path.
  • Performance depends on the mix of node operators serving you at that moment rather than on a datacentre you can raise a ticket against, so slow reads are diagnosed statistically rather than fixed.
  • The hosted S3 gateway terminates encryption on Storj infrastructure, so using the convenient access path gives up the end to end encryption that is the main architectural argument for the service.
  • The S3 gateway is compatible rather than identical, so tools that lean on less common API calls, multipart edge cases or unusual header behaviour need testing before you commit a workload to it.

Pricing, plan by plan

Duplicati

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Duplicati review.

Storj

Free
  • Free trialFree
    • 25 GB stored
    • 25 GB egress per month
    • No card required to start
  • Storj$4/month
    • 4 USD per terabyte stored per month
    • 7 USD per terabyte of egress
    • Per segment fee on top of stored volume

Which should you pick?

Choose Duplicati if

  • You need aes-256 encryption.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want incremental backup.
Duplicati review

Choose Storj if

  • You need erasure coded distribution.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, API, Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want client side encryption.
Storj review

Questions people ask

Is Duplicati or Storj better?
Neither clearly leads. Duplicati starts at Free and Storj at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Duplicati or Storj?
Duplicati starts at Free and Storj at Free.
Does Duplicati or Storj run on more platforms?
Duplicati runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Storj runs on Web, API, Linux, macOS, Windows.
Can I use Duplicati for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Duplicati best used for?
Duplicati is most often used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection. Of those, data protection and disaster recovery are not what Storj is typically brought in for.
What can Duplicati do that Storj cannot?
Duplicati covers AES-256 encryption, Incremental backup, Deduplication, Multiple cloud backends. Storj covers Erasure coded distribution, Client side encryption, S3-compatible gateway, Native uplink access.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Duplicati: Is Duplicati free?

Yes. Duplicati is completely free and open-source under the LGPL license. There are no premium tiers, trials, or limitations.

Source
Storj: Why is my bill higher than four dollars per terabyte?

Almost always the per segment fee. Objects are split into segments and small files each consume one, so a few million tiny objects generate a segment charge that dwarfs the storage line.

Duplicati: What does Duplicati support?

Duplicati supports zero-trust, fully encrypted backups to local storage, network drives, and cloud services. It includes deduplication and incremental backups.

Source
Storj: Can node operators read my data?

No. Files are encrypted client side and each operator holds only an erasure coded fragment, which is not a readable portion of the file.

Duplicati: What are the platforms?

Duplicati runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It can back up data to local storage, network drives, or cloud providers.

Source
Storj: Is there a minimum retention period?

No. You are billed for what you store while you store it, unlike several competitors that bill a ninety day minimum whatever you delete.

Storj: Is it fast enough to serve a website from?

For large files with parallel reads, yes. For many small objects where time to first byte matters, put a CDN in front of it or use something centralised.

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