Ceph vs Garage
Is it time to switch? We break down the differences so you can stop bleeding money.
Choose Ceph.
If you want to own your data, save money, and avoid vendor lock-in, Ceph is more popular among developers.
What Actually Matters
No fluff — just the differences that affect your decision
Both open source, different licenses: Ceph uses LGPL-2.1, Garage uses AGPL-3.0. Check the fine print if you're building commercial.
Garage supports self-hosting via Docker. Ceph is SaaS-only — convenient, but you're renting, not owning.
Ceph dominates with 17.1k GitHub stars vs 4.7k. Bigger community = more plugins, more answers on Stack Overflow, faster bug fixes.
Ceph is built in C++, Garage in Rust. Matters if you want to contribute, extend, or debug internals.
Try both — most offer free tiers. The right pick depends on your stack size, team, and tolerance for DevOps.
Ceph
Ceph is a highly scalable distributed storage solution for block, object, and file storage.
Why Choose Ceph
- ✓Enterprise-grade reliability and scalability
- ✓Unified storage (block, object, file)
- ✓Strong community and industry support
Drawbacks
- ×Steep learning curve and complex management
- ×Resource intensive
Garage
An open-source distributed object storage service tailored for self-hosting.
Why Choose Garage
- ✓True open-source (AGPLv3)
- ✓Lightweight and runs anywhere
- ✓Built-in replication and cluster management
Drawbacks
- ×Lacks some enterprise features of MinIO
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