Direct comparison
Zenodo Vs Dryad: Key Differences & Comparison | CASRAI
Zenodo (CERN/OpenAIRE) accepts any research output type for free; Dryad focuses on peer-reviewed biological and ecological data with a cost model for larger deposits.
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | Zenodo | Dryad |
|---|---|---|
| Operator and governance | CERN (European Organisation for Nuclear Research) and OpenAIRE; launched under Horizon 2020 funding in 2013 | Non-profit membership consortium (Dryad Digital Repository); established 2008; governed by a board representing member institutions and publishers |
| Disciplinary scope | All research disciplines; no restriction on subject area or output type | Primarily biological, ecological, evolutionary, and interdisciplinary life sciences data; strongest journal coverage in biology and ecology |
| Accepted output types | Datasets, software, presentations, posters, preprints, journal articles, theses, reports, images, videos — any file type | Research data files underlying peer-reviewed publications; software and code are encouraged to go to GitHub/Zenodo instead; focused on data rather than all output types |
| Cost model | Free for all depositors; no size-based charges up to 50 GB per record; no institutional membership required | Free for deposits under approximately 50 MB (subsidised by Dryad membership dues); Data Publication Charges (DPCs) apply above this threshold; Jisc membership covers UK institutions' DPCs via consortium arrangement |
| Data licence | Depositors choose their own licence; CC BY 4.0 recommended but not required; CC0, CC BY-NC, and others permitted | CC0 required for all data deposits (public domain dedication; no restrictions on reuse) |
| DOI provider | DataCite DOIs issued automatically on publication | DataCite DOIs issued; additionally Dryad mints a DOI for the data package as a whole and individual file DOIs in some configurations |
| Journal integration | No formal journal integration; GitHub integration allows automatic Zenodo archiving on each software release | Integrated submission workflows with Springer Nature, Wiley, and other publishers; allows data deposit simultaneously with manuscript submission; some journals mandate Dryad for biological data |
| Storage limit | 50 GB per record by default; larger deposits possible on request and may require project-level negotiation with CERN | No hard stated limit; very large deposits are discussed with Dryad staff; DPCs scale with data size above the free threshold |
| UK institutional support | No specific UK membership model; freely available to all; JISC supports open infrastructure principles but no specific Zenodo membership | Available to UK institutions through Jisc membership, which covers DPCs for eligible deposits from member institutions |
Common questions
FAQ
Which should I use for a bioinformatics dataset?+
For genomic sequence data, the primary deposition requirement is typically to submit to an INSDC member database (NCBI SRA, EBI ENA, or DDBJ) — this is mandated by most journals and funders for raw sequencing data. For processed data files, scripts, and supplementary analytical outputs, Zenodo is suitable for any discipline and accepts software and diverse file types. If your paper is in a biology or ecology journal that has a Dryad integration or mandate, Dryad may be the expected destination for your data files. Zenodo and Dryad are not mutually exclusive — it is common to archive code on Zenodo (or via the GitHub-Zenodo integration) and data on Dryad.
Does Dryad require CC0?+
Yes. Dryad requires that all deposited data be released under CC0 (Creative Commons Zero), the public domain dedication. This means anyone can use, share, or build on the data without restriction or attribution requirement. Dryad argues that CC0 maximises reuse and removes legal ambiguity about whether data can be included in derived databases or analyses. Researchers who require an attribution condition (CC BY) or who want to restrict commercial use should consider a different repository such as Zenodo.
Can I use Zenodo if my journal recommends Dryad?+
It depends on the journal's policy. Some journals mandate Dryad for biological data; others recommend it but accept alternatives. If Zenodo is accepted by the journal and your data meets Zenodo's terms, it is a valid option. Zenodo's CC BY 4.0 default and its acceptance of diverse output types may make it preferable for datasets that include software or non-standard file types. Always check your target journal's data policy before depositing. If the journal specifically mandates Dryad, use Dryad.
Is Zenodo sustainable long term?+
Zenodo is operated by CERN, one of the world's largest and most stable scientific organisations, and is supported by OpenAIRE and European Commission funding. CERN has committed to maintaining Zenodo as a core open research infrastructure. It has operated continuously since 2013. However, like all research infrastructure, long-term sustainability depends on continued funding and institutional commitment — researchers depositing critical data should be aware that no single repository is guaranteed indefinitely and may want to register their datasets with a discipline-specific community or funder-mandated repository as an additional layer of preservation.
Going deeper
