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File Storage · head to head

Cloudian vs Storj

Cloudian logo

Cloudian

File Storage

S3-compatible on-premises object storage with object lock immutability

From
On request
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

  • Only Storj has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cloudian you operate the hardware, so capacity planning, firmware, node failures and a refresh cycle every five years return as costs that a public cloud bill hides.; 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: Cloudian covers S3 API compatibility, Storj covers Erasure coded distribution.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cloudian and Storj actually diverge.

Attributes where Cloudian and Storj differ
AttributeCloudianStorj
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotePer terabyte per month
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsLinuxWeb, API, Linux, macOS, Windows

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 Cloudian

  • S3 API compatibility
  • Object Lock
  • Erasure coding
  • Multi-tenancy
  • Hybrid tiering
  • HyperStore appliances

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.

Cloudian

  • A backup team needing an immutable target so a compromised administrator account cannot delete the backupsnot Storj
  • An organisation restoring hundreds of terabytes regularly where public cloud egress charges make cloud storage untenablenot Storj
  • A university or government body with data residency rules preventing use of public cloud object storagenot Storj
  • A media archive holding petabytes of finished content where per-terabyte capital cost beats per-gigabyte monthly cloud feesnot Storj

Storj

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

Where each one falls short

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

Cloudian

  • You operate the hardware, so capacity planning, firmware, node failures and a refresh cycle every five years return as costs that a public cloud bill hides.
  • Per-terabyte licensing plus servers means high upfront cost, and the crossover point against public cloud only arrives at meaningful scale, typically hundreds of terabytes and up.
  • S3 compatibility is high but not identical to Amazon, so occasional applications depending on newer or less common S3 features need testing rather than assumption.
  • Small deployments need a minimum node count for erasure coding to be meaningful, which sets a practical floor on entry cost regardless of how little data you have.
  • Performance is object storage performance, so it is not a substitute for block or high-throughput file storage and buyers occasionally deploy it for the wrong workload.

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

Cloudian

On request
  • Cloudian HyperStore$undefined/year
    • Licensed per usable terabyte, subscription or perpetual
    • Software-only on your hardware or as Cloudian appliances
    • No egress or API request charges

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 Cloudian if

  • You need s3 api compatibility.
  • You work on Linux.
  • You also want object lock.
Cloudian 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 Cloudian or Storj better?
Neither clearly leads. Cloudian starts at On request and Storj at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cloudian or Storj?
Storj has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Cloudian and Free for Storj.
Does Cloudian or Storj run on more platforms?
Cloudian runs on Linux. Storj runs on Web, API, Linux, macOS, Windows.
Can I use Storj for free?
Yes. Storj has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cloudian starts at On request.
What is Cloudian best used for?
Cloudian is most often used for a backup team needing an immutable target so a compromised administrator account cannot delete the backups, an organisation restoring hundreds of terabytes regularly where public cloud egress charges make cloud storage untenable, a university or government body with data residency rules preventing use of public cloud object storage, a media archive holding petabytes of finished content where per-terabyte capital cost beats per-gigabyte monthly cloud fees. Of those, a backup team needing an immutable target so a compromised administrator account cannot delete the backups and an organisation restoring hundreds of terabytes regularly where public cloud egress charges make cloud storage untenable are not what Storj is typically brought in for.
What can Cloudian do that Storj cannot?
Cloudian covers S3 API compatibility, Object Lock, Erasure coding, Multi-tenancy. Storj covers Erasure coded distribution, Client side encryption, S3-compatible gateway, Native uplink access.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cloudian: Does object lock really stop ransomware deleting backups?

Within the retention period, yes, provided the lock is set in compliance mode. That is precisely why it is the common answer to backup-targeting ransomware.

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.

Cloudian: Are there egress charges?

No. That is the central cost argument against public cloud object storage, and it only becomes visible when you have to restore at volume.

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.

Cloudian: Can we use our own servers?

Yes, HyperStore is software-defined and runs on qualified commodity hardware, or you can buy Cloudian appliances if you would rather not certify your own.

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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