LINSTOR
LINSTOR: A flexible Linux block storage system for replicated, self-hosted infrastructure. Ranked #16 of 28 in Block Storage Services by our editors (7.8/10); pricing: Free plan; best for self-hosted replicated Linux block storage.
At a glance
- Editor score7.8 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forSelf-hosted replicated Linux block storage
- Free planYes
- Paid from$1,000/unit/yr
- Founded2018 · Vienna, Austria
- Facts checked21 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Synchronous DRBD replication with snapshots and snapshot shipping
- Supports LVM, thin-provisioned LVM, and ZFS back ends
- Integrates with Kubernetes and major infrastructure platforms
Where it doesn't
- Multi-Attach is marked false in the category specification
- Paid Starter support is limited to community support
- Higher support tiers are quote-based
Our verdict on LINSTOR
LINSTOR is open-source software-defined storage management from LINBIT for Linux environments. It provisions and manages block storage across clustered nodes, including LVM- and ZFS-backed volumes and DRBD-replicated resources. The product fits organizations running bare-metal clusters, cloud or hybrid-cloud environments, virtualized deployments, and containers. Its separate controller and satellite components support resource and volume autoplacement, while Kubernetes CSI integration extends its use into container platforms.
The pricing structure separates the open-source software from commercial support. LINSTOR itself is free and includes open-source LINSTOR and DRBD features. The published LINBIT Starter plan costs $1,000 per 2 nodes per year, billed annually, and adds official repository access, latest software updates, documentation access, and community support. LINBIT Plus adds unlimited support tickets, remote installation support, annual health checks, and email and phone support. LINBIT Enterprise adds 24x7 expert support, performance tuning, a graphical user interface, a deployment tool, and remote support and management. Plus and Enterprise are quote-based tiers.
LINSTOR’s main strength is breadth within self-hosted Linux block storage: it combines synchronous replication, snapshots, snapshot shipping for backup and disaster recovery, transparent LUKS and dm-crypt encryption, REST API access, and command-line management. Its ecosystem includes Kubernetes, CloudStack, Docker, OpenNebula, OpenShift, OpenStack, Oracle Linux Virtualization Manager, and Proxmox VE. The category specification marks Multi-Attach false, so teams requiring that capability should choose an alternative. LINSTOR is a strong fit for infrastructure teams that want open-source control over replicated storage and can manage Linux-based clusters; organizations seeking a primarily managed block storage service should look elsewhere.
Your product? Our editors can test LINSTOR in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →
LINSTOR pricing
All 3 LINSTOR plans and prices →
LINSTOR fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | $1,000/unit/yr |
| Max volume size | Not verified |
| Volume types | LVM, thin-provisioned LVM, ZFS |
| Snapshots | Yes |
| Multi-attach | No |
| Encryption | Yes |
| Cross-region replication | Not verified |
| Maximum IOPS | Not verified |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Linux |
| Support | Email, Phone, Community, Docs · 24/7 |
| Built for | Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 8 integrations: Kubernetes, CloudStack, Docker, OpenNebula, OpenShift, OpenStack … |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | linbit.com |
| Facts checked | 21 Sep 2026 |
LINSTOR integrations
LINSTOR lists 8 integrations on its own site.
- Kubernetes
- CloudStack
- Docker
- OpenNebula
- OpenShift
- OpenStack
- Oracle Linux Virtualization Manager
- Proxmox VE
Alternatives to LINSTOR
- Amazon Elastic Block Store (Amazon EBS)A broad AWS-native block storage service with flexible volume and snapshot options.9.4
- Google Persistent DiskA flexible Compute Engine storage service with free capacity, snapshots, encryption, and replication.9.3
- Google Cloud HyperdiskA performance-tunable block storage service for demanding Google Cloud workloads.9.2
See all LINSTOR alternatives →
Also Ranked In
LINSTOR is ranked in 2 of our directories.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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