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Sheepdog

Free#24 of 28 in Block Storage Services

Sheepdog: Free, open-source clustered storage with QEMU volumes, snapshots, cloning, and object APIs. Ranked #24 of 28 in Block Storage Services by our editors (6.9/10); pricing: Free plan; best for QEMU-focused open-source storage labs.

6.9/10Editor score

Visit Sheepdog

Sheepdog6.9 Visit Sheepdog

At a glance

Editor score
6.9 / 10
Pricing
Free plan
Best for
QEMU-focused open-source storage labs
Free plan
Yes
Paid from
Free
Facts checked
24 Sep 2026

Where it wins
- Distributed volumes support QEMU and Linux SCSI Target
- Snapshots, cloning, and thin provisioning are built in
- Swift and Amazon S3-compatible object interfaces
Where it doesn't
- Self-hosted deployment requires managing clustered nodes
- Project site lists packages for Ubuntu 16.04 and CentOS 7
- Community support may not suit teams needing vendor SLAs

Our verdict on Sheepdog

Sheepdog is open-source distributed storage software for teams running virtualized workloads on their own infrastructure. It provides block-level volumes that can attach to QEMU virtual machines and Linux SCSI Target, alongside an object-level container interface. Its clustered design spans multiple machines, making it a fit for QEMU-focused storage labs and organizations managing self-hosted virtualization environments.

The feature set covers core block-storage operations without a hosted-service pricing tier. Sheepdog is free to use as open-source software, with volume snapshots, cloning, and thin provisioning included. Its ecosystem fit is centered on QEMU and Linux SCSI Target for block access, while the object interface is designed for compatibility with OpenStack Swift and Amazon S3 APIs. These interfaces can help teams align storage services with existing virtualization and object-storage workflows.

Deployment is self-hosted, so teams must operate the clustered nodes and maintain the surrounding Linux environment. The project site lists release 1.0.1 and packages for Ubuntu 16.04 and CentOS 7, which points toward an older installation baseline that should be evaluated against current operating-system requirements. Support is community-based rather than presented as a commercial service channel. Choose Sheepdog when open-source control, QEMU integration, and distributed block volumes are priorities; consider another platform if you need hosted operations, current package coverage, or vendor-backed support.

Your product? Our editors can test Sheepdog in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →

Sheepdog pricing

Plans Free planFree Free to use — no paid tier required for the core job.

See plans on sheepdog.github.io

Sheepdog fact sheet

Free plan	Yes
Paid from	Free
Max volume size	Not verified
Volume types	Not verified
Snapshots	Yes
Multi-attach	Not verified
Encryption	Not verified
Cross-region replication	Not verified
Maximum IOPS	Not verified
Deployment	Self-hosted
Platforms	Linux
Support	Community
Built for	Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate)
Integrations	4 integrations: QEMU, Linux SCSI Target, OpenStack Swift API, Amazon S3 API
Pricing	Free plan
Website	sheepdog.github.io
Facts checked	24 Sep 2026

Sheepdog integrations

Sheepdog lists 4 integrations on its own site.

QEMU
Linux SCSI Target
OpenStack Swift API
Amazon S3 API

Alternatives to Sheepdog

See all Sheepdog alternatives →

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Featured on iTechGuides

Sheepdog is listed in our Block Storage Services directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

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. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update