Carbide Network

Overview

Carbide Network is a distributed storage service for personal files, business workspaces and developers building storage products. It suits people who value device-side encryption and adjustable redundancy, provided they can safeguard their own keys.

Its appeal is the choice of personal, business and API-based storage in one network; its central compromise is that neither lost keys nor uneven network performance can be solved by relying on Carbide.

Key features

Encrypted, distributed files

Carbide encrypts files on the user’s device with AES-256-GCM, then distributes encrypted chunks across independent providers. Users can choose from one to 10 copies, allowing them to set redundancy rather than accept a single fixed arrangement. Providers cannot see file contents under Carbide’s zero-knowledge architecture, although the privacy policy says Carbide collects public wallet addresses, encrypted-file sharding metadata and provider performance statistics.

Users manage their private encryption keys, and Carbide cannot recover data if those keys are lost. This puts control in the user’s hands, but makes careful key custody essential; it is a poor match for anyone who expects password resets or provider-assisted recovery.

Personal, business and developer tools

Personal storage includes photo and video auto-sync, an encrypted vault, expiring share links and up to 10x redundancy. That set covers everyday file storage and backups, while expiring links are useful for sharing files without leaving access open indefinitely.

Business workspaces add role-based access, audit logs, retention policies and geographic redundancy across more than 30 regions. These controls are relevant to teams that need access governance and records, but the network is provided without warranties and performance depends on independent participants.

For developers, Carbide describes its storage as API-first and S3-compatible, with a Swift SDK for iOS uploads, downloads, encryption and key management. Its versioned discovery API supports provider registration and search, marketplace quotes and health checks. Developers can also self-host the discovery service; settlement uses Solana programs and USDC payments.

Provider participation

Providers can install carbide-node through a Homebrew tap, and configured nodes auto-register on the Solana registry. Provider tiers set different earnings rates and uptime commitments, but those are not passive returns: operators agree to maintain uptime and redundancy for their node configuration, and failure to provide data can mean lost earnings or slashed collateral.

Pricing

Carbide’s personal storage plan is free, with storage billed at $0.002/GB for use. It avoids a monthly subscription, but the total cost grows with stored data rather than being capped by a stated allowance.

The provider plans are priced at free for Home, billed at $0.002/GB, with 95% uptime and estimated earnings of $24/year per TB; free for Professional, billed at $0.004/GB, with 99% uptime and estimated earnings of $48/year per TB; and $0.01 a month for Enterprise, billed at $0.008/GB, with 99.9% uptime and estimated earnings of $96/year per TB. The higher tiers pair greater estimated earnings with stricter uptime targets, so they make sense only for providers able to meet those commitments. Collateral can be slashed for failure to provide data.

The $0.00 entry price for personal storage is not unlimited free storage: usage is billed per gigabyte. The provider plan figures are distinct from personal storage pricing and should not be read as storage subscriptions.

Platforms

Carbide is available on macOS, Windows and iOS, and its Android app supports file management, uploads and sharing. An API broadens its reach for developers, but the consumer-facing platform list does not include Linux or a web app.

Who it's for

Carbide is most compelling for privacy-conscious individuals who can protect their own keys, teams that need role-based workspaces and retention controls, and developers seeking S3-compatible distributed storage or provider discovery tools. It is less suitable for users who need guaranteed performance, recoverable keys, or a traditional fixed storage allowance.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Device-side AES-256-GCM encryption and user-selectable one-to-10-copy redundancy give users control over privacy and distribution.
• Pros: Personal sync and sharing, team governance features, and developer APIs address several distinct storage needs.
• Cons: Users bear full responsibility for private keys, with no recovery if they lose them.
• Cons: Network performance is not guaranteed, because it depends on independent participants.
• Cons: Provider earnings come with uptime and redundancy obligations, and data failures can cost earnings or collateral.

Alternatives

For a broader category comparison, see Decentralized Storage Services.

• Sia is a better fit for readers seeking a free plan and an open-source project supported by the Sia Foundation and community donations.
• Peergos is worth considering for readers who prioritize a fully open-source service, including its server, with reproducible builds.
• Aleph Cloud (formerly Aleph.im) offers a free tier for static website hosting with basic bandwidth and IPFS distribution, making it a more targeted choice for static sites.
• Walrus has a free launch-period plan, though its usage limits apply and pricing may evolve.
• Stratos is another freemium decentralized-storage option.
• Datum Storage offers one free terabyte for the first year, followed by additional storage at US$3.99 per terabyte per month.
• Filebase is a better fit for users who want a defined free object-storage allowance: its free tier includes 5 GB shared storage, 500 pinned files, 10 GB IPFS egress and one bucket.
• Pinata offers API and web plans, including Picnic at $20 a month with 1TB storage, one gateway plus CDN, five million requests and 500GB bandwidth.

Verdict

Choose Carbide if you want distributed storage with device-side encryption, adjustable redundancy and options for personal, team or developer use—and are prepared to protect your keys. Look elsewhere if recoverability or guaranteed performance matters more than control over encryption and copies.