PetaSAN vs SoftNAS
PetaSAN
petasan.orgSoftNAS
softnas.comSide by side
| Figure | PetaSAN | SoftNAS |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $0.13/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 10 |
| Spec score · NAS Software | 7.6 (#17) | 8.3 (#7) |
| Management | The product includes graphical interfaces intended to let non-Linux administrators install and operate it. | StorageCenter is a web-based GUI for configuring, monitoring, and maintaining a NAS environment in a browser. |
| Protocols | It provides storage services using iSCSI, CIFS/SMB, NFS, and S3 protocols. | SoftNAS supports NFS, SMB/CIFS, and iSCSI storage protocols. |
| Security | Release 3.3.0 added OSD encryption using Linux dm-crypt and a deployment wizard using HTTPS. | The maker’s security documentation says SoftNAS supports AES-256 full-disk encryption at the storage-pool level. |
| Support | The maker says PetaSAN can be used free through self-support and offers professional support plans from its team. | The support documentation lists helpdesk tickets, email support, and phone support, with premium support access for registered subscribers including during trials. |
Plans
SoftNAS
- OSN-1$0.13 a month
- 200$0.25 a month
- OSN-2$0.66 a month
- 400$1.32 a month
- OSN-4$1.58 a month
- OSN-8$2.78 a month
- 800$3.16 a month
- 1600$8.22 a month
- 3200$12.10 a month
- 6400$18.15 a month
In their own words
PetaSAN
PetaSAN is an open-source, software-defined storage platform for Linux and self-hosted web-managed deployments, licensed under AGPL 3. It uses Ceph and Consul, delivering storage through iSCSI, CIFS/SMB, NFS, and S3. Capacity can grow by adding nodes without interrupting service, and the system is described as multi-node active/active and highly available. Graphical interfaces are intended to help non-Linux administrators install and operate it. Listed use cases include VMware vSphere, Hyper-V, scale-out file systems, big-data analytics, database servers, and large-capacity backups. Capabilities include storage pools, user management, and snapshots. The self-support plan costs nothing; professional support and engineering consultation are also offered. Version 4.1.0 is dated February 18, 2026, and release 3.3.0 added dm-crypt OSD encryption and an HTTPS deployment wizard.
SoftNAS
SoftNAS is software-defined network attached storage for enterprise cloud workloads that need shared file storage across environments. It supports AWS, Microsoft Azure, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, and VMware, with NFS, SMB/CIFS, and iSCSI protocols. StorageCenter provides a browser-based interface for configuring, monitoring, and maintaining a NAS environment; a REST API and documented command-line utility provide another route to its functions. Active-passive configurations use automated failover, while DeltaSync replication can resume an interrupted session from the last known good snapshot. SoftNAS supports storage pools, snapshots, user management, and cloud sync, and integrates with Active Directory for authentication and access control. The maker says compression and deduplication can help reduce cloud storage costs. Security documentation describes AES-256 full-disk encryption at the storage-pool level. The product is paid, has no free plan, and offers a trial without a stated duration on the pricing page. Listed hourly plans include Oracle Cloud options from $0.13 a month and throughput-oriented options from $0.25 a month; AWS Marketplace lists free self-service support and paid Buurst Gold Support with 24x7x365 availability.