File Storage · head to head
Microsoft OneDrive vs VAST Data
Microsoft OneDrive
File Storage
Cloud storage that comes with Microsoft 365
- From
- $1.99/month
- Rated
- -
VAST Data
File Storage
All-flash storage designed to make hard disk tiers unnecessary
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Microsoft OneDrive free tier not available; minimum cost is $1.99/month for 100 GB storage; 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.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft OneDrive and VAST Data actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft OneDrive | VAST Data |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $1.99/month | On request |
| Pricing model | subscription | quote |
| Platforms | Web | Linux |
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 Microsoft OneDrive
Nothing recorded that VAST Data does not also cover.
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.
Microsoft OneDrive
- Personal cloud storage and file backupnot VAST Data
- Family file sharing and collaborationnot VAST Data
- Business document managementnot VAST Data
- Enterprise ransomware protectionnot VAST Data
VAST Data
- A GPU training cluster where storage throughput, not compute, is the bottleneck on job completionnot Microsoft OneDrive
- A genomics group holding petabytes of sequencing output that must stay immediately readable rather than archived to tapenot Microsoft OneDrive
- A quantitative finance team running backtests over historical market data that a disk tier cannot serve fast enoughnot Microsoft OneDrive
- An organisation consolidating a fast tier and an archive tier into one system to reduce rack space and power drawnot Microsoft OneDrive
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Microsoft OneDrive
- Free tier not available; minimum cost is $1.99/month for 100 GB storage
- Higher-tier plans required for advanced Copilot features
- Per-user pricing increases significantly with family plans
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
Microsoft OneDrive
$1.99/month- Microsoft 365 Basic$1.99/month
- 100 GB cloud storage
- Outlook access
- OneDrive access
- Microsoft 365 Personal$9.99/month
- 1 TB cloud storage
- Desktop Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote)
- Copilot features
- Microsoft 365 Family$12.99/month
- Up to 6 TB cloud storage (1 TB per person)
- 1-6 users supported
- Same apps and features as Personal
- Microsoft 365 Premium$19.99/month
- Up to 6 TB cloud storage (1 TB per person)
- 1-6 users
- Extensive Copilot feature access
VAST Data
On request- VAST Data Platform$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 Microsoft OneDrive if
Nothing in the data separates Microsoft OneDrive from VAST Data on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Choose VAST Data if
- You need disaggregated architecture.
- You work on Linux.
- You also want similarity-based reduction.
Questions people ask
- Is Microsoft OneDrive or VAST Data better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft OneDrive starts at $1.99/month and VAST Data at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Microsoft OneDrive or VAST Data?
- Microsoft OneDrive starts at $1.99/month and VAST Data at On request.
- Does Microsoft OneDrive or VAST Data run on more platforms?
- Microsoft OneDrive runs on Web. VAST Data runs on Linux.
- What is Microsoft OneDrive best used for?
- Microsoft OneDrive is most often used for personal cloud storage and file backup, family file sharing and collaboration, business document management, enterprise ransomware protection. Of those, personal cloud storage and file backup and family file sharing and collaboration are not what VAST Data is typically brought in for.
- What can Microsoft OneDrive do that VAST Data cannot?
- VAST Data covers Disaggregated architecture, Similarity-based reduction, All-flash single tier, Multi-protocol access.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Microsoft OneDrive: How much does Microsoft OneDrive cost?
OneDrive pricing starts at $1.99/month for Microsoft 365 Basic with 100 GB storage. Personal plan costs $9.99/month with 1 TB storage. Family plan at $12.99/month supports 1-6 people with up to 6 TB total storage. Premium tier at $19.99/month adds advanced Copilot and AI features.
SourceVAST 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.
Microsoft OneDrive: Is there a free version of Microsoft OneDrive?
Microsoft does not offer a free OneDrive plan through their paid subscription tiers. However, users with Microsoft accounts receive 5 GB of complimentary OneDrive storage at no cost when creating a Microsoft account.
SourceVAST 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.
Microsoft OneDrive: What security features are included in OneDrive plans?
All OneDrive plans include ransomware detection with files restore, password-protected and expiring-link file sharing settings, and anywhere editing with real-time collaboration. Premium and higher tiers offer exclusive agentic AI security features.
SourceVAST 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.
Related pages
More on Microsoft OneDrive
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