LTO-9 price · updated October 2026
As of 23 October 2026, a new LTO-9 tape (18 TB native) costs $92.45 to $129.00, or $5.14 to $7.17 per TB; internal drives $8,009 to $13,329 and external drives $9,199 to $15,225. LTO-9 is the volume generation in 2026 and has the lowest cost per native terabyte of any LTO cartridge on sale. Media and half-height SAS drives are broadly in stock.
Cartridge listings
New single LTO-9 data cartridges (18 TB native), sorted by price. Range: $92.45 to $129.00, or $5.14 to $7.17 per native TB.
| Part number | Seller | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q2079A (HPE) | Tape4Backup | $92.45 | Sale (was $119.00); in stock |
| Q2079A (HPE) | LTO World | $92.45 | Sale; in stock |
| Any LTO-9 cartridge | Contact us | Volume discount | Tell us how many cartridges you need and we will send you a special discount. |
| MR-L9MQN-01 (Quantum) | Tape4Backup | $95.75 | In stock |
| MR-L9MQN-01 (Quantum) | LTO World | $95.75 | Sale; in stock |
| 16659047 (Fujifilm) | Tape4Backup | $98.50 | In stock |
| 16659047 (Fujifilm) | LTO World | $98.50 | Sale; in stock |
| Q2079A (HPE) | DatacenterDisk | $98.99 | Amazon listing |
| MR-L9MQN-01 (Quantum) | TapeandMedia | $99.35 | In stock (ships same business day) |
| 16659047 (Fujifilm) | TapeandMedia | $99.95 | In stock (ships same business day) |
| MR-L9MQN-01 (Quantum) | BackupWorks | $101.75 | Now shipping |
| Q2079A (HPE) | TapeandMedia | $102.95 | In stock (ships same business day) |
| 16659047 (Fujifilm) | BackupWorks | $103.25 | |
| Q2079A (HPE) | MagStor | $105.59 | Sale; in stock |
| 02XW568 (IBM) | Tape4Backup | $105.99 | In stock |
| 02XW568 (IBM) | LTO World | $106.25 | Sale; in stock |
| Q2079A (HPE) | BackupWorks | $107.50 | In stock |
| 02XW568 (IBM) | TapeandMedia | $111.55 | In stock (ships same business day) |
| 02XW568 (IBM) | BackupWorks | $115.00 | Now shipping |
| 02XW568 (IBM) | MagStor | $129.00 | In stock |
Prices checked on 23 October 2026. Sale prices change often; confirm at the seller before ordering.
Bulk buying
Packs are not always cheaper per cartridge than a single tape on sale, so compare the per-unit price.
| Part number | Seller | Pack price (per cartridge) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fujifilm LTO-9 10-pack | DatacenterDisk | $879.99 ($88.00 each) | |
| Q2079AC (HPE 20-pack custom labeled) | Tape4Backup | $1,890.00 ($94.50 each) | |
| LTO-9 packs of any size | Contact us | Volume discount | Tell us how many cartridges you need and we will send you a special discount. |
| MR-L9MQN-01 (Quantum 20-pack) | DatacenterDisk | $1,899.99 ($95.00 each) | |
| MR-L9MQN-20 (Quantum 20-pack) | Tape4Backup | $1,920.00 ($96.00 each) | |
| MR-L9MQN-01-5 Pack (Quantum 5-pack) | TapeandMedia | $496.75 ($99.35 each) | |
| 16659047-5 Pack (Fujifilm 5-pack) | TapeandMedia | $499.75 ($99.95 each) | |
| 16671693 (Fujifilm 20-pack library) | Tape4Backup | $2,000.00 ($100.00 each) | |
| Q2079A-5 Pack (HPE 5-pack) | TapeandMedia | $514.75 ($102.95 each) | |
| Q2079AN (HPE 20-pack) | TapeandMedia | $2,105.00 ($105.25 each) | |
| 02XW568-5 Pack (IBM 5-pack) | TapeandMedia | $557.75 ($111.55 each) | |
| NP-L9-10PK (MagStor NanoPure 10-pack) | MagStor | $1,199.99 ($120.00 each) |
Write once media
WORM (write once, read many) cartridges cannot be overwritten, which is why they are used for compliance and ransomware-resistant copies. Range: $124.94 to $175.00.
| Part number | Seller | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16659059 (Fujifilm) | LTO World | $124.94 | In stock |
| MR-L9MQN-02 (Quantum) | LTO World | $125.44 | Sale; in stock |
| Any LTO-9 WORM cartridge | Contact us | Volume discount | Tell us how many cartridges you need and we will send you a special discount. |
| MR-L9MQN-02 (Quantum) | TapeandMedia | $127.65 | Out of stock; not counted in the range |
| Q2079W (HPE) | LTO World | $138.70 | Sale; in stock |
| Q2079W (HPE) | TapeandMedia | $139.00 | Special order |
| 16659059 (Fujifilm) | TapeandMedia | $142.95 | In stock (ships same business day) |
| 02XW569 (IBM) | TapeandMedia | $145.95 | In stock (ships same business day) |
| 02XW569 (IBM) | LTO World | $150.26 | Sale; in stock |
| 02XW569 (IBM) | Tape4Backup | $175.00 | Limited stock |
| MR-L9MQN-02 (Quantum) | Tape4Backup | $185.50 | Out of stock; not counted in the range |
| 16659059 (Fujifilm) | Tape4Backup | $195.00 | Out of stock; not counted in the range |
| Q2079W (HPE) | Tape4Backup | $195.00 | Out of stock; not counted in the range |
Hardware
New standalone SAS drives. You also need a SAS HBA in the host, and backup software that supports the drive.
| Part number | Seller | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAS-HL9i (MagStor LTO-9 HH SAS internal) | LTO World | $8,009.10 | New, 2-yr warranty option (3-yr $11,999.99); in stock |
| TD-L92AN-BR (Quantum LTO-9 HH SAS) | LTO World | $9,989.99 | New, in stock |
| TD-L92AN-BR (Quantum LTO-9 HH SAS bare) | BackupWorks | $10,191.00 | New |
| TD-L92AN-FZ (Quantum LTO-9 HH SAS + HBA bundle) | BackupWorks | $10,963.00 | New |
| SAS-HL9i (MagStor LTO-9 HH SAS internal) | MagStor | $11,999.99 | New, sale (regular $12,599); in stock |
| BC040A (HPE StoreEver LTO-9 Ultrium 45000 SAS internal) | TapeandMedia | $13,329.00 | New, ships in 3-14 days |
| Part number | Seller | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAS-HL9-8644 (MagStor LTO-9 HH SAS desktop) | Tape4Backup | $9,199.00 | New, limited stock |
| TD-L92BN-AR (Quantum LTO-9 SAS desktop kit) | LTO World | $11,629.99 | New, in stock |
| SYSAS-DS2L9H1B-CT (Symply LTO-9 HH SAS desktop) | BackupWorks | $11,710.00 | New |
| TD-L92BN-AR (Quantum LTO-9 SAS tabletop) | BackupWorks | $11,863.00 | New |
| TD-L92BN-AR (Quantum LTO-9 SAS tabletop) | TapeandMedia | $12,249.00 | New, ships within 1-2 weeks |
| SAS-HL9-8644 (MagStor LTO-9 HH SAS desktop) | LTO World | $12,349.99 | New, sale (regular $12,949); in stock |
| SAS-HL9-8644 (MagStor LTO-9 HH SAS desktop) | MagStor | $12,349.99 | New, sale (regular $12,949); in stock |
| SAS-HL9-8644 (MagStor LTO-9 HH SAS desktop) | TapeandMedia | $12,611.00 | New, ships in 2-5 business days |
| SAS-HL9-8644 (MagStor LTO-9 HH SAS desktop) | BackupWorks | $12,637.00 | New |
| SAS-L9-8644 (MagStor LTO-9 FH SAS desktop) | BackupWorks | $13,233.00 | New, full-height |
| BC042A (HPE StoreEver LTO-9 Ultrium 45000 external) | TapeandMedia | $15,225.00 | New, ships in 3-14 days |
Price history
Each row links to the archived snapshot it came from. Earlier snapshots used rounded guide ranges, and the March 2026 drive figures were estimates rather than seller listings, so compare directions rather than exact dollars.
| Snapshot | Cartridge price | Drive price |
|---|---|---|
| October 2026 (current) | $92.45 to $129.00 | Internal $8,009 to $13,329; external $9,199 to $15,225 |
| September 2026 | $92.45-$111.55 | Internal $7,699-$13,500; external $8,999-$13,385 |
| August 2026 | $80-$120 | Not recorded |
| March 2026 | $85-$100 | Internal $4,500-$6,500; external $5,000-$8,000 |
| January 2026 | $85-$102 | Not recorded |
| November to December 2025 | $85-$102 | Not recorded |
| September to October 2025 | $85-$102 | Not recorded |
Compare
| Generation | Native capacity | Cartridge price | Per native TB |
|---|---|---|---|
| LTO-8 | 12 TB | $70.25 to $84.36 | $5.85 to $7.03 |
| LTO-9 | 18 TB | $92.45 to $129.00 | $5.14 to $7.17 |
| LTO-10 | 30 TB | $259.00 to $299.99 | $8.63 to $10.00 |
For most new tape deployments LTO-9 is the default: the cheapest media per terabyte, mature drives, and wide library support.
Specifications
| Native capacity | 18 TB |
|---|---|
| Compressed capacity | 45 TB (2.5:1) |
| Native speed | up to 400 MB/s |
| Released | 2021 |
| A LTO-9 drive reads | LTO-8, LTO-9 |
| A LTO-9 drive writes | LTO-8, LTO-9 |
| WORM cartridges | Yes |
| Hardware encryption | AES-256 |
| LTFS | Yes |
LTO-9 cartridges need an LTO-9 drive: LTO-10 drives do not read them. Half-height drives are often rated below the full-height speed, so check the data sheet of the exact model. See every generation side by side in the LTO capacity chart, how to choose a drive in the LTO tape drive buying guide, and how long cartridges last in LTO tape lifespan. Nearby generations: LTO-8 LTO-10.
Why buyers choose LTO-9
Vendor ecosystems
Pricing differences across ecosystems are usually modest, but inventory timing and reseller channels can still change what buyers see in the market.
Budget planning
Evaluation checklist
LTO-9 is often the right fit when your organization wants a modern, high-capacity tape generation with relatively stable pricing, strong throughput, and a lower price per TB than the newest media still in launch-premium territory.
Method
We loaded seller product pages on 23 October 2026 and recorded the listed price, part number and stock note. Only new items are included unless a note says otherwise. Amazon, B&H, CDW and Connection blocked automated checks or showed no price, so big-box pricing is not included. Sellers used for LTO-9:
Pricebook
Request the latest pricebook to compare LTO-9 media and drives from HPE, IBM, Quantum, Fujifilm and Sony before you buy.
New single LTO-9 cartridges were listed at $92.45 to $129.00 at the specialist US sellers we checked on 23 October 2026, which works out to $5.14 to $7.17 per native terabyte.
New internal half-height SAS LTO-9 drives were listed at $8,009 to $13,329. Prices for similar models differ by several thousand dollars between sellers, so compare the exact part number.
External desktop SAS LTO-9 drives were listed at $9,199 to $15,225.
Yes. LTO-9 WORM cartridges were listed at $124.94 to $175.00, compared with $92.45 to $129.00 for standard data cartridges.
See the LTO-9 price history table on this page, which lists every TapeBackup.org snapshot since September 2025.