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Head-to-head · Decentralized Storage Services

Sia vs Pinata

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 6 checks side by side
Higher score Sia #1 in Decentralized Storage Services 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Sia
Pinata #7 in Decentralized Storage Services 8.2/10 Free plan · paid from $20/mo Free plan✓ 1 of 4 features Visit Pinata

Sia leads on 4 checks, Pinata on 0, and 2 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 6 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreSia · 9.4/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresSia · 4 of 4

Sia scores higher on our rubric for decentralized storage services: 9.4 against 8.2 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #7.

Sia leads on free storage: 50 GB versus 1 GB. On network type, Sia gives you Hybrid where Pinata offers Distributed. Sia offers client-side encryption; Pinata doesn't publish it. Sia offers desktop apps; Pinata doesn't publish it. Sia offers mobile apps; Pinata doesn't publish it.

Sia is the better fit for individuals and teams wanting broad device coverage. Pinata is the better fit for IPFS teams needing gateways and collaboration.

  • Sia fits best

    Individuals and teams wanting broad device coverage

  • Pinata fits best

    IPFS teams needing gateways and collaboration

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. We may earn a commission when you click some links. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Sia 9.4/10 Visit ↗ Pinata 8.2/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.4 8.2
Ranking #1 in Decentralized Storage Services #7 in Decentralized Storage Services
Best for Individuals and teams wanting broad device coverage IPFS teams needing gateways and collaboration
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free plan + paid
Starting price Not published $20/mo
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Self-hosted, Desktop, Mobile Cloud
Platforms Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android Web
Support Email, Community, Docs Email, Docs
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Sia 4/4 · Pinata 1/4
Client-side encryption ✓ (best) Not published
IPFS support ✓ ✓
Desktop apps ✓ (best) Not published
Mobile apps ✓ (best) Not published
Specs
Free storage 50 GB (best) 1 GB
Network type Hybrid Distributed
Our review
Pros
  • 50 GB free plan with client-side encryption
  • Apps for web, desktop, mobile, and API access
  • S3, rclone, Cyberduck, Nextcloud, and IPFS support
  • Free plan includes IPFS storage, gateway access, bandwidth, and requests
  • Paid plans add dedicated gateways, CDN delivery, and larger storage
  • APIs, webhooks, presigned URLs, and access controls support integrations
Cons
  • Paid tiers limit the number of connected apps
  • Open-network pricing uses provider-set Siacoin rates
  • Multiple access tools can make setup more involved
  • Free storage is limited to 1GB
  • Gateway and agent allocations vary by paid plan
  • Enterprise pricing is tailored rather than publicly specified
Our verdict

Sia is a decentralized storage service for individuals, teams, developers, storage renters, and storage providers. It distributes encrypted, erasure-coded data across independent hosts and uses blockchain-enforced storage contracts. The…

Read the review →

Pinata is a managed IPFS storage and content delivery service for developers building NFT marketplaces, DeFi applications, indexers, and other applications that use decentralized content. It supports file uploads and pinning, IPFS gateway…

Read the review →
  1. SiaDecentralized Storage Services 9.4Free plan
  2. PinataDecentralized Storage Services 8.2Free plan · paid from $20/mo

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Sia — where it wins

    • 50 GB free plan with client-side encryption
    • Apps for web, desktop, mobile, and API access
    • S3, rclone, Cyberduck, Nextcloud, and IPFS support

    Where it doesn't

    • Paid tiers limit the number of connected apps
    • Open-network pricing uses provider-set Siacoin rates
    • Multiple access tools can make setup more involved

  • Pinata — where it wins

    • Free plan includes IPFS storage, gateway access, bandwidth, and requests
    • Paid plans add dedicated gateways, CDN delivery, and larger storage
    • APIs, webhooks, presigned URLs, and access controls support integrations

    Where it doesn't

    • Free storage is limited to 1GB
    • Gateway and agent allocations vary by paid plan
    • Enterprise pricing is tailored rather than publicly specified
  • Sia9.4/10 · Free plan

    A broad, encrypted storage platform with a free tier and flexible access options.

    Visit SiaFull verdict →
  • Pinata8.2/10 · Free plan · paid from $20/mo

    A managed IPFS service with gateways, collaboration, and developer-focused delivery tools.

    Visit PinataFull verdict →

More comparisons

All decentralized storage services comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update