What does LTO stand for?
Linear Tape-Open, an open magnetic tape standard created by HPE, IBM and Quantum. The tape format itself is called Ultrium.
The basics
What LTO tape is
LTO (Linear Tape-Open) is an open standard for magnetic data tape, set by the LTO Program, whose members are HPE, IBM and Quantum. A cartridge holds a single reel of half-inch tape; the drive pulls it past a head that writes many parallel tracks, end to end and back again. The format is called Ultrium, which is why cartridges are labelled "LTO Ultrium". How it works as a storage system, and what it costs per terabyte, is in LTO storage explained.
Only two companies make LTO tape: Fujifilm and Sony. Cartridges sold under HPE, IBM, Quantum or Dell labels contain tape from one of them, and every certified cartridge of a generation works in every brand of drive of that generation. See LTO tape brands.
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What Is LTO Tape? Linear Tape-Open Explained in Under 2 Minutes
Generations
LTO generations at a glance
A new generation arrives every two to four years and roughly doubles capacity. The current generation is LTO-10, and LTO-9 is the one most people buy.
| Generation | Released | Native capacity | Compressed | Native speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LTO-5 | 2010 | 1.5 TB | 3 TB (2:1) | 140 MB/s |
| LTO-6 | 2012 | 2.5 TB | 6.25 TB (2.5:1) | 160 MB/s |
| LTO-7 | 2015 | 6 TB | 15 TB (2.5:1) | 300 MB/s |
| LTO-8 | 2017 | 12 TB | 30 TB (2.5:1) | 360 MB/s |
| LTO-9 | 2021 | 18 TB | 45 TB (2.5:1) | 400 MB/s |
| LTO-10 | 2025 | 30 TB or 40 TB | 75 TB or 100 TB (2.5:1) | 400 MB/s |
Compressed figures assume data that compresses 2.5 to 1. Video, images and encrypted files do not, so plan on native capacity. Older generations and the roadmap to LTO-14 are in the LTO capacity chart.
Compatibility
Which drive reads which tape
Drives up to LTO-7 read two generations back and write one back. LTO-8 and LTO-9 drives read and write one generation back only. LTO-10 drives use LTO-10 media only.
- LTO-6 cartridges can be read in LTO-6 and LTO-7 drives, but not in LTO-8 or newer.
- LTO-7 cartridges can be read and written in LTO-7 and LTO-8 drives, but not in LTO-9 or newer.
- LTO-8 cartridges can be read and written in LTO-8 and LTO-9 drives, but not in LTO-10.
- LTO-9 cartridges need an LTO-9 drive: LTO-10 drives do not read them.
- LTO-10 cartridges need an LTO-10 drive, and LTO-10 drives read no older generation.
This is the rule that decides when an archive has to be migrated: once no drive you own can read a generation, its tapes become a recovery job. See LTO tape migration.
Cost
What LTO tape costs
As of 23 October 2026, an 18 TB LTO-9 cartridge costs $92.45 to $129.00, or $5.14 to $7.17 per TB, which makes it the cheapest LTO media per terabyte. A 30 TB LTO-10 cartridge costs $259.00 to $299.99. The drive is the larger cost: a new internal LTO-9 drive is listed at $8,009 to $13,329.
Because the drive is a fixed cost and media is cheap, tape gets cheaper per terabyte the more you store. Below about 15 TB, disk or cloud is usually cheaper; for large archives, tape wins. See the LTO price tracker and the tape vs cloud cost comparison.
Why use it
What LTO tape is good at
- Cheap capacity. The lowest media cost per terabyte of any storage you can buy and keep yourself.
- Offline copies. A cartridge on a shelf is out of reach of ransomware and of mistakes made on the network. WORM cartridges cannot be overwritten at all.
- Long life. Manufacturers rate cartridges for 30 years of archival storage in the right conditions. See LTO tape lifespan.
- No power when idle. A stored cartridge uses no electricity.
- Fast streaming. Current drives write up to 400 MB/s native, faster than a single hard drive.
The trade-offs: access is sequential, so finding one file takes tens of seconds to minutes, you need a drive and backup software or LTFS, and old generations must be migrated before their drives disappear.
How it is used
How people use LTO tape
Backup software such as Veeam, Commvault, Bacula or Catalogic DPX writes backup copies to tape and keeps the catalogue. See best tape backup software.
LTFS formats a tape so it mounts like a disk, with files you can drag and drop; it is common in film and video work. See LTFS explained.
Libraries and autoloaders hold many cartridges and change them automatically. See LTO tape libraries.
More guides
Other LTO guides
LTO storageHow tape storage works and costsLTO capacity chartLTO-1 to LTO-14LTO tape drive buying guideWhich drive to buyLTO tape librariesAutoloaders and librariesLTO tape lifespanHow long tapes lastLTFS explainedTape as a file systemLTO tape data recoveryReading old tapesCleaning tapes and labelsSupplies and handlingLTO tape newsWhat changed this month
Pricebook
Get the LTO pricebook
Request current LTO media and drive pricing before you budget a migration or a refresh.
How much data does an LTO tape hold?
LTO-9 holds 18 TB native and LTO-10 holds 30 TB, or 40 TB on the newer cartridge. Vendors also quote compressed figures 2.5 times higher, which only apply to data that compresses.
Is LTO tape still used?
Yes. LTO shipped 160.3 exabytes of capacity in 2025, and shipments in the first quarter of 2026 were up 57% on a year earlier, driven by archives, AI training data and offline backup copies.
How long does LTO tape last?
Manufacturers rate LTO cartridges for 30 years of archival storage at 16 to 25 °C and 20 to 50% humidity. In practice the limit is usually drive availability, so plan to migrate every two or three generations.
How much does LTO tape cost?
An 18 TB LTO-9 cartridge costs $92.45 to $129.00 as of 23 October 2026, about $5.14 to $7.17 per TB. A new LTO-9 drive costs $8,009 to $13,329.
Do I need special software for LTO tape?
Yes, either backup software that supports tape drives or LTFS, which lets the operating system mount a tape like a disk. Windows, macOS and Linux all have free LTFS tools.