MinIO vs Garage: S3-Compatible Object Storage
Quick Verdict
Garage is the clear winner for self-hosted S3-compatible storage in 2026. MinIO’s GitHub repository was archived in February 2026, meaning no further updates, security patches, or community support. Garage is actively maintained, lighter on resources, and designed specifically for small to medium self-hosted deployments.
Overview
MinIO was once the go-to self-hosted S3-compatible object storage solution. It offered excellent S3 API compatibility and was widely used in homelab and enterprise environments. However, MinIO’s repository was archived on GitHub in February 2026, effectively ending the project for new deployments.
Garage is a lightweight S3-compatible object storage system built in Rust by the Deuxfleurs collective. It’s designed for distributed, self-hosted deployments with a focus on simplicity, low resource usage, and resilience. Unlike MinIO’s enterprise-focused approach, Garage targets the self-hosting community directly.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | MinIO | Garage |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Archived (Feb 2026) | Actively maintained |
| Language | Go | Rust |
| S3 API compatibility | Excellent (near-complete) | Good (covers common operations) |
| Multi-node replication | Yes | Yes (built-in) |
| Minimum nodes | 1 (standalone) | 1 (single-node mode) |
| Resource usage (idle) | ~500 MB RAM | ~50-100 MB RAM |
| Web UI | Built-in console | None (CLI + API only) |
| Static website hosting | No | Yes (built-in) |
| Encryption at rest | Yes (SSE) | No native support |
| IAM/policies | Full AWS IAM model | Simple key-based auth |
| Versioning | Yes | Yes (since v1.0) |
| License | AGPL-3.0 (was) | AGPL-3.0 |
| Docker image size | ~200 MB | ~30 MB |
Installation Complexity
MinIO was straightforward to deploy — a single binary or container with minimal configuration. However, since the project is archived, you’d be running unmaintained software with no security patches.
Garage requires a TOML configuration file and a few more setup steps (generating an RPC secret, configuring the cluster layout), but the process is well-documented. For a single-node deployment, it’s about 10 minutes of work. See our full Garage setup guide.
Performance and Resource Usage
Garage is dramatically lighter than MinIO. A single-node Garage instance idles at 50-100 MB of RAM, while MinIO typically consumes 500 MB or more. For throughput, MinIO had the edge in high-concurrency enterprise scenarios, but for typical self-hosting workloads (backups, media storage, application data), Garage performs well.
Garage uses Zstandard compression by default, which can significantly reduce storage usage for compressible data.
Community and Support
MinIO: No active development. The archived repository means no new issues, PRs, or releases. Existing documentation remains available but will become increasingly outdated.
Garage: Active development by the Deuxfleurs collective. Regular releases (v2.2.0 as of early 2026), responsive issue tracker, and growing community. Documentation is thorough and well-organized.
Use Cases
Choose Garage If…
- You need S3-compatible storage for self-hosted apps (Nextcloud, backups, media)
- You want low resource usage suitable for a Raspberry Pi or small VPS
- You need multi-node replication for resilience
- You want static website hosting from S3 buckets
- You’re starting a new deployment in 2026 or later
Choose MinIO If…
- You have an existing MinIO deployment that works and you understand the security risks of running archived software
- You need near-complete S3 API compatibility that Garage doesn’t yet cover (specific IAM policies, server-side encryption)
- You’re in an enterprise environment with existing MinIO tooling (but seriously consider migrating)
Migration from MinIO to Garage
If you’re running MinIO and want to migrate:
- Export your data using
mc mirrororrclone syncfrom your MinIO instance - Set up Garage following our Garage setup guide
- Create matching buckets in Garage using the
garageCLI - Sync data using
rclone syncfrom MinIO to Garage (both support S3 protocol) - Update application configs to point to Garage’s S3 endpoint (port 3900 by default)
Most S3-compatible applications (Nextcloud, Restic, Duplicati) only need the endpoint URL, access key, and secret key changed.
Final Verdict
Use Garage. MinIO is a dead project. Running archived software means no security patches, no bug fixes, and no community support. Garage covers the S3 use cases that matter for self-hosting — backups, media storage, application object storage — with a fraction of the resource usage.
If you need enterprise-grade S3 compatibility beyond what Garage offers, look at SeaweedFS as another actively maintained alternative.
FAQ
Can I still run MinIO?
Technically yes — the Docker images still exist on Docker Hub. But you’d be running unmaintained software with no security updates. For new deployments, don’t.
Does Garage support the full S3 API?
Garage supports the most commonly used S3 operations: GetObject, PutObject, DeleteObject, ListObjects, multipart uploads, presigned URLs, and bucket policies. Some advanced features like S3 Select, server-side encryption, and complex IAM policies are not supported.
Can Garage replace MinIO in my Nextcloud setup?
Yes. Nextcloud’s S3 primary storage works with Garage. You’ll need to update the endpoint URL, access key, and secret key in your Nextcloud config.
How does Garage handle disk failures?
With replication_factor set to 2 or 3 across multiple nodes, Garage automatically replicates data. If a node fails, data remains available from other nodes. For single-node deployments, use standard backup practices.
Is Garage production-ready?
Yes. Garage has been used in production by Deuxfleurs and other organizations since v0.8. The v1.0 release (2024) marked official production readiness.
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