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Head-to-head · Research Data Management Software

Figshare vs Digital Commons Data

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score Figshare #2 in Research Data Management Software 9.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 3 features Visit Figshare
Digital Commons Data #7 in Research Data Management Software 8.7/10 Pricing on request ✓ 1 of 3 features Contact Elsevier

Figshare leads on 1 check, Digital Commons Data on 1, and 3 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreFigshare · 9.2/10
  • Free planonly Figshare
  • Most featuresFigshare · 2 of 3

Figshare scores higher on our rubric for research data management software: 9.2 against 8.7 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #7.

Figshare offers free plan; Digital Commons Data doesn't. Digital Commons Data leads on storage limit: 100 GB versus 20 GB.

Figshare is the better fit for institutions needing an integrated research repository. Digital Commons Data is the better fit for institutions wanting a branded dataset repository.

  • Figshare fits best

    Institutions needing an integrated research repository

  • Digital Commons Data fits best

    Institutions wanting a branded dataset repository

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Figshare 9.2/10 Visit ↗ Digital Commons Data 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.2 8.7
Ranking #2 in Research Data Management Software #7 in Research Data Management Software
Best for Institutions needing an integrated research repository Institutions wanting a branded dataset repository
Pricing model Free plan + paid Paid
Starting price — Pricing on request
Free plan ✓ (best) —
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud Cloud
Platforms Web Web
Support Email, Tickets, Docs Email, Tickets
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Figshare 2/3 · Digital Commons Data 1/3
DMP templates — Not checked yet
Metadata standards ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Persistent identifiers ✓ ✓
Specs
Repository access Managed Managed
Storage limit 20 GB 100 GB (best)
Access controls Both Both
Our review
Pros
  • Publishes datasets, papers, code, media, and theses with DataCite DOIs
  • Supports public, embargoed, and private-link sharing
  • Connects with research systems, code hosts, and analytics services
  • Registers DOIs automatically when datasets are published
  • Offers institutional showcase pages and custom metadata fields
  • Supports moderation, access requests, and usage reporting
Cons
  • Figshare Plus is a one-time charge tied to storage and a project or publication
  • Paid Plus tiers start at $1,225
  • Institutional and publisher services require contacting Figshare
  • Requires an institutional subscription purchased through sales
  • Managed repository access may not suit teams seeking self-hosting
  • Default maximum dataset size is 100 GB
Our verdict

Figshare provides repository services for individual researchers and organizations that need to store, share, showcase, and manage research outputs. Researchers can publish datasets, papers, code, media, and theses, while institutions can…

Read the review →

Digital Commons Data is a hosted research data repository for institutions and their researchers, administrators, and data curators. It supports dataset submission, curation, sharing, and preservation, with an institutional showcase page…

Read the review →
  1. FigshareResearch Data Management Software 9.2Free plan
  2. Digital Commons DataResearch Data Management Software 8.7Pricing on request

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Figshare — where it wins

    • Publishes datasets, papers, code, media, and theses with DataCite DOIs
    • Supports public, embargoed, and private-link sharing
    • Connects with research systems, code hosts, and analytics services

    Where it doesn't

    • Figshare Plus is a one-time charge tied to storage and a project or publication
    • Paid Plus tiers start at $1,225
    • Institutional and publisher services require contacting Figshare

  • Digital Commons Data — where it wins

    • Registers DOIs automatically when datasets are published
    • Offers institutional showcase pages and custom metadata fields
    • Supports moderation, access requests, and usage reporting

    Where it doesn't

    • Requires an institutional subscription purchased through sales
    • Managed repository access may not suit teams seeking self-hosting
    • Default maximum dataset size is 100 GB
  • Figshare9.2/10 · Free plan

    A repository for publishing, organizing, and tracking research outputs, with free and paid options.

    Visit FigshareFull verdict →
  • Digital Commons Data8.7/10 · Pricing on request

    Digital Commons Data helps institutions publish, curate, and report on research datasets.

    Contact ElsevierFull verdict →

More comparisons

All research data management software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update