Datum Storage vs Sia
Datum Storage
storage.datum.org
Sia
sia.techSide by side
| Figure | Datum Storage | Sia |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $3.99/mo | $7.99/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 3 | 4 |
| Spec score · Decentralized Storage Services | 9.2 (#2) | 8.8 (#4) |
| Availability | The product page says the Datum ID mobile workflow and buying additional storage are coming soon. | The app says files are redundantly stored across independent hosts worldwide and can be downloaded in parallel from multiple hosts. |
| Self-hosting | The introduction says storage-node software was planned but that current data was stored on nodes operated by Datum; it does not document a released self-hosting package. | Applications can use a hosted, third-party or self-hosted Sia indexer. |
| What it does | Datum Storage is presented as decentralized cloud storage running on the Datum Network. | Sia is a decentralized peer-to-peer cloud-storage network in which files are encrypted, fragmented and distributed among independent hosts. |
Plans
Datum Storage
- Free storageFree
- Additional storage$3.99 a month
- Free first-year storagePrice not published
In their own words
Datum Storage
Datum Storage is decentralized cloud storage running on the Datum Network, with access listed for Android, iOS, and API use. Datum Drive adds a virtual hard disk to a computer that behaves like a folder. The product says files are end-to-end encrypted and that users hold the key. Storage accounts attach to a Datum Identity, whose creation requires email and phone verification. For software connections, the service supports the Amazon S3 API format and custom S3 endpoints. After account creation, users receive a URL plus a key and secret corresponding to S3 access credentials; Datum recommends Signature Version 4 if a backup application offers a choice. Arq Backup for Mac and Windows is listed as tested. Duplicati, Duplicity, and Duplicacy are named as S3-compatible applications but have not been tested by Datum. The Datum ID app is listed in the App Store and Google Play for sign-up and credential and usage management, though the mobile workflow is described as coming soon. A free plan provides one terabyte for the first year. Additional storage is listed at US$3.99 per terabyte per month and is also described as coming soon.
Sia
Sia offers encrypted, decentralized cloud storage through a consumer app and tools for developers building storage into applications. Files are encrypted on the user’s device before upload, and Sia says nobody else can read them. The app describes files as redundantly held across independent hosts worldwide, with parallel downloads from multiple hosts. Sia describes its peer-to-peer network as having no central access point or single point of failure. Consumer plans list 50 GB on Free, 500 GB for $7.99 a month on Plus, 5 TB for $14.99 a month on Pro, and 10 TB for $19.99 a month on Unlimited; Unlimited lists 4.99 USD/TB-mo over its included capacity. Separately, the network page lists median prices of $3.53/TB/month for storage at 3X redundancy, $0.03/TB for upload, and $2.25/TB for download. Developers can use storage SDKs for Rust, Go, Python, and JavaScript, or the S3-compatible s3d gateway with rclone, Cyberduck, Nextcloud, and Duplicati. The SDK can connect to an indexer hosted by the user.