MinIO vs SeaweedFS
Self-host pick — both replace AWS S3 (Object storage / blob store).
Both MinIO and SeaweedFS self-host as a replacement for AWS S3 (Object storage / blob store). Pick MinIO if you want the lighter footprint — 5min docker run, $5 vps for a few hundred gb; storage cost scales with the disk you attach (e. Pick SeaweedFS if you need workloads with billions of small files (thumbnails, IoT events) where MinIO's per-object overhead bites — 15min docker-compose (master + volume + filer) and $5-10 vps for small deployments; designed to scale to billions of small files cheaply.
| MinIOopen-source | SeaweedFSopen-source | |
|---|---|---|
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Setup time | 5min docker run | 15min docker-compose (master + volume + filer) |
| Monthly cost | $5 VPS for a few hundred GB; storage cost scales with the disk you attach (e.g. Hetzner $7/mo for 1TB). | $5-10 VPS for small deployments; designed to scale to billions of small files cheaply. |
| GitHub | minio/minio | seaweedfs/seaweedfs |
| Replaces | AWS S3 | AWS S3 |
Good fit for
MinIO
Teams that want a drop-in S3 API on their own hardware, with a polished web console.
Weak at:Erasure-coded multi-node setups need ≥4 drives; AGPL can spook some lawyers.
SeaweedFS
Workloads with billions of small files (thumbnails, IoT events) where MinIO's per-object overhead bites.
Weak at:Operational surface is larger (master / volume / filer / S3 components); weaker GUI than MinIO.
In a terminal? npx -y github:SolvoHQ/os-alt-cli aws-s3 prints AWS S3's self-host options including both —
how the CLI works →
FAQ
Which is easier to self-host, MinIO or SeaweedFS?
MinIO: 5min docker run. SeaweedFS: 15min docker-compose (master + volume + filer).
What does each cost to run?
MinIO: $5 VPS for a few hundred GB; storage cost scales with the disk you attach (e.g. Hetzner $7/mo for 1TB).. SeaweedFS: $5-10 VPS for small deployments; designed to scale to billions of small files cheaply.. Both projects are free and open source.
Do MinIO and SeaweedFS replace the same SaaS?
Yes — both are open-source alternatives to AWS S3.