Cloud Storage Cost Calculator

Compare cloud storage costs across major providers like AWS S3, Google Cloud Storage, and Azure Blob Storage. Enter your storage amount, data transfer, and monthly operations to see a side-by-side monthly cost breakdown for each provider — helping you choose the most cost-effective option for your workload.

GB

Total amount of data you plan to store per month

GB

Amount of data transferred out to the internet per month

K

Number of GET/read API requests per month (in thousands)

K

Number of PUT/write API requests per month (in thousands)

Choose based on how often you access your data

Pricing varies by region

Results

Lowest Monthly Cost

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AWS S3 Monthly Cost

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Google Cloud Storage Monthly Cost

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Azure Blob Storage Monthly Cost

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Cheapest Provider

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Monthly Cost Comparison by Provider

Results Table

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate are these cloud storage cost estimates?

These estimates are based on publicly listed pricing from AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure as of early 2025. Actual bills may differ due to reserved capacity discounts, committed use agreements, enterprise negotiations, or regional surcharges. Use this calculator as a directional guide rather than a definitive quote.

What is included in the storage cost calculation?

The calculation includes three main cost components: storage fees (per GB stored per month), data egress/transfer-out fees (per GB transferred to the internet), and API operation fees (for read and write requests). Costs like data transfer between services in the same region or support plans are not included.

What is the difference between Standard, Infrequent Access, and Archive storage?

Standard storage is designed for frequently accessed data and offers the lowest latency but highest per-GB cost. Infrequent Access (IA) is cheaper for storage but charges retrieval fees, making it ideal for data accessed once a month or less. Archive storage is the cheapest for long-term retention but has high retrieval costs and delays of minutes to hours.

Does data transfer pricing vary by region?

Yes, cloud providers charge different egress rates depending on the source region. US-based storage typically has the lowest outbound transfer rates, while Asia Pacific regions tend to be the most expensive. Data transfer within the same region or availability zone is often free or very low cost.

Which cloud storage provider is cheapest overall?

It depends on your specific usage pattern. AWS S3 and Google Cloud Storage are often comparable in standard tier pricing, while Azure can be competitive for Windows-centric workloads. For archive storage, Google Cloud's Coldline and AWS Glacier Deep Archive tend to be the lowest cost options available.

Are API request costs significant for most use cases?

For most general-purpose workloads, API costs are a small fraction of the total bill. However, applications making millions of requests per month — such as image hosting platforms or logging systems — can see API costs become a meaningful line item. High read/write traffic workloads should pay close attention to per-request pricing.

Can I reduce cloud storage costs by compressing or deduplicating data?

Absolutely. Compressing files before upload directly reduces the GB stored and the GB transferred, cutting costs on both dimensions. Deduplication and lifecycle policies (automatically moving old data to cheaper tiers or deleting it) are among the most effective ways to optimise cloud storage spend over time.

Do free tiers affect these estimates?

AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure all offer free tier allowances for new accounts (e.g. 5 GB free on AWS S3 for 12 months). This calculator uses standard pay-as-you-go pricing and does not apply free tier credits, so your actual first-year costs may be lower if you qualify.

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