Storage for developers
A drop-in replacement for Amazon S3, so apps and backups can use the network at a fraction of the price.
Storage that belongs to the people who run it
NodeGuard keeps files on ordinary computers in homes and offices, not in a few giant data centres. Every file is encrypted on its owner's device and split across many machines, so nobody holding a piece can read it, not even us. Lend your spare space and get paid for it, or store your files for less.
Connecting to the network...
People's machinesNodeGuard's servers
How your files stay safe on other people's computers
The trick is that no single machine ever has anything useful. Here's what happens to every file.
- First
Locked on your device
Before anything leaves your computer it's encrypted with a key only you hold. What travels is gibberish to everyone else.
- Then
Cut into pieces, plus spares
Each part of a file becomes several pieces, with extra spare pieces worked out from them. No piece makes sense on its own.
- Then
Spread across different homes
No person, home connection or hosting company ever gets more than one piece of the same part of a file.
- Always
Rebuilt if machines go away
Any few pieces are enough to rebuild the file. When a machine goes offline, the network makes new pieces somewhere else by itself.
Store your files for less
Upload from your browser, sync a folder on your computer, or send big attachments from Outlook as private links.
Free5 GB while you try it
£101 TB a month
£152 TB a month
- Encrypted on your device. We can't read your files, and neither can anyone holding a piece.
- Documents are squeezed as they upload, and the same file is never stored twice.
- AI archive mode shrinks folders you're putting away even further.
A trusted network for businesses
Business data stays on vetted business machines, and in the UK if you choose. Companies lend their spare server space to each other, so members rely on one another rather than on one cloud giant.
Share space, store for free. Put your spare server or NAS space on the business network and you get the same amount of storage back. Share 2 TB, store 2 TB, at no charge.
- Retention rules that nobody can override, not even an admin.
- Restricted folders for each client, project or team.
- A full audit trail of who did what, and secure links straight from Outlook.
- Recovery keys and team access you control. Nobody at NodeGuard can open your files.
Storage is just the start
Every machine that joins makes the network cheaper, faster and harder to switch off. The same machines can do far more than keep files.
Websites served by the network
Sites hosted from many people's machines instead of one company's data centre, close to the people visiting them.
The NodeGuard box
A small device you plug into your router. It shares space, earns while you sleep and keeps your family's photos safe.
An internet run by its users
Storage, hosting and delivery owned by the people who power them, with the value going back to them.
Questions people ask
Can the people storing my files see them?
No. Files are encrypted on your device before they leave it, then split into pieces. A machine only ever holds pieces of encrypted data, which are meaningless on their own. We can't read them either.
What if a machine holding my files switches off?
Nothing is lost. Every part of a file has spare pieces on other machines in different homes. The network notices missing pieces and rebuilds them elsewhere automatically.
Will sharing slow down my internet or my computer?
You set an upload speed limit and the amount of space to share. It uses very little processing power. On a Raspberry Pi or NAS you won't notice it at all.
Could someone store something illegal on my machine?
Your machine holds scattered pieces of encrypted data, not files anyone can open. Accounts and share links that break our terms are switched off, and people storing files agree not to upload illegal material.
How do earnings work during the beta?
Storage you earn is yours as soon as your machine is online. Money is counted from day one and paid monthly through Stripe once payouts are switched on during the beta. Rates may change as we learn, and we'll always tell you first.
Can I stop sharing?
Yes, at any time. The network moves the pieces your machine held to other machines. If you can, leave it running for a day after you decide to stop.
Is it ready for important files?
It's a beta. Your files are encrypted and spread with spares, and we test failures constantly, but while we're in beta, please also keep your own copy of anything you can't afford to lose.
Who is behind NodeGuard?
NodeGuard is an independent company built in London, on the belief that the internet should work for the people who use it, and pay them for what they put in.
Join the open beta
Tell us how you'd like to take part. It takes a minute.
- Raspberry Pi, Linux and NAS owners can start sharing straight away.
- Windows and Mac sharers get an email when the app is ready.
- Businesses that share server space store the same amount for free.
- We only use your details to run the beta. No spam, never sold.