Arweave vs Swarm
Arweave
arweave.orgSwarm
ethswarm.orgSide by side
| Figure | Arweave | Swarm |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | — |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 0 | 1 |
| Spec score · Decentralized Storage Services | 8.0 (#6) | 7.7 (#14) |
| Developer tools | The ar.io SDK documentation lists the Turbo SDK for uploads, the ar.io SDK for its protocols and services, and the Wayfinder SDK for decentralized data access. | Bee is the peer-to-peer client for joining the network, and Bee-js is its complementary JavaScript library for building decentralized apps. |
| Integrations | The docs list client integrations for Go, PHP, Scala, Java, C#, JavaScript, TypeScript, and NodeJS. | The maker lists fairOS, Fairdrive, and the Fair Data Protocol as ecosystem tooling for databases, personal data storage, and interoperability; it says these projects are under development and their performance is not guaranteed. |
| Open source | The ar.io API reference says its services follow open source principles and repositories are available under AGPL-3 licenses. | Swarm describes its code as open source and its network as open and permissionless. |
| Support | The developer guide recommends Discord and the GitHub Discussions board for mining questions and support. | The maker directs users to its Discord community and lists [email protected] for questions or complaints. |
| What it does | Arweave describes its network as permanent information storage and a permanent, decentralized web inside an open ledger. | Swarm provides decentralized infrastructure for transferring and storing data across a peer-to-peer network. |
Plans
In their own words
Arweave
Arweave is a decentralized network for permanent information storage in an open ledger, with a permanent web built on that storage. Its stated uses include preserving important data and hosting decentralized web apps; people can upload files or create a homepage on the permaweb. Transaction fees are set dynamically by the network, and the documentation recommends checking the price endpoint close to submission. The HTTP-based protocol works with existing clients such as Axios, Fetch, and Guzzle. Listed client integrations cover Go, PHP, Scala, Java, C#, JavaScript, TypeScript, and NodeJS. Node software can be installed from pre-built binaries or built from source; documented roles include solo, coordinated, and pool mining, VDF server, and validator. Arweave describes content as timestamped and tamper-proof through the blockweave, with data integrity checks using transaction data in block hashes and recall blocks. Once one or more miners store data, there is no guaranteed way to delete it, and the policy advises against storing cleartext personal or confidential information. Wallets store private keys; lost key files cannot be recovered by wallet providers.