File Storage · head to head
IDrive e2 vs VAST Data
IDrive e2
File Storage
Low cost S3-compatible object storage with egress included up to a multiple of what you store
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
VAST Data
File Storage
All-flash storage designed to make hard disk tiers unnecessary
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only IDrive e2 has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: IDrive e2 the included egress is capped as a multiple of stored data, so a small bucket that serves a lot of traffic exhausts the allowance quickly and the economics stop looking cheap exactly where a CDN backed store would still be free.; VAST Data data reduction ratios drive the economics, and datasets that are already compressed, such as media or encrypted files, reduce poorly and destroy the cost per terabyte case.
- They diverge on capability: IDrive e2 covers S3-compatible endpoints, VAST Data covers Disaggregated architecture.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which IDrive e2 and VAST Data actually diverge.
Identical on both: 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 IDrive e2
- S3-compatible endpoints
- Included egress allowance
- Object lock
- Versioning
- Regional endpoints
- Cross region replication
Only in VAST Data
- Disaggregated architecture
- Similarity-based reduction
- All-flash single tier
- Multi-protocol access
- Wide erasure coding
- GPU-oriented throughput
- Snapshots and replication
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
IDrive e2
- The offsite copy in a three two one backup chain driven by Veeam, restic or a NAS backup clientnot VAST Data
- Replacing an S3 bucket whose cost is dominated by storage rather than by requestsnot VAST Data
- Small teams who want predictable monthly object storage billing with no request line itemsnot VAST Data
- Archiving media or logs that must stay accessible without a retrieval delaynot VAST Data
VAST Data
- A GPU training cluster where storage throughput, not compute, is the bottleneck on job completionnot IDrive e2
- A genomics group holding petabytes of sequencing output that must stay immediately readable rather than archived to tapenot IDrive e2
- A quantitative finance team running backtests over historical market data that a disk tier cannot serve fast enoughnot IDrive e2
- An organisation consolidating a fast tier and an archive tier into one system to reduce rack space and power drawnot IDrive e2
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
IDrive e2
- The included egress is capped as a multiple of stored data, so a small bucket that serves a lot of traffic exhausts the allowance quickly and the economics stop looking cheap exactly where a CDN backed store would still be free.
- The region list is short compared with the hyperscalers, so data residency requirements outside the main markets are hard to satisfy and multi region designs have fewer options.
- S3 compatibility covers the common calls but not the long tail, so software that relies on less common features can fail in ways that are hard to diagnose against a provider with thin public documentation.
- Support is organised around a consumer and small business backup product rather than a platform engineering organisation, so escalating a storage layer problem takes longer than it would with a specialist provider.
- IDrive publishes far less about the underlying architecture, durability engineering and incident history than its competitors, so due diligence on the storage layer is largely taking the vendor at its word.
VAST Data
- Data reduction ratios drive the economics, and datasets that are already compressed, such as media or encrypted files, reduce poorly and destroy the cost per terabyte case.
- There is a minimum viable cluster size, so the entry cost is high and the platform is not sensible for a small footprint however attractive the architecture is.
- Pricing is quoted against effective capacity after reduction, which means the price you signed depends on an assumption about your own data that only becomes measurable after deployment.
- The platform has expanded into database and data catalogue functions, which broadens the roadmap but means buyers evaluating it as a file system must be careful not to be sold an adjacent product they will not use.
- As a relatively young vendor in a market of long-lived incumbents, buyers with ten year retention requirements should press on long term support commitments and hardware availability rather than assume them.
Pricing, plan by plan
IDrive e2
Free- FreeFree
- 10 GB stored
- S3 API access
- Egress within the included allowance
- Pay as you go$4/month
- Roughly 4 USD per terabyte stored per month
- Egress included up to a multiple of stored data
- No per operation charge on standard usage
VAST Data
On request- VAST Data Platform$undefined/year
- Priced per usable capacity after data reduction
- Hardware and software sold together or via certified partners
- Subscription and capital purchase options
Which should you pick?
Choose IDrive e2 if
- You need s3-compatible endpoints.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, API.
- You also want included egress allowance.
Choose VAST Data if
- You need disaggregated architecture.
- You work on Linux.
- You also want similarity-based reduction.
Questions people ask
- Is IDrive e2 or VAST Data better?
- Neither clearly leads. IDrive e2 starts at Free and VAST Data at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, IDrive e2 or VAST Data?
- IDrive e2 has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for IDrive e2 and On request for VAST Data.
- Does IDrive e2 or VAST Data run on more platforms?
- IDrive e2 runs on Web, API. VAST Data runs on Linux.
- Can I use IDrive e2 for free?
- Yes. IDrive e2 has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. VAST Data starts at On request.
- What is IDrive e2 best used for?
- IDrive e2 is most often used for the offsite copy in a three two one backup chain driven by veeam, restic or a nas backup client, replacing an s3 bucket whose cost is dominated by storage rather than by requests, small teams who want predictable monthly object storage billing with no request line items, archiving media or logs that must stay accessible without a retrieval delay. Of those, the offsite copy in a three two one backup chain driven by veeam, restic or a nas backup client and replacing an s3 bucket whose cost is dominated by storage rather than by requests are not what VAST Data is typically brought in for.
- What can IDrive e2 do that VAST Data cannot?
- IDrive e2 covers S3-compatible endpoints, Included egress allowance, Object lock, Versioning. VAST Data covers Disaggregated architecture, Similarity-based reduction, All-flash single tier, Multi-protocol access.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
IDrive e2: Is the egress genuinely free?
It is included up to an allowance tied to how much you store, not unlimited. Read heavy workloads on a small bucket will exceed it.
VAST Data: Do we still need an archive tier?
That is the central claim, and it holds when your data reduces well. Run a reduction assessment on your actual dataset before accepting the economics.
IDrive e2: Does it work with Veeam and restic?
Yes, both treat it as a standard S3 endpoint, and object lock is supported for immutable backup chains.
VAST Data: How is capacity priced?
On usable capacity after data reduction, quoted rather than published. That makes the reduction ratio assumption the most important number in the contract.
IDrive e2: Is there a minimum retention period?
No fixed minimum retention charge on standard storage, which is a real difference from providers that bill ninety days on early deletion.
VAST Data: Is it suitable for a small deployment?
No. There is a minimum cluster size and the entry cost reflects it. Small footprints are better served elsewhere.
IDrive e2: How does it compare with Backblaze B2?
The rates are close. B2 is the better documented and more widely integrated service; e2 is cheaper at list and has a different egress allowance model.
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