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File Storage · head to head

VAST Data vs Zerto

VAST Data logo

VAST Data

File Storage

All-flash storage designed to make hard disk tiers unnecessary

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zerto logo

Zerto

File Storage

Continuous data protection with near-zero RPO

From
$5/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Zerto zerto with Azure is listed on UK G-Cloud as a reseller-managed disaster recovery service, not Zerto's own licence pricing, with OS management from £75 per host per month for the public sector
  • They diverge on capability: VAST Data covers Disaggregated architecture, Zerto covers Continuous data protection.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which VAST Data and Zerto actually diverge.

Attributes where VAST Data and Zerto differ
AttributeVAST DataZerto
Starting priceOn request$5/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsLinuxWindows, Linux, Web
FoundedUnknown2009

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 VAST Data

  • Disaggregated architecture
  • Similarity-based reduction
  • All-flash single tier
  • Multi-protocol access
  • Wide erasure coding
  • GPU-oriented throughput
  • Snapshots and replication

Only in Zerto

  • Continuous data protection
  • Journal-based recovery
  • Automated failover
  • Non-disruptive testing
  • Multi-cloud mobility
  • Long-term retention
  • VMware
  • Hyper-V

What people use each for

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

VAST Data

  • A GPU training cluster where storage throughput, not compute, is the bottleneck on job completionnot Zerto
  • A genomics group holding petabytes of sequencing output that must stay immediately readable rather than archived to tapenot Zerto
  • A quantitative finance team running backtests over historical market data that a disk tier cannot serve fast enoughnot Zerto
  • An organisation consolidating a fast tier and an archive tier into one system to reduce rack space and power drawnot Zerto

Zerto

  • Data protectionnot VAST Data
  • Disaster recoverynot VAST Data
  • Business continuitynot VAST Data
  • Ransomware protectionnot VAST Data
  • Compliancenot VAST Data

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Zerto

  • Zerto with Azure is listed on UK G-Cloud as a reseller-managed disaster recovery service, not Zerto's own licence pricing, with OS management from £75 per host per month for the public sector

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Zerto

$5/month
  • Zerto Enterprise Cloud$5/month
    • Continuous protection
    • Journal-based recovery
    • Multi-cloud mobility

Which should you pick?

Choose VAST Data if

  • You need disaggregated architecture.
  • You work on Linux.
  • You also want similarity-based reduction.
VAST Data review

Choose Zerto if

  • You need continuous data protection.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, Web.
  • You also want journal-based recovery.
Zerto review

Questions people ask

Is VAST Data or Zerto better?
Neither clearly leads. VAST Data starts at On request and Zerto at $5/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, VAST Data or Zerto?
VAST Data starts at On request and Zerto at $5/month.
Does VAST Data or Zerto run on more platforms?
VAST Data runs on Linux. Zerto runs on Windows, Linux, Web.
What is VAST Data best used for?
VAST Data is most often used for a gpu training cluster where storage throughput, not compute, is the bottleneck on job completion, a genomics group holding petabytes of sequencing output that must stay immediately readable rather than archived to tape, a quantitative finance team running backtests over historical market data that a disk tier cannot serve fast enough, an organisation consolidating a fast tier and an archive tier into one system to reduce rack space and power draw. Of those, a gpu training cluster where storage throughput, not compute, is the bottleneck on job completion and a genomics group holding petabytes of sequencing output that must stay immediately readable rather than archived to tape are not what Zerto is typically brought in for.
What can VAST Data do that Zerto cannot?
VAST Data covers Disaggregated architecture, Similarity-based reduction, All-flash single tier, Multi-protocol access. Zerto covers Continuous data protection, Journal-based recovery, Automated failover, Non-disruptive testing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Zerto: Can I try Zerto before buying?

Yes, Zerto offers a 14-day free trial or on-demand lab access to test the platform.

Source
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.

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.

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