AWS S3 (legacy cloud benchmark) vs Backblaze B2 (legacy cloud benchmark): which should you pick in 2026?
Head-to-head on the facts that decide the purchase: real prices in the provider's own unit, minimum, KYC, proof, payment and terms - every number sourced in the linked reviews.
Short answer: Backblaze B2 (legacy cloud benchmark) wins overall (8.6/10 vs 7.4/10). AWS S3 (legacy cloud benchmark) is the better pick if you care most about track record. Facts checked 2026-09-24.
| AWS S3 (legacy cloud benchmark) | Backblaze B2 (legacy cloud benchmark) | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score (0-10) | 7.4 | 8.6 |
| Vertical | Decentralized storage | Decentralized storage |
| Type | S3-compatible storage | S3-compatible storage |
| Price from | $23.55 per TB/mo | $6.95 per TB/mo |
| Minimum | unknown | unknown |
| KYC | required | required |
| Proof | none published | none published |
| Payment | fiat | fiat |
| Contract term | unknown | unknown |
| Maintenance / fee | unknown | unknown |
| Operator | Amazon S3 | Backblaze B2 |
| Facts checked | 2026-09-24 | 2026-09-24 |
// Score breakdown
AWS S3 (legacy cloud benchmark) leads on track record (+1) · Backblaze B2 (legacy cloud benchmark) leads on economics (+4.5), contract terms (+2.5), ease of use (+2).
why 7.4/10?
why 8.6/10?
// AWS S3 (legacy cloud benchmark) at a glance
The most expensive but most reliable and best-documented object store here; a benchmark rather than a value pick, and its egress fees are exactly why buyers consider B2, Wasabi or decentralised storage.
++ What works
- World-class multi-AZ durability/availability with a documented 99.9% SLA
- Fully published, machine-readable pricing and the S3 API de-facto standard
- No minimum purchase and no minimum storage duration on S3 Standard
- Huge ecosystem, tooling and integrations
- 100 GB/month free data transfer out and $200 new-account credits
-- What to watch
- Most expensive storage in this set (~$23.55/TB binary vs ~$7 for B2/Wasabi)
- Egress at $0.09/GB first tier and per-request fees can dwarf the storage line
- Region-dependent pricing and complex IAM/billing
- Fiat only, no crypto and no anonymous access
- 11-nines durability is an internal claim, not auditable by the customer
// Backblaze B2 (legacy cloud benchmark) at a glance
The best-value centralised object store in this set - cheap, S3-compatible, no minimums and free egress up to 3x stored volume - with the recent $6.95 price and the multi-petabyte Overdrive commitment as the only caveats.
++ What works
- $6.95/TB/mo, roughly a third of AWS S3 Standard
- Free egress up to 3x average monthly storage, then only $0.01/GB
- Free Class A/B/C API calls and no minimum file size or storage duration fees
- S3-compatible API plus a native B2 API; simple onboarding and 10 GB free
- Public company (NASDAQ: BLZE) with a documented 99.9% SLA
-- What to watch
- Price rose from the long-standing $6/TB to $6.95/TB
- Egress is only free up to 3x stored volume (metered above that)
- B2 Overdrive's unlimited free egress needs a multi-petabyte commitment
- Single-region redundancy by default; cross-region replication is paid
- Fiat only, no crypto and no anonymous access
// FAQ
Which is cheaper, AWS S3 (legacy cloud benchmark) or Backblaze B2 (legacy cloud benchmark)?
Backblaze B2 (legacy cloud benchmark) is cheaper at $6.95 per TB/mo versus $23.55 per TB/mo.
Which is more verifiable, AWS S3 (legacy cloud benchmark) or Backblaze B2 (legacy cloud benchmark)?
Neither publishes an independent proof (pool worker, on-chain payout or attestation) - that is a caution for both.
Which needs less KYC, AWS S3 (legacy cloud benchmark) or Backblaze B2 (legacy cloud benchmark)?
Both have the same KYC stance (required).
Which has the longer track record?
AWS S3 (legacy cloud benchmark) has the longer track record (since 2006).
Scores and facts: meta-reviews with dated sources - AWS S3 (legacy cloud benchmark) · Backblaze B2 (legacy cloud benchmark). Method: how we verify. More: all providers compared.