Sia Review: fees, KYC and how to sign up

// Review

by the bestcloudmining editorial desk · curated review · prose updated 2026-10-02 · facts as of 2026-10-02 · how we verify

Overview

Sia is a decentralized storage network with 2.26 PB of utilized storage across 554 hosts [1], operated by The Sia Storage Company for hosted plans [2] and the Sia Foundation for the protocol. The median host-set raw storage price is about $1.22/TB/month - the cheapest decentralized storage by raw price [1].

What you can rent

Hosted plans from The Sia Storage Company: Free (50 GB), Plus ($7.99/mo, 500 GB), Pro ($14.99/mo, 5 TB), Unlimited ($19.99/mo, 10 TB + $4.99/TB-month overage) [2]. Raw Sia storage via the network: median 1,204 SC/TB-month (about $1.22), with a 3x erasure-coding overhead making effective cost about $3.66/TB-month [1]. No KYC documented [2]. Median download price: 2,349 SC/TB (about $2.38) [1][5].

Contract & terms

The hosted operator is "The Sia Storage Company" [4] (footer copyright only - no state of incorporation, address, or registration published) [2]. No KYC policy exists [2]. No refund policy is documented [2]. Payment in SC for raw storage; hosted plans accept standard payment [2]. The 3x erasure overhead is a protocol feature, not a hidden fee - data is split across 3 hosts for redundancy [1].

Proof & verifiability

Network utilization (2.26 PB used of 7.30 PB) and host count (554) are verifiable on SiaScan [1]. SC trades at about $0.001 [3]. The median storage price improved from 1,831 SC/TB-month (July) to 1,204 SC/TB-month - a 34 percent drop in host pricing [1]. What stays unverifiable: The Sia Storage Company's corporate registration (only the footer names it) [2], and real-world retrieval latency for raw Sia deals [2].

Reliability & history

The Sia protocol has run since 2015 [2]. The siasky.net gateway domain now hosts unrelated gaming content - a known pattern for abandoned web3 domains [2]. No fraud or exit events [2]. The network utilization improved from July (2.12 PB of 8.56 PB) to October (2.26 PB of 7.30 PB) [1].

Pricing

Hosted: Free (50 GB), Plus ($7.99/mo, 500 GB), Pro ($14.99/mo, 5 TB), Unlimited ($19.99/mo, 10 TB + $4.99/TB-month overage) [2]. Raw: median 1,204 SC/TB-month (about $1.22), with 3x overhead making effective cost about $3.66/TB-month [2]. SC at about $0.001 [3]. KYC: not documented [2].

Verdict

Sia offers the cheapest raw decentralized storage on our list - the median host price of about $1.22/TB/month (with the 3x overhead caveat making it about $3.66/TB/month effective) is unmatched by any centralized provider [2]. The hosted plans at $7.99/month for 500 GB are competitive with Wasabi but with no KYC requirement [2]. The Sia Storage Company's undisclosed incorporation is a transparency gap [4]. the 3x erasure overhead is a structural cost that must be factored into any price comparison [2]. The median download price of about $2.38/TB means retrieval is also cheap [1]. The hosted plans at $7.99/month for 500 GB work out to about $0.016/GB/month, which is competitive with S3 Standard ($0.023/GB) [2]. The Unlimited plan at $19.99/month for 10 TB works out to about $2/TB/month - competitive with Wasabi and Backblaze B2 at $6.95-$7.99/TB [2]. Sia has operated since 2015, making it one of the oldest decentralized-storage protocols [2]. The Sia Foundation operates separately from the Sia Storage Company, with the Foundation managing protocol development and the Storage Company managing the hosted retail product [2].

// How to get started with Sia

Built only from what is documented on this page as of 2026-10-02 - anything not documented stays a gap on purpose.

1. Open the provider site

   Everything happens on sia.tech - we count the click, nothing else changes for you.

2. No ID check documented

   KYC is documented as none as of 2026-10-02. Create the account with an email only; assume a check can still be requested before a large payout.

3. Pick the smallest unit that still works

   Price from $2 per TB/mo - start with the minimum, not with the plan the checkout page pushes.

4. Pay

   Accepted: SC plus card transfer. Check the network and the deposit address inside your account, never from an email.

5. Verify the output, not the dashboard

   Proof is documented as yes - Hosts must submit Merkle-proof storage proofs to the Sia blockchain to be paid at contract end; a failed proof burns host collateral. Compare the first payout with the pool or wallet before scaling up.

Then run the math: mining calculator · contract vs. HODL · all decentralized storage providers.

// Is Sia legit?

Short answer: Based on our checks as of 2026-10-02: Sia scores 7.3/10 in our weighted review. We logged 1 red flag (listed above). User reports and operator background are documented with dated sources in the meta-review below.

Status	active
Operator	Sia · HQ United States (high)
Founded	2015
Proof	published
KYC	none

Red flags

• App-layer mortality: Skynet (Sia-based, Skynet Labs) shut down in 2022; domains now defunct/repurposed

What "legit" does not mean

A real, operating provider can still lose you money: with a contract you own no hardware, revenue follows coin price and difficulty, and most published contracts are priced so the seller comes out ahead. "Legit" means the operator exists and pays what its terms promise - not that the deal is profitable. 12 dated sources back this page; they are listed under sources.

// Alternatives to Sia

Same category, scored on the same criteria - so the comparison stays honest. Compare only in the same unit, and read the minimum, KYC and proof columns before switching.

// Sia FAQ

Is Sia legit?

Based on our checks as of 2026-10-02: Sia scores 7.3/10 in our weighted review. We logged 1 red flag (listed above). User reports and operator background are documented with dated sources in the meta-review below.