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W3up Review 2026: UCAN-Based Uploads to IPFS Storage

W3up is a UCAN-based upload protocol and set of client tools for sending files to IPFS-backed storage without running your own node. It is a developer tool rather than a DeFi app, and pricing and audits are not published.

By the DappsAtlas editorial team · Updated Nov 5, 2026

DappsAtlas score

6.3/10

Mixed

Our verdict on W3up

6.3/10

W3up suits developers and researchers who want to put files on IPFS through a CLI or JavaScript client without running a node. Its main strength is the use of open standards, UCAN permissions and automatic chunking of large files. The main caveat is the lack of published pricing, audits and retention terms, plus the move of the code under the Storacha name. Check current terms with the provider before relying on it for important data.

Score breakdown

How W3up scores

Security: n/a
Ease of use: 7.0/10
Fees: n/a
Features: 6.0/10

Scores run from 0 to 10 and are based only on facts we could verify. Where information was missing we mark the score n/a rather than guess.

What is W3up?

W3up is the upload protocol and client toolkit behind the web3.storage service. Its repository implements the web3.storage UCAN protocol specifications and is described as the core of the service's server. A beta was announced in September 2022, and the code is now hosted under the Storacha name.

The tooling comes in two main forms: a CLI and a JavaScript client library. The client is described as a simple on-ramp to the platform. One write-up frames the value as using IPFS for research data without running a node or contracting a pinning service.

W3up is not a DeFi app, a token or a marketplace. It is developer infrastructure for storing files in a way that fits decentralized identity and content-addressed data. The material reviewed does not name a token, a pricing plan, an audit or a team, so those points should be checked directly with the provider.

How W3up works

W3up is built around two ideas: content addressing and capability-based authorization. Files are stored on IPFS, where each piece of data is identified by a hash of its content rather than by a server location. Large files are split into smaller blocks, which the CLI does automatically during upload.

Authorization uses UCANs. A UCAN is a signed token issued by a decentralized identifier that states what an agent is allowed to do. Because the token can be verified without asking a central database, rights can be delegated from one party to another, for example from a user to an app.

In practice, a developer installs the client, creates a space, delegates the right to upload to an agent, and sends files. The service stores the data on IPFS so the developer does not need to run a node or pay a separate pinning provider. Retention, redundancy and retrieval details are not described in the material reviewed.

6 features

Key features

UCAN-based authorization

Access rights are expressed as UCANs, authorizations that can be verified because they are issued by a decentralized identifier. This lets permissions be delegated without a central login system.

Streaming CLI uploads

A command-line client uploads files of any size by automatically chunking large files into manageable blocks. This makes big uploads practical from a terminal.

JavaScript client library

A JavaScript library offers a simple interface to the platform, described as an on-ramp to the storage network. It is published on npm and suits web and Node.js apps.

IPFS storage without a node

Data is stored on IPFS without the user needing to run a node or sign a contract with a pinning service. This lowers the setup effort for research data and app assets.

Open-source protocol implementation

The protocol implementation is the core of the web3.storage server and is open in a public repository. Developers can read the code and follow the protocol specifications.

Decentralized identity standards

The platform builds on DID, UCAN and IPFS, so identity and permissions use open standards rather than a proprietary account model.

Pros and cons

What we like

Removes the need to run an IPFS node or buy a separate pinning service.
Supports uploads of any size through automatic chunking in the CLI.
Uses open standards (UCAN, DID, IPFS) for permissions and identity.
Open-source protocol implementation that developers can inspect.
Ships a JavaScript client that suits web and Node.js projects.

Watch out for

Fees, storage limits and service terms are not published in the material reviewed, so cost planning is hard.
The project has changed hands and branding: the protocol repo now sits under Storacha, so older docs and package names may be out of date.
No audit reports or formal security disclosures are cited, so security cannot be independently checked from this material.
Uploading still depends on a hosted service, which adds a degree of centralization compared with running your own IPFS node.
The name is shared with an unrelated naming-service project, which can cause confusion when searching.

W3up fees

Fees are not published in the material reviewed. There is no stated price per gigabyte, free tier, or upload limit, so budgeting for large datasets is not possible from this information.

Users should check the storage provider's account or pricing pages before uploading. Since W3up is a protocol and client rather than a token-based DeFi app, there are no trading or gas fees described.

Is W3up safe?

No audit reports, bug bounty or security disclosures are cited in the material reviewed. The npm package page for the client points to a vulnerability and package-health check, but its results are not shown here, so readers should run their own dependency checks.

Custody follows a hosted-service model: you rely on the provider to store and serve your data, while UCANs control who may act on your space. Do not upload sensitive data unencrypted, because IPFS content is addressed by hash and can be fetched by anyone who has the identifier. There is no token or financial smart contract described, so the main risks are service continuity, data retention and key management.

6 steps

How to get started with W3up

1
Decide whether you will use the command-line client or the JavaScript library, based on whether you are scripting uploads or building an app.
2
Install the client from the package registry, for example the w3up-client package on npm.
3
Create or log in to an account with the storage service so your decentralized identifier can be linked to a storage space.
4
Create a space and authorize your agent using the delegation flow the client describes.
5
Upload a small test file first, then confirm you can retrieve it by its content identifier.
6
Check the provider's current terms and pricing before moving large or important datasets.

Who W3up is for

W3up is for web3 developers, researchers and app builders who need to store files on IPFS and want delegated, standards-based permissions. It is less suited to casual users looking for a consumer app, or to anyone who needs fixed prices and audited guarantees before they start.

W3up FAQs

What is W3up?

W3up is an implementation of the UCAN-based upload protocol used by the web3.storage service. It lets developers and users upload files to IPFS-backed storage through a CLI or a JavaScript client. It is infrastructure, not a trading or yield product.

Do I need to run an IPFS node to use W3up?

The materials describe it as a way to use IPFS for data without maintaining an IPFS node or contracting a separate pinning service. You upload through the client, and the service handles storage and availability.

Can W3up handle large files?

The beta announcement says the CLI can upload files of any size by automatically splitting large files into smaller blocks. The files are then sent as a stream of those blocks.

How is W3up related to Storacha and web3.storage?

The core repo that implements the protocol is now hosted under the Storacha name, alongside the older web3.storage naming. The relationship suggests the service was rebranded or continued under Storacha, though the exact corporate details are not stated.

How much does W3up cost?

The material reviewed does not publish pricing, free-tier limits or storage terms. Check the service's own account or pricing page before committing data to it.

Is W3up the same as the W3 Name Service?

No. A separate naming-service project that mints.w3 usernames appears in public reporting under a similar name. The upload protocol described here is about file storage using UCAN and IPFS.

Is my data permanent on W3up?

The data is stored through IPFS-based infrastructure, and access rights are expressed as UCANs, which are verifiable authorizations tied to decentralized identifiers. Users should still check retention and availability terms with the provider, as these are not published in the material reviewed.

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