Onchain Drive
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Encrypted decentralized storage vs Google Drive, IPFS and Arweave

Onchain Drive is an encrypted cloud drive: files are encrypted in your browser and stored on the Walrus decentralized storage network, and you sign in and pay with your wallet. Here's how it compares with other common ways to store files, so you can pick what fits.

Encrypted decentralized storage vs Google Drive, IPFS and Arweave
Onchain DriveTraditional cloud drives (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.)IPFS pinning servicesArweave
Who can read your filesOnly you: files and file names are end-to-end encrypted in your browserThe provider usually manages the encryption keys and can technically access your filesContent-addressed and public: anyone with the CID can read it unless you encrypt it firstPublic by default unless you encrypt it first
Account and sign-inSign in with a wallet signature, no sign-up, no gasEmail or phone sign-up with a passwordUsually an email account and API keys with the providerAn Arweave wallet, or a third-party upload service
Where data livesMany independent Walrus nodes, erasure-coded for redundancy and verifiable on SuiThe provider's own data centersWhichever nodes pin the data, often the provider's ownNodes of the Arweave network
How long it's keptPrepaid for a term of up to about 2 years, renewable before it expiresAs long as your account and subscription are activeAs long as someone pins it; may disappear once nobody doesOne-time payment designed for long-term storage; can't be deleted once written
PricingPay as you go in USDC or SUI, from $0.30 per order, no subscriptionFree tier plus subscription plansUsually a free tier plus subscription plansOne-time payment by data size
SharingEncrypted share links; the key after the # never reaches the server; set an expiry or revoke anytimeShare links or invites; the provider can see the contentsShare a CID or gateway link; the content is publicShare a transaction link; the content is public
Leaving the serviceFetch and decrypt straight from Walrus with the blobId and your walletDepends on the provider's export toolsFetch by CID from any node that pins itFetch by transaction ID from the network

Features and prices of each service are as described by the provider; this table lists general characteristics for reference.

Which one should you pick?

Pick Onchain Drive if you

want private storage that only you can open, already use a web3 wallet, don't want your data tied to a single company, and prefer paying for what you store over a subscription. It suits contract and ID backups, team or DAO archives, creators' originals, and sending encrypted files to others.

Pick a traditional cloud drive if you

need online document editing, real-time collaboration or automatic phone photo backup, and you're comfortable with the provider holding your data and keys.

Pick IPFS or Arweave if you

are publishing public content (NFT metadata, websites, open datasets) that needs content addressing or long-term public storage. Encrypt private files yourself first.

What is Walrus, and how is it different from IPFS and Arweave?

Walrus is a decentralized storage network built on the Sui blockchain. Data is erasure-coded into slivers and spread across many independent storage nodes. Each piece of data has a Blob object on Sui that records its blobId and expiry, and the storage term can be extended before it ends.

Unlike IPFS, Walrus storage is paid for a term and kept by the network, so you don't have to find nodes to pin your data. Unlike Arweave, Walrus is paid by duration and renewable rather than a one-time payment for permanent storage. Walrus doesn't encrypt data itself; Onchain Drive encrypts it in your browser before upload and adds wallet login, USDC/SUI payments, sharing and renewals.

Learn more about how client-side encryption and Walrus storage work, or see decentralized storage pricing.

Try Onchain Drive