Best Software-Defined Storage Software in 2026
Updated
In short: JuiceFS is ranked #1 of 29 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of MinIO AIStor and MooseFS. The best-ranked option with a free plan is MinIO AIStor. The lowest first paid tier on this page is SeaweedFS at $1.67/mo.
Software-defined storage options can be compared by how they are deployed, the protocols they support, and the ways they connect with surrounding infrastructure. Check S3-compatible access and Kubernetes support, then compare replication and erasure coding as storage capabilities. Maximum nodes adds another point of distinction across the entries, while free-plan availability and paid-from pricing help frame costs. JuiceFS, MinIO AIStor, and MooseFS are among the entries shown, with SeaweedFS and Ceph also represented. Use the stated criteria to consider which combination of compatibility, deployment, and storage features fits your environment and requirements.
29 software-defined storage software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
10 of the 25 here have a free tier you can use, 0 have open-source code on record, and 0 have full bars: free, open, on most of your devices and documented.
| # | App | Signal | Free tier | Open code | Devices | From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JuiceFSWindows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 2 | MinIO AIStorWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 3 | MooseFSWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 4 | SeaweedFSWindows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | $1.67/mo | 6.6 | |
| 5 | CephWindows · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 6 | StarWind Virtual SANWeb · Windows · Linux · Self-hosted | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 7 | VMware Workstation ProWindows · Linux · Self-hosted | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 8 | GlusterLinux · Self-hosted | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 9 | LonghornWeb · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 10 | OpenEBSLinux · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 11 | LizardFSWindows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.6 |
| 12 | DAOSLinux · Self-hosted · API | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.5 |
| 13 | LINSTORLinux · Self-hosted · API | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | $83.33/mo | 5.4 |
| 14 | VAST Data PlatformWeb · Self-hosted · API | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.4 |
| 15 | WEKA Data PlatformWeb · Linux · Self-hosted · API | One bar | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.4 |
| 16 | Huawei HiSecEngine USG6800GWeb | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 17 | SUSE Multi-Linux ManagerLinux | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 18 | DataCore SANsymphonyWeb · Windows · Self-hosted · API | One bar | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 19 | Portworx EnterpriseWeb · Linux · Self-hosted · API | One bar | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 20 | Qumulo Cloud Data PlatformWeb · Linux · Self-hosted · API | One bar | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 21 | Scality RINGNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 22 | VMware vSANNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 23 | StorPool Disaster Recovery EngineWeb · Linux · Self-hosted · API | One bar | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.0 |
| 24 | StorMagic SvHCIWeb · Linux | No signal | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 4.9 |
| 25 | Lightbits SDSWeb | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 4.8 |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which software-defined storage software is ranked first on Freedom251?
JuiceFS is ranked #1 of 29 with a score of 6.6. MinIO AIStor is second and MooseFS third.
How many of these have a free plan?
10 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, SeaweedFS has the lowest first paid tier we found: $1.67/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.