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File Storage · head to head

IDrive vs Tigris

IDrive logo

IDrive

File Storage

Affordable online backup with multiple device support

From
$2.5/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tigris logo

Tigris

File Storage

Globally distributed S3-compatible object storage with zero egress fees

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Tigris has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: IDrive the advertised annual rates are first year introductory prices, with standard pricing applying from the second year onward; Tigris lowest tier still more expensive than some cold storage alternatives
  • They diverge on capability: IDrive covers Multiple device backup, Tigris covers Global Distribution.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which IDrive and Tigris actually diverge.

Attributes where IDrive and Tigris differ
AttributeIDriveTigris
Starting price$2.5/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUsage-based tiered storage with per-request fees
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, Mac, Linux, WebWeb, API, CLI
Founded1995Unknown

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

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

Only in Tigris

  • Global Distribution
  • Zero Egress Fees
  • S3 Compatibility
  • Multiple Storage Classes
  • Object Notifications
  • API Access

What people use each for

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

IDrive

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

Tigris

  • Storing and versioning AI training datasets without egress penaltiesnot IDrive
  • Distributing model checkpoints and artifacts globallynot IDrive
  • Serving static assets with low latency across regionsnot IDrive
  • Multi-cloud data portability with standardized APInot IDrive

Where each one falls short

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

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

Tigris

  • Lowest tier still more expensive than some cold storage alternatives
  • Retrieval charges on infrequent access tier add cost variability
  • Limited to object storage, no file system semantics
  • Archive retrieval requires planning ahead

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Tigris

Free
  • Standard Storage$0.02/GB/month
    • Frequently accessed data
    • No retrieval charges
    • Free data egress
  • Infrequent Access$0.01/GB/month
    • Lower storage cost
    • Retrieval: $0.01 per GB
    • 30-day minimum retention
  • Archive$0.004/GB/month
    • Lowest storage cost
    • Free retrieval
    • 90-day minimum retention
  • Archive Instant Retrieval$0.004/GB/month
    • Archive storage cost
    • Instant retrieval: $0.03 per GB
    • 90-day minimum retention

Which should you pick?

Choose IDrive if

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

Choose Tigris if

  • You need global distribution.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, API, CLI.
  • You also want zero egress fees.
Tigris review

Questions people ask

Is IDrive or Tigris better?
Neither clearly leads. IDrive starts at $2.5/month and Tigris at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, IDrive or Tigris?
Tigris has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $2.5/month for IDrive and Free for Tigris.
Does IDrive or Tigris run on more platforms?
IDrive runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Web. Tigris runs on Web, API, CLI.
Can I use Tigris for free?
Yes. Tigris has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. IDrive starts at $2.5/month.
What is IDrive best used for?
IDrive is most often used for online backup for computers, servers and mobile devices, backing up multiple machines under one account. Of those, online backup for computers, servers and mobile devices and backing up multiple machines under one account are not what Tigris is typically brought in for.
What can IDrive do that Tigris cannot?
IDrive covers Multiple device backup, True archiving, Continuous protection, IDrive Express. Tigris covers Global Distribution, Zero Egress Fees, S3 Compatibility, Multiple Storage Classes.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Tigris: Is there a free tier?

Yes, new users receive 5 GB of Standard storage monthly plus 10,000 Class A and 100,000 Class B requests at no cost.

Source
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
Tigris: What are the request costs?

Class A requests cost $0.005 per 1,000 requests, Class B requests cost $0.0005 per 1,000 requests. DELETE and CANCEL operations are free.

Source
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
Tigris: Do I get charged for data egress?

No, Tigris provides free data egress across all storage tiers.

Source
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