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Rook vs Tigris

Rook logo

Rook

Cloud

Kubernetes operator that deploys and manages Ceph storage clusters

From
Free
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

  • Each has a real cost: Rook rook automates Ceph but does not abstract it, so an incident still demands Ceph expertise, and organisations without it end up hiring consultants at exactly the wrong moment.; Tigris lowest tier still more expensive than some cold storage alternatives
  • They diverge on capability: Rook covers Ceph operator, Tigris covers Global Distribution.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Rook and Tigris actually diverge.

Attributes where Rook and Tigris differ
AttributeRookTigris
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeUsage-based tiered storage with per-request fees
PlatformsLinux, KubernetesWeb, API, CLI
CategoryCloudFile Storage

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

  • Ceph operator
  • Block, file and object
  • Erasure coding
  • CSI driver
  • Automated upgrades
  • Multi-cluster mirroring

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.

Rook

  • An on-premises Kubernetes platform needing block, shared filesystem and S3 storage without buying three productsnot Tigris
  • A team that already runs Ceph and wants its lifecycle managed declaratively inside Kubernetesnot Tigris
  • A large cluster where three-way replication overhead is unaffordable and erasure coding is requirednot Tigris
  • An organisation building a private cloud that cannot use managed cloud storage services for residency reasonsnot Tigris

Tigris

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

Where each one falls short

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

Rook

  • Rook automates Ceph but does not abstract it, so an incident still demands Ceph expertise, and organisations without it end up hiring consultants at exactly the wrong moment.
  • There is no vendor and no SLA; the realistic commercial support routes are IBM Red Hat OpenShift Data Foundation or an independent Ceph consultancy, both of which change the cost picture entirely.
  • Ceph is resource hungry, needing substantial memory and dedicated disks per OSD, so the hardware cost of a properly sized cluster is often underestimated.
  • Recovery and rebalancing after a disk or node failure generates heavy background input and output that can degrade application performance for hours, which surprises teams sizing for steady state.
  • Minimum viable clusters require several nodes with several disks each, so it is impractical at small scale and the entry hardware cost exceeds simpler alternatives.

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

Rook

Free
  • RookFree
    • Apache 2.0 licensed, no licence fee
    • Graduated CNCF project
    • Community support via GitHub and Slack only

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 Rook if

  • You need ceph operator.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Kubernetes.
  • You also want block, file and object.
Rook 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 Rook or Tigris better?
Neither clearly leads. Rook starts at Free and Tigris at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Rook or Tigris?
Rook starts at Free and Tigris at Free.
Does Rook or Tigris run on more platforms?
Rook runs on Linux, Kubernetes. Tigris runs on Web, API, CLI.
Can I use Rook for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Rook best used for?
Rook is most often used for an on-premises kubernetes platform needing block, shared filesystem and s3 storage without buying three products, a team that already runs ceph and wants its lifecycle managed declaratively inside kubernetes, a large cluster where three-way replication overhead is unaffordable and erasure coding is required, an organisation building a private cloud that cannot use managed cloud storage services for residency reasons. Of those, an on-premises kubernetes platform needing block, shared filesystem and s3 storage without buying three products and a team that already runs ceph and wants its lifecycle managed declaratively inside kubernetes are not what Tigris is typically brought in for.
What can Rook do that Tigris cannot?
Rook covers Ceph operator, Block, file and object, Erasure coding, CSI driver. Tigris covers Global Distribution, Zero Egress Fees, S3 Compatibility, Multiple Storage Classes.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Rook: Who supports it in production?

Nobody by default. IBM sells Red Hat OpenShift Data Foundation, which is supported Rook and Ceph, and independent consultancies sell Ceph support. Decide this before deployment.

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
Rook: Does it need Ceph knowledge?

Yes. Rook handles deployment and routine operations, but troubleshooting a degraded cluster is a Ceph skill and there is no way around it.

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
Rook: Can it replace an object storage appliance?

Functionally yes, through the RADOS gateway, but you take on the operations that an appliance vendor would otherwise carry.

Tigris: Do I get charged for data egress?

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

Source
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