AWS S3 vs Backblaze: Cloud Storage Comparison (2026)

Compare AWS S3 and Backblaze B2 on pricing, egress fees, and features to find the right object storage for your team.

Updated 2026-10 · 2026

AWS S3

Scalable object storage from Amazon Web Services

0.023GB/month (Standard, first 50TB)

Strengths

+Deep integration with the entire AWS ecosystem (Lambda, CloudFront, EC2, etc.)
+Extremely mature, battle-tested at massive scale
+Fine-grained IAM permissions and bucket policies

Weaknesses

-Expensive egress fees ($0.09/GB after free tier)
-Pricing structure is complex (storage, requests, transfer, tiering all billed separately)
-Can get costly fast for small teams not optimizing storage classes

Best for

Teams already deep in the AWS ecosystem needing tight integration with compute and CDN services.

Backblaze

Simple, low-cost cloud storage with free egress up to 3x storage

0.006GB/month (B2 Cloud Storage)

Strengths

+Storage costs roughly 1/4 of S3 Standard
+Free egress up to 3x average monthly storage (very generous)
+S3-compatible API makes migration straightforward

Weaknesses

-Fewer storage tiers/classes than AWS (no cold-archive equivalent like Glacier)
-Smaller ecosystem of native integrations outside S3-compatible tools
-Less granular IAM/permission system than AWS

Best for

Small teams and businesses wanting cheap, predictable storage without AWS lock-in or complex billing.

Feature Comparison

Feature	AWS S3	Backblaze
Storage cost (per GB/month)	$0.023 (Standard)	$0.006
Free egress	100GB/month free, then $0.09/GB	Up to 3x average storage free
S3-compatible API	Native	Yes, fully compatible
Storage classes/tiers	Multiple (Standard, IA, Glacier, etc.)	Single tier (B2)
Free tier	5GB (12 months, new accounts)	10GB storage, always free
CDN partner integrations	CloudFront (paid)	Cloudflare, Fastly (free egress)
IAM/permissions granularity	Very granular (IAM policies)	Application keys, simpler model
Ecosystem integrations	Extensive (AWS + 3rd party)	Growing, S3-compatible tools work
Pricing predictability	Complex, multiple cost vectors	Simple flat rate
Compliance certifications	Extensive (HIPAA, SOC, FedRAMP, etc.)	SOC 2, HIPAA-eligible
Console/UI simplicity	Complex, many options	Simple, minimal

The Verdict

If you're not deeply tied to the AWS ecosystem, Backblaze B2 wins on pure cost — storage is roughly 4x cheaper and egress fees that kill small teams on S3 are mostly free. Stick with S3 only if you need tight integration with other AWS services or require storage classes like Glacier for long-term archival. For most small teams just storing and serving files, Backblaze is the more predictable, cheaper choice.

How to switch from AWS S3 to Backblaze

1Export your data out of AWS S3 using AWS CLI's `aws s3 sync` command or AWS DataSync for large-scale transfers, keeping your existing folder/object structure intact.
2Create a Backblaze B2 account and bucket, then generate an application key with read/write permissions for migration.
3Use rclone configured with both S3 and B2 as remotes to sync data directly bucket-to-bucket, avoiding a local download/upload round trip.
4Update any application code, backup software, or CI/CD pipelines to point to the B2 S3-compatible endpoint and new application keys instead of AWS credentials.
5Recreate any AWS Lambda-triggered automations using B2's event notifications or a scheduled job/webhook if an exact equivalent isn't available.
6Run both systems in parallel for a week, validate object counts and checksums match, then update DNS/CDN configs and decommission the S3 bucket.

AWS S3 vs Backblaze: common questions

How do I migrate data from AWS S3 to Backblaze B2?+

Backblaze B2 has an S3-compatible API, so you can use tools like rclone, Cyberduck, or the B2 CLI to sync buckets directly — no manual export/import needed. Point rclone at your S3 bucket as source and B2 as destination, and run a sync command; for large datasets, Backblaze also offers a Snapshot-based transfer partnership for bulk migrations.

What features do I lose moving from S3 to Backblaze?+

You lose AWS's tiered storage classes like Glacier/Deep Archive for cold storage, and the extremely granular IAM policy system. You'll also lose native integration with other AWS services like Lambda triggers on bucket events, though B2 supports basic event notifications.

Is Backblaze's free tier enough for a small team?+

Backblaze's free tier gives you 10GB of storage permanently, which is enough for testing or very small projects but not for production use by most teams. Beyond that, at $0.006/GB/month, even 1TB of storage costs around $6/month, which is still far cheaper than equivalent S3 usage.

Does Backblaze B2 work with the tools I already use with S3?+

Yes — because B2 supports the S3-compatible API, most tools built for S3 (backup software, CDNs, CMS plugins, CI/CD pipelines) work with B2 with just a config change to the endpoint and credentials. Some AWS-specific services like Lambda or CloudFront require separate setup since they're AWS-native.

How much will I actually save switching from S3 to Backblaze over time?+

For a team storing 5TB and transferring 2TB/month out, S3 Standard storage costs roughly $115/month plus egress fees around $170/month, while B2 storage costs about $30/month with that egress likely covered by the free 3x-storage allowance. Savings compound significantly if your workload is egress-heavy, like serving media files or backups to end users.