Choose a repository by checking project requirements first, then matching each dataset to a suitable biological domain repository and access model. Compare eligibility, metadata, identifiers, preservation, reuse terms and practical limits before depositing. If no specialist repository fits, a generalist repository may work—but verify its current terms and capabilities for your data.
Start with the rules that govern your project
Before comparing repositories, check the funding opportunity, award conditions, institute or center policies, journal requirements, project agreements, and any consent or data-governance commitments. A funder or policy may require a particular repository for a type of data; when it does, that requirement takes precedence over a general preference. NIH’s repository guidance is specific to NIH-supported research, so researchers funded elsewhere should consult their own funder and jurisdiction’s rules.
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For NIH-supported projects, begin with the NIH repository selection guidance. Its repository inventory is under review, and NIH notes that some initiatives or funding opportunities have specific repository requirements. The inventory is a starting point, not a universal mandate.
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Match the data to a biological community
If no repository is specified, first look for an option serving the organism, discipline or data type. A domain repository can make data easier for the relevant community to find and reuse by supporting its expected metadata and curation practices. NIH says, “Primary consideration should be given to data repositories that are discipline or data-type specific to support effective data discovery and reuse.”
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Specialist fit is not enough on its own: the repository must accept your dataset and support its access conditions. A repository designed for one kind of biological data may not accept your format, scale or submission type. Check these details before building a deposit plan around it.
Decide how the data may be accessed
Classify each dataset as open, embargoed, controlled-access or otherwise restricted. Restrictions can arise from consent, confidentiality, security, Tribal sovereignty, law or other ethical commitments. Do not assume that all biological data should be openly downloadable.
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For data derived from people—including de-identified data—confirm that the repository can enforce the conditions promised to participants and required by the project. NIH’s guidance on sensitive data describes relevant safeguards, including tiered access, user credentialing, transparent request review, download auditing where downloads are permitted, and procedures for responding to breaches or policy violations. Depending on the data and commitments, controlled access or a secure enclave may be more appropriate than open download. Check alignment among consent, IRB or institutional requirements, and the repository’s terms.
Compare the options against practical and stewardship needs
Use the same questions for each candidate. Repository requirements and services vary, and the official guidance does not provide a comprehensive, current comparison of prices, capacities or processing times. Verify operational details directly with the repository before submitting.
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| What to check | Questions to ask |
|---|---|
| Mandate and eligibility | Does a funder, award, institute, journal or project agreement require or prefer this repository? Does it accept this dataset and this submitter? |
| Domain fit | Does it serve the relevant organism, discipline or data type, and support community metadata or standards? |
| Access and governance | Can it provide the required open, embargoed, controlled or mediated access? Do its user terms and safeguards match consent and governance commitments? |
| Scale and workflow | Can it handle the dataset’s size, complexity and expected request volume? Are uploads, downloads and any cloud-based workflow practical? |
| Discovery and reuse | Does it provide a persistent identifier and stable landing page, searchable metadata, interoperable formats, clear reuse terms and attribution guidance? |
| Stewardship | What curation, quality checks, provenance records, integrity safeguards, retention policy, long-term support and contingency arrangements are documented? |
| Submission logistics | What are the current fees, metadata and documentation requirements, deposit turnaround, eligibility rules, and embargo or release options? |
NIH presents these stewardship qualities as desirable characteristics, not as a certification that every repository satisfies every criterion. For NIH-supported projects, see the agency’s desirable characteristics of data repositories.
Use a generalist repository when a specialist option does not fit
A generalist repository can be a reasonable choice when no suitable domain repository is available, or when a specialist option cannot accept the data or meet its access needs. NIH lists Dataverse, Dryad, Figshare, IEEE Dataport, Mendeley Data, Open Science Framework, Synapse, Vivli and Zenodo as examples. The list is neither exhaustive nor an endorsement: NIH says it “does not recommend a specific generalist repository.” Confirm current eligibility, terms, capacity and access features for the actual dataset.
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The National Library of Medicine’s Biomedical Data Management and Sharing repository directories include domain-specific and generalist options. The generalist directory describes repositories as accepting data without restriction to a particular data type, format, content or discipline. It displayed 111 records when last reviewed on August 5, 2026; that dated count is not a quality ranking or a guarantee that any listed service currently accepts a particular deposit.
Check NIH timing if the project is NIH-funded
For NIH applications with receipt dates on or after January 25, 2023, the Data Management and Sharing Policy guidance says repository choice should take account of data sensitivity, dataset size and complexity, and anticipated request volume. It also sets sharing expectations: scientific data underlying peer-reviewed journal articles should be accessible no later than the article’s first publication; data underlying findings not disseminated through peer-reviewed articles should generally be shared by the end of the performance period, or an extended performance period when a no-cost extension applies. Project-specific awards, agreements or other policies may require earlier sharing, so verify the terms that apply to your project in the NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy guidance.
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For NIH projects, NIDDK’s Repository Selection Considerations Tool offers a sequence for checking funding opportunity requirements, organism-, domain- or data-type repositories, and controlled-access needs. NIDDK also recommends checking accepted formats and metadata requirements early, confirming eligibility and data types, and briefly justifying the repository choice for each data type in a Data Management and Sharing Plan.
Document the choice and resolve edge cases early
In a Data Management and Sharing Plan, identify the repository for each data type and explain why it fits. Address how it will handle access, metadata, identifiers, preservation and release timing. If the deposit is sensitive, unusually large, mixed-format or otherwise complex, contact the repository before finalizing the plan. Institutional librarians and data managers can also help assess policy requirements and repository fit.
NIH mentions a limited fallback for small datasets: when no suitable discipline- or data-type-specific repository exists, data may be included as supplementary material accompanying articles submitted to PubMed Central. The cited 2 GB threshold applies to that particular fallback; it is not a general repository size limit. See the NIH Supplemental Information to the Policy for Data Management and Sharing for the policy context.
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